Steam Deck and Linux Gaming

512GB NVMe and 512GB SD Card showed up today. Status has changed to Shipped, on it's way to final parcel centre. Incoming dual boot shenanigans because I can't help myself.

davet010 wrote:

Mine has shown up today

When did you get your order email? Or indeed how long after the status changed to 'Shipped' did you get yours? Trying to judge transport times from NL into the UK...

Trying to catch up on this thread- have ignored it for a little while because I wanted to wait until my Steam Deck is on the way, mostly because I'm a little out of my league on talk about computers and I wanted to wait until I practically had a Deck rather than just treat the conversation as hypothetical. So, I'm catching up now but it's taking time (just busy is all).

Sorry as this is likely all ready discussed. Folks who have the Deck, how would you answer the question- should I get a MicroSD to expand my storage? Is storage a real concern? I purchased the 512 and it's on the way, just not sure that storage is a huge concern. It is more an advantage of partitioning how you use the Steam Deck- with some files on the built-in storage versus what it comes with?

I won't do any emulating and I am unlikely to install Windows. On the other hand, I do have a pre-paid card with $ from recent jury duty so I could afford something like the 1 TB card I just looked at.

Going to catch up on the thread- promise- and going to watch some videos now, but was hoping for some direction. Thanks.

the need for more storage may depend upon your personal gaming habits. I filled up my 256gb with about a dozen games, but realistically I know that I’m probably only going to be playing one or two of those games at a time. I did end up buying a 1tb micro sd card but I haven’t even touched it yet. I would suggest just spending some time with the deck before deciding to drop money on extra storage.

omni wrote:

512GB NVMe and 512GB SD Card showed up today. Status has changed to Shipped, on it's way to final parcel centre. Incoming dual boot shenanigans because I can't help myself.

davet010 wrote:

Mine has shown up today

When did you get your order email? Or indeed how long after the status changed to 'Shipped' did you get yours? Trying to judge transport times from NL into the UK...

I paid for it last Wed, notification changed to 'shipped' by Friday, I got a notification over the weekend that it was with Parcelforce, then it turned up. I would think yours should be with you either Friday or Monday (I can't remember whether Parcelforce deliver on a Saturday or not).

Mine will probably be a slow work in progress - it's our financial year end this weekend, so the next two months are going to be a bit busy...

Any recommendations for screen protectors ?

And anyone got any tips/hints about using an Xbox controller ?

I also finally got the email for my 512 this week. Now to figure out what game to try first. I hate tiny text and cramped UIs.

How are you all finding the carrying case works?

I decided against any external storage for now. I don't plan on mass installing games. So far, I just gone with installing the current game I'm playing plus the next game I intend to play (so that I don't need to wait to install if I feel like playing it after finishing the first). I have very few games that I will want to keep permanently installed and any that I would are probably small rouge-lites. I plan on installing very few, if any, AAA games so most of the ones I'll install are pretty small in size. I installed Dota 2 with the intent of using it to spectate tournament games but it's more awkward than I would like so I'll probably end up uninstalling.

Even with the massive almost 50 GBs for Dota, I have about 120 GB free on top of my two current games. So, I don't think I'll have need for external storage for quite a while.

I have a 256GB model and for now I’m using a 256GB SD card. Space has not been an issue for regular usage. I did originally install some bigger games that used a lot of space just to see how they played but the games I actually play on Deck mostly aren’t large and I have a lot of them installed without issue. I think I have around 200GB free across SSD and SD storage after I removed some of those big games I wasn’t playing.

davet010 wrote:

Any recommendations for screen protectors ?

And anyone got any tips/hints about using an Xbox controller ?

I’m using a cheap screen protector from Amazon. It’s…fine. No complaints really. I nearly bought the dBrand one then figured I’d try cheap first since a friend was already using a cheap one and said it was fine for him.

I’ve used a wired Xbox controller while the Deck was Docked and it seemed to work great. Haven’t tried it wireless.

LeapingGnome wrote:

How are you all finding the carrying case works?

I really like the case that came with the Deck. I have a TPU shell on my Deck now and it still fits easily in the case.

