Steam Deck console

[hitbyambulance]

wow, Sega Dreamcast looks like it runs well:



and amazingly, the original Xbox emulator even works:




EDIT: even PlayStation 3 is playable on some titles...



and Xbox 360:



it's already more capable than i thought.

[Enough]

U2K is a happy man lol.

[stimpy]

Wondering if anyone has tinkered around to try and get GOG games to run on this?
Saw a couple of tutorials and it doesnt look hard, but would like some opinions.

[hitbyambulance]

Wondering if anyone has tinkered around to try and get GOG games to run on this?
Saw a couple of tutorials and it doesnt look hard, but would like some opinions.

i do not have a Deck, but i'm familiar with the process of using Wine to run Windows games on Linux that are not on Steam - but it does take some work to set up. the Deck runs on a distro of Linux OS, so we need to install a non-Steam-based version of Wine (which is called Proton, under Steam) to provide the Windows OS 'emulation' layer to Linux. (and WINE Is Not an Emulator either, but that's not something i'm going into here - read up if you're interested https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_(software) ).

overview of steps i would do - if you have instructions that are easier to follow, use those instead:

* Enter 'desktop mode' on the deck (instructions here - read the whole page so you have an idea what you're doing. keep in mind the latter steps are for Steam, not what you're trying to do: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/how-to ... steam-deck )
* Install Lutris from desktop mode (description: https://lutris.net/)
* Install Wine-GE-Custom from desktop mode (readme: https://github.com/gloriouseggroll/wine-ge-custom )
* perform the configuration steps neccessary
* when finished, launch Lutris in desktop mode and run your non-Steam Windows and Dosbox games (and console/computer emulators...) from there

also: any native Linux games downloaded from GOG will work as expected, no Wine or Proton necessary.

and GOG Dosbox games are easy (since Dosbox has a native Linux build, which Lutris can provide)

[malchior]

FWIW I tried Lutris and partially switched quickly to Heroic. Instructions here. It supports Epic and GOG. Heroic takes care of a decent amount of the manual fiddling. Lutris is good for things with straightforward support ("major title").

[LawBeefaroni]

Heroic is the way to go.

[stimpy]

After a few months of fighting to keep the Deck charged, I'm thnking about getting a power bank.
Any suggestions?
This is the one I'm looking at:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-2 ... Id=6488533

Does that look sufficient?

[hitbyambulance]

OLED Steam Deck (with bigger battery and improved thermals) announced:

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/11/ ... ter-wi-fi/

i said was going to wait for one of these, but with the old 64GB version being marked down and discontinued, maybe i'll just go for that...

[Chraolic]

I may have to get one now. I've been holding off so far, but OLED, twice the storage and a better battery is a pretty nice upgrade.

[stessier]

If you want to see some more of the inside, as well as some game performance stats -

[hitbyambulance]

got a secondhand firstgeneration Deck from swappa.com - seller said it had about ten hours of use; looks basically new. (and they had taken the effort to replace the original 64GB storage drive with a 1TB one.) i don't, so far, understand the complaints about the screen at all... looks fine to me. it's a slick little device i would have killed for 15 years ago - a slide-out keyboard would have sealed the deal for me, but i intend to make full use of desktop mode with this all the same. i play a lot of games that need very precise directional pad movement and i'm sticking with the built-in d-pad, as i'm not finding the haptic pads to be precise enough - those also feel weird with games that require mouse control. i can understand the complaints about the battery life, but this is a first iteration and there's a lot going on with this system and i can see why it's a big ol battery drain. anyways, if i get enough use out of this one, i will certainly be getting the secondgen version in 2025.

[hitbyambulance]

going to say this is the best piece of 'new' technology i've gotten since my first Kindle in 2011. Valve did a lot right with this device.

[hitbyambulance]

also, i'm able to play on it without reading glasses! (unlike the Nintendo *DS consoles, where my eyes go all out of focus after staring at the little screen for more than twenty minutes)

[hitbyambulance]

Valve partnered with ifixit.com to provide parts and repair guides for the Steam Deck:

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Steam_Deck

[Blackhawk]

That's impressively consumer friendly of them.

[Eel Snave]

I just picked up a Steam Deck mostly for emulation and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. I really, really like this thing.

