From: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#1]
6 Mar 16:10
To: ALL
I am currently setting up a Steam account for a charity community arts centre thing and they're looking to start some game development groups. I'm going to get them things like the Unreal and Source engines for the editors.
My problem is that we want quite free and easy access to the editors and things like Garry's Mod, but we don't want the kiddies to be able to open Unreal Tournament or Half-Life whenever there isn't an adult looking. I've been scouring Steam support sites and Google for some kind of parental locking system but haven't found anything yet. Does anyone know of some way to do this?
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From: 99% of gargoyles look like (MR_BASTARD) [#2]
6 Mar 22:30
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#1] 7 Mar 18:04
Cut the kiddiwinks' hands off at the wrists?
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From: Hugh et al le J (KOSWIX) [#3]
6 Mar 22:35
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#1] 7 Mar 18:04
Delete the executables for the games?
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From: Manthorp [#4]
6 Mar 22:50
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#1] 7 Mar 18:04
I think you're probably gonna have to go back upstream & lock off access at a higher level, which is crap I know & not what you're asking for.
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From: Peter (BOUGHTONP) [#5]
6 Mar 22:50
To: Hugh et al le J (KOSWIX) [#3] 7 Mar 0:50
The engine may well need the executables, but removing key resources (textures,maps,etc) would probably do.
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From: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#6]
7 Mar 18:17
To: ALL
So there really isn't any way to do it within Steam? That's a bit crap of them.
Are there any security settings in windows for exe files that would allow you to password lock certain ones? I think it's running Vista, but it could be Windows 7.
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From: W R O N G bot (DSMITHHFX) [#7]
7 Mar 18:56
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#6] 7 Mar 19:55
You can selectively firewall exe's using something like zonealarm
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From: patch [#8]
7 Mar 19:37
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#6] 7 Mar 19:55
Could you not use NTFS permissions on the executables? That way you could say that certain user accounts can still run them? Of course, without Group Policy it's a faff doing it on each machine, but you could always go the whole Active Directory route.
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From: Hugh et al le J (KOSWIX) [#9]
7 Mar 19:55
To: W R O N G bot (DSMITHHFX) [#7] 7 Mar 20:57
Heh, I ReAd that as ex's. As in foRmeR Partners. I like that idea.
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From: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#10]
7 Mar 19:56
To: patch [#8] 7 Mar 20:25
It's only one machine, so that might be viable, whatever it is. I shall Google it further...
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From: patch [#11]
7 Mar 20:36
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#10] 7 Mar 22:08
On my machine, the games seem to be stored in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common", though that might change slightly if your machine is XP or summat.
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From: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#12]
7 Mar 22:16
To: patch [#11] 8 Mar 6:52
I know where the exe files are, but I don't want to just delete them because it's likely that the editor will need the game exe file to test, plus I want to keep the games playable in case I'm ever bored there and no-one's watching me. (angel)
I would think there would be some kind of protection setting in file properties that would let you password-lock certain files or folders. I can't check right now because I'm on OSX. :-((
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From: patch [#13]
8 Mar 6:57
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#12] 8 Mar 7:36
There's no password lock setting in the file properties, but if you go to the Security tab of the file properties, you can add the Windows account name that they'll be using and untick the Allow Read & Execute tickbox (don't tick the Deny box unless unticking the Allow box doesn't work). That should do it. I think.
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From: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#14]
8 Mar 7:47
To: patch [#13] 8 Mar 7:54
Right, I'll give that a go next time I'm there, which will probably not be for a couple of months... :< Thankees in advance if it works.
Also, will that make in not work at all on the restricted account, or will it pop up with a username/password box and only work if admin details are entered?
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From: patch [#15]
8 Mar 7:55
To: Oscarvarium (OZGUR) [#14] 8 Mar 12:48
Nope. It just won't work for that Windows account. You'd have to log off and then on again as a different account for it to work.
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From: Chris (CHRISSS) [#16]
8 Mar 10:20
To: patch [#15] 8 Mar 11:09
Would it not be possible to run as admin and have a prompt for password?
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From: patch [#17]
8 Mar 11:10
To: Chris (CHRISSS) [#16] 8 Mar 11:13
Not using file permissions. You could possibly do it with parental controls in Vista or 7. Otherwise, there might be a third-party app out there somewhere.
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From: Chris (CHRISSS) [#18]
8 Mar 11:20
To: patch [#17] 8 Mar 11:30
windowsconnected.com/blogs/joshs_blog/archive/2006/12/01/windows-vista-tip-run-as-administrator.aspx
?
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From: patch [#19]
8 Mar 11:32
To: Chris (CHRISSS) [#18] 8 Mar 11:38
That's just dealing with the behaviour of UAC, rather than running an application. Or am I missing your point?
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From: Chris (CHRISSS) [#20]
8 Mar 11:40
To: patch [#19] 8 Mar 12:12
I see. Seem to remember some way of doing something like this when I was using XP before. Can't remembef what it was though. Might be remembering it wrong anyway.
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