Valve have announced that production and supply chain easing means that they will fulfil all current reservations for Steam Deck before the end of the year.

Valve wrote:

Hello! We're excited to announce that we're going to be able to fulfill demand sooner than we had estimated for everyone in the reservation queue. Many of the supply chain shortfalls that affect Steam Deck are gradually clearing up, and we're continuing to ramp production, so we're able to produce more Decks faster than ever before.

As of today we've updated the reservation windows, and everyone who's currently in the reservation queue will get their Steam Deck email this year. Many customers who were in the "Q4 or later" window have been bumped up to "Q3 (July-September)" window. And everyone else is now solidly in the "Q4 (October-December)" window.

As of this moment, new reservations will be in the Q4 bucket, but if these queues fill up it will flip over into the following quarter. To see your reservation window, visit this site while logged in.

We're happy we'll be able to get Steam Decks into your hands faster than we had estimated. It has been great to see all the positive feedback, impressions, and amazing things you all have already been doing with your Steam Decks. We can't wait to see even more in the coming months.

That's it for today, more news soon.

Anyone who’s set up Xbox Game Cloud on the Steam Deck- is there a way to actually close out of it? When the app is running both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop working and there isn’t any option to close within the app itself, the only way to exit seems to be force-restarting the Deck with the power button.

ruhk wrote:

Anyone who’s set up Xbox Game Cloud on the Steam Deck- is there a way to actually close out of it? When the app is running both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop working and there isn’t any option to close within the app itself, the only way to exit seems to be force-restarting the Deck with the power button.

I have not seen that behavior. Steam > Exit Game, works AOK. Take at look at the Microsoft instructions. Also you might want to make sure your Edge Beta Flatpack is up to date.

Those are the instructions I followed to get it working in the first place. The app itself and the streaming works great, I just can’t exit out of it. It’s not a HUGE inconvenience since restarting only takes a couple seconds. I guess I’ll just chalk it up to beta weirdness.

When using an Xbox controller I often find the vibrations continue an unusually long time or sometimes never stop. I have to remove the batteries when this happens. Ive tried multiple Xbox controllers and update their firmware. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Chad

ruhk wrote:

Anyone who’s set up Xbox Game Cloud on the Steam Deck- is there a way to actually close out of it? When the app is running both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop working and there isn’t any option to close within the app itself, the only way to exit seems to be force-restarting the Deck with the power button.

I may be wrong but are you launching it in Desktop mode? That’s gonna be a problem if you configured the shortcut to run in kiosk mode like the instructions say. Your meant to launch it in Steam game mode when you have it that way and use the Steam exit button to close it.

When you want to play in Desktop mode just use Edge by itself not launched using the Steam shortcut.

pandasuit wrote:
ruhk wrote:

Anyone who’s set up Xbox Game Cloud on the Steam Deck- is there a way to actually close out of it? When the app is running both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop working and there isn’t any option to close within the app itself, the only way to exit seems to be force-restarting the Deck with the power button.

Are you launching it in Desktop mode? That’s gonna be a problem if you configured the shortcut to run in kiosk mode like the instructions say. Your meant to launch it in Steam game mode when you have it that way and use the Steam exit button to close it.

I am launching it in game mode. Both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop functioning when the browser opens. Everything else works fine.

ruhk wrote:
pandasuit wrote:
ruhk wrote:

Anyone who’s set up Xbox Game Cloud on the Steam Deck- is there a way to actually close out of it? When the app is running both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop working and there isn’t any option to close within the app itself, the only way to exit seems to be force-restarting the Deck with the power button.

Are you launching it in Desktop mode? That’s gonna be a problem if you configured the shortcut to run in kiosk mode like the instructions say. Your meant to launch it in Steam game mode when you have it that way and use the Steam exit button to close it.

I am launching it in game mode. Both the Steam and Ellipses buttons stop functioning when the browser opens. Everything else works fine.

Weird. Those “almost” always work for me in game mode in all apps including Edge. I say almost as I definitely get situations where they just don’t respond during games for no reason I can figure out.

