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Controlling gaming access on a laptop

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jtr63
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Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336792

Postby jtr63 » August 29th, 2020, 3:58 pm

My son is about to start a university course next month. He has Asperger's and is entitles to Disabled Students' Allowance for a laptop and other supporting technology. He will initially be living at home. Throughout his A-Levels he was very good and splitting academic work, done at college, and gaming, etc. at home. If he has everything on a laptop that is used at home and at Uni, we are concerned he will start gaming away from home. DAK of a program that would only allow access to his gaming programs when logged on at home ? Or any other technology that would help keep work and play separate. We would like to avoid a 2 computer set up if possible.
TIA
John

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336810

Postby vrdiver » August 29th, 2020, 5:21 pm

Not sure about a software solution, but if you discuss it with him and he agrees, could you acquire the gaming login credentials and change them so that only you can log in to the game?

He would then need you to log in (and you would need to make sure he had logged out at the end of the session).

Alternatively, can the game be installed on a USB stick that stays at home?

VRD

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336818

Postby Infrasonic » August 29th, 2020, 5:52 pm

Parental control apps/software should do what you want, many of them are multi OS, so Windows PC's, Android and iOS phones can be linked with restrictions on apps, time limits, geo fencing et al.
https://www.additudemag.com/screen-time ... trol-apps/

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336821

Postby ReformedCharacter » August 29th, 2020, 6:13 pm

Having 2 Win 10 (presumably) installations on the same machine, one with work and one with games might be another option. A little extra disk space would be needed and another licence*.

* probably

RC

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336824

Postby Midsmartin » August 29th, 2020, 6:45 pm

The difficulty is that if you lock it down too much he might be unable to run or install something he needs.. And may resent it unless he's fully onboard with it!

Another gentle approach might be to merely monitor what is on the pc. Could he self monitor.ie would an email saying he spent X hours playing games but y hours working be any help?

https://www.rescuetime.com/

As above locking games at certain times might work. Would you need to control it, or would he have that himself?

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336840

Postby Infrasonic » August 29th, 2020, 7:50 pm

W10 actually has its own parental control settings which may suffice, I've never compared how extensive they are in relation to the third party software options though.

https://www.google.com/search?q=w10+pro ... e&ie=UTF-8

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Re: Controlling gaming access on a laptop

#336876

Postby mc2fool » August 29th, 2020, 11:02 pm

Universities tend to have lots of smart people, many of which get youthful joy from side-stepping authority. I wonder how long any restrictions would last up against a note put up on the students union bar notice board offering free drinks for defeating whatever controls you might put on the laptop.... :D

Or, of course, if he really wants to play games he can always do it on another PC, there tend to be lots of those around university campuses too. ;)


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