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Steam Families Is Here

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11–20 of 52 posts

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#11
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

I feel like this might be a big deterrent for users that might add random friends or people online as a means of expanding their libraries instead of keeping it in their immediate family. Probably a nice side-effect from Valve's perspective.

It would definitely suck to be banned because of your young child experimenting with cheats or something along those lines.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#13
post #11
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

I feel like this might be a big deterrent for users that might add random friends or people online as a means of expanding their libraries instead of keeping it in their immediate family. Probably a nice side-effect from Valve's perspective. It would definitely suck to be banned because of your young child experimenting with cheats or something along those lines.

Per-account bans would also be easily exploited by those who do want to cheat - buy a game once, make five smurf accounts, add them all to a family, and get six fresh starts for the price of one. Any loophole like that absolutely would be abused.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#14
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

Seems totally fair to me. Don't loan your games to people you can't vouch for. It creates and preserves a circle of accountability. Similarly how you wouldn't loan your car to a friend who doesn't have insurance. If you do it it's on you if he bins it.

Pretty much every single child thinks cheats are the greatest things ever when they first discover them. Usually you discover how boring and easy they make the game fairly soon after, but you still try them out.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#15
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

If feel like it is completely normal for any kind of sharing to have these kind of rules.

It keeps people from using "don't blame me, family member did it" as an excuse / cover for cheating. I used to moderate a busy gaming forum, that excuse is baked into that community sadly.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#16
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

> I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

Nah, I agree with it. It's sort of like private trackers invites, if an invitee is misbehaving, both the invitee and the inviter will be punished for it.

It's enforcing an honor system between peers.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#17

Question for the crowd: My son has been playing in my Steam account for several years now and I don't care much about my achievements, but he does. I'm thinking I create a new account for myself, change the email addr for the old account, create a new family and add him. Good idea? Any gotchas to be aware of?

My advice, give it some time.

Like the cheating ban, there could be more restrictions/actions in place on accounts once they have figured out and addressed all the ways someone can abuse or take advantage of this.

Once the dust settles, you can take a call based on that.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#19
post #16
post #7

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game. Other family members are not impacted. I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly.

> I understand why, obviously, but this is going to get acrimonious quickly. Nah, I agree with it. It's sort of like private trackers invites, if an invitee is misbehaving, both the invitee and the inviter will be punished for it. It's enforcing an honor system between peers.

I was just thinking how I wish that was the case on reddit, but for submissions.

Some magic where if you submit some article that is BS, deceptive rage bait, or just not up to whatever the subs standards are ... you as the submitter take the hit somehow.

It wouldn't be foolproof, but forums sometimes are inundated by users who love to post / submit stories and it chances the atmosphere of the forum from thoughtful to ... whatever low effort tweet is out there getting attention.

Re: Steam Families Is Here

#20
post #13
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like this might be a big deterrent for users that might add random friends or people online as a means of expanding their libraries instead of keeping it in their immediate family. Probably a nice side-effect from Valve's perspective. It would definitely suck to be banned because of your young child experimenting with cheats or something along those lines.

Per-account bans would also be easily exploited by those who do want to cheat - buy a game once, make five smurf accounts, add them all to a family, and get six fresh starts for the price of one. Any loophole like that absolutely would be abused.

Maybe it would be better if it worked by a system of strikes? Like if one of the accounts that you are sharing cheats, that account gets banned and yours get a strike, this strike means you and the other accounts that use your copy are more closly and harshly monitored but you can still play, if another cheat is detected in that copy then you get a ban.

This would give breath room for parents to explain to their kids that they should not cheat without leaving that much leeway for cheaters themselves.

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