Can I still work or play another game while my desktop is streaming to the other computer?

[Retrovidya]

I think this will be awesome of people in my home can play a game on the laptop but if I want to play a game or work because I work from home I was curious if it would still allow the streaming to take place or would the desktop have to just sit idle to allow someone to play.

[𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓽]

Exactly my same question...

[Lord Buttsauce]

I tested this today, and you can't. When your computer is streaming, nearly full control of it is given to the computer being streamed to. If you alt+tab out of the game on the host computer, the other one will see the desktop instead of the game and will have full control of the mouse and keyboard on the host. Essentially, you could use the in-home streaming feature to control a computer from another computer in the same network, and even change settings on the host. So yes. The desktop would have to sit idle to allow someone else to play.

[Retrovidya]

Thank you, I am glad I have some clarification on this.

[dummle]

i really hope they fix this so u atleast can use the computer for something else

[MikeSharpeWriter]

Originally posted by dummle:

i really hope they fix this so u atleast can use the computer for something else

Do you know how much Processing power games like Crysis and Metro take up? Most PCs are often maxed out. That means you're limited to programs like notepad. I had tried operating a PC with almost 100% processor use, it's not very pretty.

[anarcher]

Originally posted by Nutter|t.KK - MikeSharpeWriter:

Originally posted by dummle:

i really hope they fix this so u atleast can use the computer for something else

Do you know how much Processing power games like Crysis and Metro take up? Most PCs are often maxed out. That means you're limited to programs like notepad. I had tried operating a PC with almost 100% processor use, it's not very pretty.

You can still use the system for light browsing without using much cpu, multi-user multi-head systems have been around for decades.

[Big Beefy Bullet Dodger]

Hi! Is this still the status quo? I recently bought an Ayn Odin Android handheld and assumed I could use it to stream Steam games to it whilst my wife uses the computer to watch soap operas. Surely this problem must be solvable by 2022?

Thanks for any support.

[_I_]

one at a time

get her to use another device to stream shows

[Natsuya Kirishima]

Originally posted by MikeSharpeWriter:

Originally posted by dummle:

i really hope they fix this so u at least can use the computer for something else

Do you know how much Processing power games like Crysis and Metro take up? Most PCs are often maxed out. That means you're limited to programs like notepad. I had tried operating a PC with almost 100% processor use, it's not very pretty.

I'm well aware, for many years I had to live with a laptop that would regularly get maxed out with games. However, just because most people won't be able to use it doesn't mean don't add it. There is still a very large number of people with sufficiently powerful hardware to make full use of this ability, possibly even running several games at once.

Let's explore an example. My new [midrange] laptop can run <b>Cyberpunk 2077 @ 4K</b>, 70FPS with Raytracing, DLSS, Frame generation, and Upscaling enabled. This is without any overclocking, although I could expect to reach 100 - 120FPS if I fine-tuned the system performance & added a cooling pad & maxed the fans.

The games you cited are slightly lighter in performance requirements compared to Cyberpunk, and definitely a breeze for newer hardware.

Given this, while <i>you</i> might not find a use for this feature, there will be thousands who will, and Steam should definitely consider adding this ability. The only restriction I see, is how Windows will see the inputs, it may not prove possible with the current way windows works.

[_I_]

windows combines all k/m inputs
so its not possible to separate them

and windows only gives focus on one task at a time

audio from the game could be passed only to remote
but remote play is also allowed to control the desktop, and other programs too
but windows only passes control to the program with focus, not to both