Maybe try removing the kiosk mode option and force it full screen using the browser menu. Should act the same once full screen just gonna require another click. That way you can go out of full screen and close the window with mouse controls when you want to exit.

Status has been 'shipped' with a tracking number since Wednesday, but hasn't moved since. There better be some progress tomorrow! Or else I'll.... I'll... wait until Tuesday.

Anyone play their GOG games on this? Wanting to play HOMM3 or Wing Commander. Please share a guide that worked for you.

Heroic Launcher should do the trick for you there. It should be available in the discover store and you can input your GOG (and Epic) store logins to manage both your GOG and Epic libraries and run the games.

Bit of a guide here - https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/0...

It even goes in to the Heroic Bash Launcher, which I believe will help you add the GOG/Epic game to steam to launch more easily from game mode.

Balthezor wrote:

Anyone play their GOG games on this? Wanting to play HOMM3 or Wing Commander. Please share a guide that worked for you.

Yes. They install fine through Heroic Launcher however I've had mixed results with them actually running when installed that way even when it's a game that is Deck verified or listed as working well according to ProtonDB.

When I run into that issue the path I've used that seems to work is I download the single game installer from GoG's website, unpack it on Windows, copy the files to my Deck, and then add the game to Steam as a non-Steam game directly from those files. Make sure you then specify the compatibility layer for the game in Steam by going into the settings for the entry in Steam. YMMV. I'm sure I could download the installer on the Deck desktop and unpack there but I haven't tried it. Maybe I'll try that next time.

If the game is old enough that it runs in DOSBox I think you have other paths. Someone posted something about that earlier in this thread. I haven't tried that myself.

omni wrote:

Status has been 'shipped' with a tracking number since Wednesday, but hasn't moved since. There better be some progress tomorrow! Or else I'll.... I'll... wait until Tuesday.

It was the same when I was waiting for mine. Took forever to move from label created to having a location.

davet010 wrote:

And anyone got any tips/hints about using an Xbox controller ?

I played around with bluetooth+XBox One controller.

Seems to work pretty well, but there is one thing that took me a while to figure out.

Some games will only work with a controller in "position 1." The Steam deck controls count as a controller, so if you connect a bluetooth controller you'll have two controllers connected. There is an option to reorder the controllers located on the quick menu, and in the controller settings menu, but it will not appear unless you have a game running.

This threw me, as I was unable to find it without a game running.

I have one game (Darkest Dungeon) that is particularly finicky with the controller positions and I have to swap them around occasionally for no apparent reason.

kazar wrote:
omni wrote:

Status has been 'shipped' with a tracking number since Wednesday, but hasn't moved since. There better be some progress tomorrow! Or else I'll.... I'll... wait until Tuesday.

It was the same when I was waiting for mine. Took forever to move from label created to having a location.

A flurry of updates on the tracking this morning and it is apparently now out for delivery today. Between 7am and 6pm though, which barely counts as 'tracking' these days..

Anyway, I'm in all day. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly. No bricks please.

Arrived, no issues. Switched out the NVMe for a 512GB, Dual Boot with Windows 10 for GamePass, 512GB SD Card in and formatted, queued up a list of games to install. If my internet connection wasn't from the stone age, that would have been completed by now.

Will play about with emulation - is EmuDeck still the go-to for ease of set up? (providing you disable/deselect all the emulators and games you don't want front and centre in steam UI).

Also copying over my Skyrim Wabbajack playlist that I fought with for a while to get a method to run them on Linux, will be interesting to see how it performs!

I'm hoping that I can let the downloads cook away while I'm working today, and then actually spend this evening playing a game, rather than faffing.

Considering picking up a USBC Dock and additional charger. Seems like a minefield of no-brand Chinese devices for both those accessories. From searching for recommendations, it also appears that most of the brands that exist in the US, dont exist in the UK (outside of Anker). Anyone have any models that they recommend?

omni wrote:

Will play about with emulation - is EmuDeck still the go-to for ease of set up? (providing you disable/deselect all the emulators and games you don't want front and centre in steam UI).

I'd say that RetroArch (downloadable within Steam itself) is the dead-simplest installation process. I was up and running with a game within minutes.

