How to prevent children from playing games on Windows 10?

[Vox]

I'm looking for a method to lock my children out of playing games on my win10 PC while I'm away. I found some interested topics, about limiting bandwidth and others but I don't think any of these may fit my need. Also, I don't want to use login passwords.

If I was able to lock DirectX, that would be an ideal solution, since all of their games use DirectX. Is it possible somehow to prevent DX from running while I'm out of home then re-enable it whenever I want? The kids aren't tech / software experts so any "home-made" solution may work well.

 

[2sidedpolygon]

You could have 2 separate accounts, one for gaming that only you know the password to with administrator privileges, and another one for when you're away without them. All you'd have to do on your account with administrator privileges is install all your games into an administrator access only folder, that way only that account could access them.

 

[scout_03]

what about parental control directly in windows https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=wA3rW9nHFqmu5wKDt5LYCA&q=win+10+parental+controls&oq=win+10+parental&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i19k1l2j0i22i30i19k1l3.474.5945.0.9635.15.14.0.1.1.0.160.1303.10j4.14.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.15.1304...0j0i131k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j0i13i30i19k1.0.1VSb8JVZO30

 

[Vox]

2sidedpolygon and scout_03: I don't want to make this restriction clear to them due to several family reasons, rather just cheat them silently in an "ohh, look, can't access to the game because of some advanced thechnical reason" style.

 

[punkncat]

Break the game directory?

Move the .exe files out into a $file$ directory that will be hidden.

If they are tech savvy at all, which most kids are, you will see them find and fix quickly.

If these are games that use DRM, use your AV or router solution to block the "check in".

An option a friend on mine used once was to install a hidden switch that would kill a couple of the pairs of the internet cable. In the age of wireless this may or may not be an option.

As a side note and a parent....stand up to your kids and or SO and put a password on with no explanation and deal with the temper tantrum?

 

[USAFRet]

Also, I don't want to use login passwords.

Passwords and individual accounts is a prime way to start with this.

Which 'games'? Anything that needs online access, restrict that traffic at the router. Many current ones have some form of parental control. Turn devices on or off at specific times, or some of them can restrict specific applications or protocols.

Why are they on 'your' PC?
What is the age of these ankle biters?

This is as much a social issue as a tech issue.

 

[Vox]

Also, I don't want to use login passwords.

Passwords and individual accounts is a prime way to start with this.

Which 'games'?

Why are they on 'your' PC?
What is the age of these ankle biters?

This is as much a social issue as a tech issue.

- Multiple games. WoT, WoW, CoD, etc. All uses DirectX so I just started there.
- Because my PC is slightly faster than theirs and other reasons.
- 13-16.
- This is an issue which has 2 components: a social and a technical part. I brought here only the tech part because this is a tech forum. I can handle the social part on my own. If the family story harms your eyes, just replace it with a new bearable environment of your choice. It's irrelevant. I'm still looking only for a technical solution.

 

[Vox]

Break the game directory?

Move the .exe files out into a $file$ directory that will be hidden.
If they are tech savvy at all, which most kids are, you will see them find and fix quickly.
If these are games that use DRM, use your AV or router solution to block the "check in".
An option a friend on mine used once was to install a hidden switch that would kill a couple of the pairs of the internet cable. In the age of wireless this may or may not be an option.
As a side note and a parent....stand up to your kids and or SO and put a password on with no explanation and deal with the temper tantrum?

- I think the .exe moving won't work, as you said, this is very basic for nowadays kids I think.
- The AV or router solution would be a good idea! I'll try to block the games on my firewall silently. I'm not sure if there's any AV/Firewall application that can block something without popping notification when the game was started.
- "to install a hidden switch that would kill a couple of the pairs of the internet cable" — it sound good too!

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Vox]

Ok, back to passwords, is there a way to set up a password in the autologged administrator account to re-ask the password when someone (even me the admin) tries to run a DirectX-based game?

For example, I'm logged in as admin to Win10 but everytime I try to run any program that uses DirectX a popup comes up to ask a set password?
If it's not possible, can this be done to any specific exe file on my computer?