[LawBeefaroni]

Still enjoying the first gen deck. Really shines on these road trips.


Currently: Deep Rock Survivor.

[hitbyambulance]

That's impressively consumer friendly of them.

for an American game company, they really are doing the right things with their 'gaming platform', in many ways.

if only the Steam Deck had a slide out keyboard, it would be perfect (i have an old mini Bluetooth keyboard/trackpad/sorta-game-controller that works fine with it, but the "Y" key is stuck and i still haven't figured out how to disassemble the keyboard to fix it)

[Anonymous Bosch]

That's impressively consumer friendly of them.

for an American game company, they really are doing the right things with their 'gaming platform', in many ways.

if only the Steam Deck had a slide out keyboard, it would be perfect (i have an old mini Bluetooth keyboard/trackpad/sorta-game-controller that works fine with it, but the "Y" key is stuck and i still haven't figured out how to disassemble the keyboard to fix it)

If you're after a portable keyboard and trackpad solution for your Steam Deck, I suggest considering the iClever BK08 Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard with Touchpad, especially while it's available from Amazon with a Black Friday discount:





It serves as a superbly portable and pocket-sized keyboard and trackpad for the Steam Deck in particular, and also includes a decent carrying pouch, too:

[GreenGoo]

I woke up in a semi-dream state thinking I should buy one of these. Which is odd, because I never, ever considered buying one. Ever. And never think about its existence.

Now I'm considering it

[Eel Snave]

DOOOO ITTTTTT

For real, though, this is one of the most versatile little bits of tech I've bought in a while. It's like, "Do you want to do X? OK cool go for it."

[GreenGoo]

My gaming machine, despite working well as far as I can tell (I am not playing many recent games), is years old. It was years old before covid and I had started pricing out a new system. It's got to be pushing 7+ years, which is shocking to me.

While I don't think the Deck would be a step up, it's probably a step sideways, which means I shouldn't worry about performance too much. And I do understand it can't/won't run everything.

Are they even still making it? I have no idea. See above re: my awareness of the Deck's existence.

[Eel Snave]

They sure are! They've even got the LCD models on sale right now. The storage is also relatively easy to upgrade, from what I can see.

[Blackhawk]

I've thought about it from time to time, but I don't travel. When I am in the car, I'm driving 100% of the time. Other than that, I'm at home, and would likely play any PC game on the actual PC.

And if I really did need to travel, I've got my Switch.

[Eel Snave]

Yeah, for me it's because my computer is in a separate space in the house that's away from the living room, and sometimes I want to hang out with everyone else in the same room. Yes, I could take out my laptop, but I like having the specific device.

[hitbyambulance]

While I don't think the Deck would be a step up, it's probably a step sideways, which means I shouldn't worry about performance too much.

sideways is about right, but i am shocked at the more demanding titles it can play. the price point is crazy; Valve really is losing money on the hardware.

if the main gaming PC breaks, the Steam Deck is pretty cool to have (this was actually a use case for me earlier this year)

tho if i'm traveling i am 90% of the time more inclined to pull out a book... it's invaluable for long plane trips. but it has rendered my other portable gaming systems redundant - the larger screen is a GODSEND. and yes, you can use it as a desktop computer by hooking up a monitor, mouse and keyboard (and whatever other peripherals) through a USB-C dock and switching to desktop mode. i also now have access to my GOG and Epic Games libraries on it.

[GreenGoo]

Interest...rising.

[Smoove_B]

and yes, you can use it as a desktop computer by hooking up a monitor, mouse and keyboard (and whatever other peripherals) through a USB-C dock and switching to desktop mode.

I...did not know this. That increases its potential value significantly.

[Eel Snave]

and yes, you can use it as a desktop computer by hooking up a monitor, mouse and keyboard (and whatever other peripherals) through a USB-C dock and switching to desktop mode.

I...did not know this. That increases its potential value significantly.

Oh wow, I had no idea about that. Daaaang. That solves some of my issues.