EmuDeck is more complicated, but gives a better overall Steam experience once you grok how it fits together.

omni wrote:

Considering picking up a USBC Dock and additional charger. Seems like a minefield of no-brand Chinese devices for both those accessories. From searching for recommendations, it also appears that most of the brands that exist in the US, dont exist in the UK (outside of Anker). Anyone have any models that they recommend?

I'm doing this dance, too.

I bought the Anker 555 based upon the recommendation from The Wirecutter, and all the ports worked except that it would not charge my work laptop at full speed.

The main frustration with it is that the ethernet port is advertised as gigabit capable, but I can't get it to download faster than 100mbps. There's a single amazon review that cites that the internal connector the LAN port comes in via a usb 2.0 connection. The crazy thing is that the images of the unit on The Wirecutter's review do not have the RJ45 port in the same location of the unit I got.

I may have obsessed over this a little bit.

One of the things I have found in my searching is that the hub itself draws power from the power source, so if the hub uses ~15w and you're using the provided 40w deck charger, you're not going to get a full-speed charge. Only 25w is available for the deck.

I want to use this hub for both work and steamdeck, so I need it to output at least 65W for charging.

In the end, I ordered a 100w USBC charger and this USBC hub that youtubers have cited specifically as having full gigabit and 4k display capabilities.

Those items are still on their way, though. If you're interested I'll share my findings.

Again - I may have obsessed over this a bit...

Curious if anyone has experience with this... I tried hooking my deck up to my TV via USB hub, and the performance immediately became atrocious. I didn't have time to dig into it, but the little info I found suggests that TVs automatically switch to 4k, and there is no way in the steam interface to tell it to use a lower resolution. I even saw suggestions to buy some kind of adapter to force the downres from the hardware side, but that seems like overkill.

How are you folks handing this? Have any of you struggled getting good performance with your TV and found solutions?

Lester_King wrote:

Those items are still on their way, though. If you're interested I'll share my findings.

Again - I may have obsessed over this a bit...

I am most definitely interested, but I may have plomped for one myself in the mean time (it can always go back). I had read about the power consumption of the hub itself, presumably that depends what you have plugged into it. And like you say, the charter itself. 65w charger + hub might just scrape the 45w pass-through that the deck is expecting, so I would likely look into the 100w range, but that pushes the cost up too.

Thankfully this would just be for my deck, and only when I have it connected at my desk when setting up something new, I wouldn't have it docked for gaming use etc.

jamos5 wrote:

Curious if anyone has experience with this... I tried hooking my deck up to my TV via USB hub, and the performance immediately became atrocious. I didn't have time to dig into it, but the little info I found suggests that TVs automatically switch to 4k, and there is no way in the steam interface to tell it to use a lower resolution. I even saw suggestions to buy some kind of adapter to force the downres from the hardware side, but that seems like overkill.

How are you folks handing this? Have any of you struggled getting good performance with your TV and found solutions?

I ran into this. My usb-c hub only supports 4k@30 but 1080p@120.

I didn’t have a solution at the time in game mode but solved it in desktop mode using the monitor configuration panel to force a lower resolution and higher refresh on the monitor and disable on the on device screen.

Apparently now you can configure the resolution for individual games in game mode in the game compatibility settings for each game. That should made it render at a red that performs well but I’m not sure it changes the monitor display resolution or it just tries to upscale using the per app upscale settings in game mode. If so I’m not sure what to do in game mode.

This is something I intended to test again but haven’t got back to. If I do I’ll let you know what I find out.

merphle wrote:
omni wrote:

Will play about with emulation - is EmuDeck still the go-to for ease of set up? (providing you disable/deselect all the emulators and games you don't want front and centre in steam UI).

I'd say that RetroArch (downloadable within Steam itself) is the dead-simplest installation process. I was up and running with a game within minutes.

EmuDeck is more complicated, but gives a better overall Steam experience once you grok how it fits together.

I recommend both. I use Steam's RetroArch for everything PSX/N64 gen and earlier. But EmuDeck makes easier the installation of the standalone emulators for more recent systems (GC/Wii, Xbox, PS3, Wii U, Switch).