Suggestion: Quit Game Remotely

[maxt95]

I was playing arma 2 and changed the graphics settings and the game froze. So I force quit the application on my macbook pro, but the game was still running on my pc. There should be a way to terminate the program from one comp to the other.

[Trigger_Trim]

agree. also, I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 for my client, and when the client freezes (i.e- I've changed resolutions on the host game, and the game would freeze on the client, yet continue on with the host) I've not been able to kill the process even on my client machine and I've had to reboot it.

typically I would then remote desktop into the host and end the game process there... all in all, a very ugly way of resolving a frozen session.

I've also had sessions video just freeze in the middle of playing, however I could still hear audio and my inputs seemed to be still going through. but the only way out of that situation for me was to reboot my linux client, then kill the process on the host.

wish there was a better way, or that the streaming service would handle those situations more elegantly.

[Jay And Problems]

I just had the same issue. Client is an old Core2Duo laptop running Ubuntu 12.04. I tried to run Kerbal Space Program and the game froze at a black screen. Alt-F4 did nothing on either PC, managed to switch out of Steam on Ubuntu and kill steam, but on my Windows Laptop I had to fidel around until I managed to get Task Manager to come up and killed KSP.exe from there. Some way to remote kill the game is a major feature that needs to be sorted out.

[Cató IluDe]

This could be an amazing feature for Steam Web. I'm just having a problem with steam Link saying "steam link streaming error couldn't connect to relay" and I can't quit it.

An option where we can Log Out from all the other devices/webs/and app.

[Eizen745]

Had the same problem with Fallout 4 going non responsive on the host Windows 10 pc. I was unable to affect any change or shift focus away from Fallout 4 to do anything remotely, and so my home machine sat with Fallout 4 not responding for 48 hrs. Short of making a steam shortcut for Task Manager (hello security risk) to be able to force a task to shut down, I'm not sure what can be done...

It's a double edged blade - on one side, you don't want to give carte-blanche access to the host machine with task manager, or even access to the desktop or taskbar. These methods might allow you to kill a program, but if your steam account is compromised, theoretically someone could remote log into your computer with complete control afforded by whatever user account you run steam under. On the other side of the blade, you need some sort of elevated privilege to be able to kill a crashed task.

@ SalazarAlbino - I agree, a "log off all devices" button is a good idea, especially if you are done connecting to your host, but I'm not sure it would be helpful here... for example, If you log off your host machine, how would you connect to it to log it back into steam to remote play on your client pc?

[Cató IluDe]

HI @Eizen745 .

Nice questions. I'll explain what happened to me and also trying to explain me better because I wasn't actualy speaking from logging off from program (although that could be an amazing feature asweel for game protection although I hae my steam with code protected - installed the app on my phone).

So, I was playing Sonic 2 (just bought the hole new bundle) and it crashed.
I was 10 km away playing on my Steam Link. Played Hours couting up... .ok.. Can't close this...
Let's try to open a game from my saved games on steam link and hopefull, because it's a new window it will fix... hum.. nop. Open the game? ♥♥♥♥ yeah, arrived home with a bunch of games opened and counting hours ftw.... but... that's it.

Has you can push "steam" button and "quit game" , Steam should have a "force quit game" option for this "crashes" cases, or because you left in a hurry and forgot your pc on, just to close it and don't ♥♥♥♥ your pc up...


The log in/log off I think it's great not to change. You open your pc and that's it. I had to hange to "never shut down when powered" so I can play remotly.
But, there should be an option to force "quit game" and close all open games.

[Sloth Bro]

For the life of me I don't know why there's a stop button for games that you're streaming if it doesn't work. Seriously Valve. Fix your streaming problems. The remote play is showing my host computer's desktop with Killing Floor 2 minimized. I can't get it to maximize or do anything on the host computer's desktop. I can't even go into the start menu to find the Task Manager to close it. Please allow me to remotely close any games I have or at the very least, give us access to our host desktops so we can fix any problems that you're too lazy to fix.

[Mio Rin]

Originally posted by Sloth Bro:

For the life of me I don't know why there's a stop button for games that you're streaming if it doesn't work...

I agree. I wish it would just go back to "Connect", so I can get back in the game immediately when the stream chokes on a packet and drops.
The way it is now, I have to go into settings and toggle remote play off and on again to get the "Connect" button back.

[Sloth Bro]

Valve should just make it so that you stream the entire host's computer as in their desktop and Steam library. That way the user can maximize a minimized program on the desktop or be able to open Task Manager remotely and close any games causing problems. It'll also overcome any problems with games that have a launcher that needs to be opened first.

[Dibzahab]

It's very buggy, but I find that if you go to the game that's running and click the little arrow next to the nonfunctional stop button you can select the host machine. This will refresh the button and give the connect option. Using it, you can connect to the game in progress and shut it down or resume where you left off. I am having to do this a lot, myself, as the client is crashing for me every time I alt tab out and back in.

[Sloth Bro]

Originally posted by Dibzahab:

It's very buggy, but I find that if you go to the game that's running and click the little arrow next to the nonfunctional stop button you can select the host machine. This will refresh the button and give the connect option. Using it, you can connect to the game in progress and shut it down or resume where you left off. I am having to do this a lot, myself, as the client is crashing for me every time I alt tab out and back in.

This works but you gotta do it a few times before you stop getting the failed to connect to the remote computer message and the damn thing does its job.

[Dibzahab]

Funny enough, since posting I have begun having crashes that I couldn't ever recover from. I think there's a bug in either NVENC or NVFBC. Glad it's still working for you, though.

[Dibzahab]

Hey guys, I think this issue might be fixed in the latest beta.

Fixed Play button saying "Stop" instead of "Connect" when the stream stops unexpectedly

They fixed a bunch of other stuff, too. Really good patch forthcoming.

[|$m0k!n|-MeRcUrY-]

Quake Champions kicked me out, then I started a new game and the sound of quake still hears in background. I try to kill it but with no luck. I clicked the "Connect" button in the quake game but stays in the loading screen forever (looping sound). There is no way to kill the game in the remote host :(

[Dibzahab]

Originally posted by |$m0k!n|-MeRcUrY-:

Quake Champions kicked me out, then I started a new game and the sound of quake still hears in background. I try to kill it but with no luck. I clicked the "Connect" button in the quake game but stays in the loading screen forever (looping sound). There is no way to kill the game in the remote host :(

Unfortunately, Steam's remote play has a lot of issues. I doubt they will ever really get it right. If you intend to do a lot of remote playing, I definitely recommend that you also setup a remote desktop service of some sort. Something that would let you login to a desktop interface where you could perform administrative tasks, such as shutting down errant processes. It's a giant security risk and its configuration is much more difficult than it should be, but what else can you do?

[Cató IluDe]

I jus trestarted to use my Steam Link device instead of phone. Almost all the problems went away. Don't knwo if it's an android problem. But seems like it.