[hitbyambulance]

https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to ... steam-deck



and keep in mind it can emulate:
* all consoles (and handhelds) with emulators available up through original Xbox/Playstation 2/Gamecube-Wii (and it runs some PS3/Xbox360 titles, but it drains the battery really fast. also some Switch games, but lack of proper controls)
* all computers throughout history! (don't forget DOSBox) i haven't looked into OS X tho


it's going to be good for a long while into the future if you're into less graphically demanding titles. plays a ton of new indie titles just fine

[Anonymous Bosch]

and yes, you can use it as a desktop computer by hooking up a monitor, mouse and keyboard (and whatever other peripherals) through a USB-C dock and switching to desktop mode.

I...did not know this. That increases its potential value significantly.

Oh wow, I had no idea about that. Daaaang. That solves some of my issues.

Indeed, the Steam Deck also provides access to a wide variety of cloud streaming services, although accessing them used to be a somewhat complex and intricate process. Fortunately, EmuDeck has greatly streamlined the process, enabling users to set up most cloud streaming services with ease. For a step-by-step guide, have a butcher's at the video guide below:



Suffice to say, I wholeheartedly agree with hitbyambulance regarding the incredible value of the Steam Deck. Game performance and optimizations for SteamOS are truly remarkable. After implementing the recommended optimizations by CryoByte33, I was amazed at how well Red Dead Redemption 2 runs on the Steam Deck.

[GreenGoo]

Might be a merry christmas after all.

[hitbyambulance]

that this device not only runs modern games as well as it does - it's that they run so well on a completely different operating system (Linux) than what the games were designed on and for (MS Windows). this is an achievement that the non-technically-inclined are going to completely overlook, but it's the most amazing thing to me, personally.

[Blackhawk]

Release the OS for PC, please.

[hitbyambulance]

Release the OS for PC, please.

discussion here:



(it's basically ArchLinux with Proton runtimes, tho you can achieve the same results with pretty much any Linux distro now.

but for a turnkey gaming Linux OS, check out https://bazzite.gg/ )

[Anonymous Bosch]

Release the OS for PC, please.

If you're interested in replicating the Steam Deck experience on a PC, consider Chimera OS. As it's based on Arch Linux, just like the Steam Deck's SteamOS Holo, you can expect a remarkably similar gaming experience. The preconfigured Steam session in Chimera OS leverages Wayland, Gamescope (though this is best suited for AMD GPUs, for reasons explained in the video below), and also uses GamepadUI just like the Steam Deck for a seamless experience. Additionally, Chimera OS is more frequently updated and secure in terms of packages and driver/kernel versions than Holo. This makes it an ideal option for converting an inexpensive, budget-friendly PC into a Steam Deck gaming console. Have a butcher's at the helpful video guide below to see it in action, along with some useful set up tips:

[GreenGoo]

What's the battery life like?

How many hours do you think you get just streaming or surfing?

It's a little pricier than I want to spend on myself this close to xmas. Will start learning more about it though. Maybe I can convince myself.

[jztemple2]

I'm seriously considering getting a Steam Deck to play Door Kickers 2 when it hits 1.0 release, but I know zilch about the decks. Is there an up to date guide on which deck version to get and must have accessories?

[GreenGoo]

I am not knowledgeable.

There were 3 decks I saw on the webpage.

256GB LCD. Basic model
512GB OLED. More storage, better, larger screen, same resolution as 256GB model. OLED is pretty significantly better than LCD.
1024GB(1TB) OLED. More storage. Same screen and size and resolution as 512GB model. Anti-glare. Some other throw-ins that don't cost much on their own, such as case.

From my perspective, it boils down to the screen, and storage. In canuck dollars, it's almost $200 increase from basic to middle, which is double storage and better, larger screen. It's another $150 for even more storage and anti-glare.

I would prefer the top end (who wouldn't?) but at that point it's closer to $1k than the $500 basic model. That's...a lot. At least for me right now.

My limited reading is that the middle is the best bang for the buck, in terms of what you get vs what you pay.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I'm seriously considering getting a Steam Deck to play Door Kickers 2 when it hits 1.0 release, but I know zilch about the decks. Is there an up to date guide on which deck version to get and must have accessories?

If you're thinking about purchasing a Steam Deck, I highly recommend checking out the following informative purchasing guide. It offers a comprehensive overview of the different versions of the Steam Deck, highlights its key features and benefits, and discusses the usefulness of various Steam Deck accessories. So it's particularly useful for prospective buyers who want to understand what they can expect from the device. Have a butcher's at the video here: