As someone who owns the deck for a while already (since feb 2023) I can suggest not to tinker it at all. It is good out of the box, most issues related topics on Reddit are the results of tinkering.
When have questions if the game will run on Deck (or you have installed something and it doesn't run) - check protondb.com. Not only you will have info how games run, but also there are usually some tips (like what proton version can be used to run the game).
Go with EmuDeck if PS2 games are must for you.
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Thanks, I won't change anything on the outside of the deck, except maybe a protective glass and maybe a cover. Maybe later I'll get a docking station to run it on a monitor/TV or something. As for the software, I've seen that there's supposed to be a tool that lets you see how a game is running, which seems very useful.
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By tinkering I ment software tinkering, like installing Decky Loader. Hardware wise i won't recommend to tinker it as well (if it requires disassembly) :)
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Decky Loader is a great tool, though, which in my opinion greatly enhances the experience. Not by itself, but by allowing the installation of the custom plugins. This enables you to, for example, install "ProtonDB badges" plugin, which when clicked on takes you to the ProtonDB page for the specific game - which isn't in any way required but just so convenient. HLTB (for howlongtobeat.com) plugin is also a great one when you're looking for something short to play for the evening or two. But I do agree that you should be careful with this kind of tinkering and only go into it with some knowledge and awareness
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You’re absolutely right - I was overly concise in explaining my perspective. :) Decky Loader with plugins is a fantastic way to customize everything to your liking. But as you pointed out, it does require diving a bit deeper into the details to avoid potential mishaps. Just from my experience it is really better to use Deck "as-is" unless you really need something and you know how to do it in proper way.
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If you already have a dongle, try it first. I recently found out that my company dongle (that is used to connect monitor to laptop) can be used as well to connect steam deck to monitor. It is not as good as steam deck dock (iirc the resolution is bigger there) but if you are ok with it and dont use dock that often, it might be a better option.
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- Vampire Survivors -
- Diablo 4
I never used anything third party on the deck
note1 - you nailed with all those games!!! great job!
note2: I am blind now after I visited your profile xD
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I hope your eyes are fine XD
Sorry that you have gone blind
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Unrelated to emulation, but a specialty of the Deck - you can set it top sleep mode at any time, essentially pausing any/most game at any time. It's a really nice feature when it comes to checkpoint-based games, because you can take a proper break at any time, or end a session when you want.
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That sounds very practical. Is this only recommended for short breaks because of the battery consumption?
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You can turn off the Deck, obviously that's the best for battery between "full" sessions.
You can sleep it, with a game running, or without it. I don't know the energy consumption rate between these two options, but I have a feeling that a paused game drains the battery more than just the sleeping machine. Still can go like a day or more in my experience.
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I personally use EmuDeck.
Check ProtonDB for info and tips from other users on how to make almost any Steam game work on the Deck:
https://www.protondb.com/
You can also customize the controller layout of every game individually and try out community layouts as well.
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I use retrodeck since it’s easier to set up and update.
If you are into achievements, I can recommend https://retroachievements.org, which I myself just started using days ago. It’s a third-party cheevo system (and community) for retro titles and it works suuuuper well!
Other misc recommendations:
- https://protondb.com for compatibility reports (especially useful for tweaking settings to make games that don't work out of the box, work). Note: Valve's compatibility rating system isn't rock solid, you may often run into "Verified" games that don't work well or "Unsupported" games that work flawlessly. Visit ProtonDB for more accurate reports instead.
- https://steamgriddb.com for cover arts if you add non-steam games to your library and want things to look pretty, and Boilr (available in flathub, i.e., the Discovery app in desktop mode) which automates the process
- https://steamdeckrepo.com for user-uploaded custom boot videos
- Heroic Games Launcher for accessing your Epic/GOG/Amazon libraries, and Lutris for one-click install of countless games thanks to user-created install scripts. Both available in Discovery
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got like 800+ish hours on deck
if you want to do anything in desktop mode you need a bluetooth keyboard and mouse
also most games run far better in desktop mode
with horizon forbidden west the game will crash 100% of the time on the 1st cutscene in the same place unless you use desktop mode
if you want the deck to run even better play with it attached to a monitor with the decks screen off. wont heat up as fast and runs better
dont waste money on the steam dock. far better and cheaper dongles you can buy. got solid one for 8$ that still works perfectly and comes with more usb slots than the steam dock
got 4 anti glare screens for 7$ and protection from getting scratched as the screen protector already has been ONCE
i also always use an xbox controller when i can so the decks sticks last longer. my 2nd steam deck as the 1st one i refunded cause the sticks wore out within 2 weeks and made a grinding sound when left one was used
the deck is lacking grip when one handing it so i would buy a cover. got one of these. cut the back out with a knife to reduce decks heat
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hence the +
this is why nobody likes you XD trying to start shit where there is none
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Oh cute little sunshine, I also wrote " at least 800h" back then. Which resulted in you posting this.
So congrats on your rookie numbers, I guess?
And yeah, when I show that people are exaggerating clowns they don't tend to enjoy that very much, haha.
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dont value your opinion based on your past actions.
TLDR
use your 2nd profile next time, i forgot the username to that one
https://i.imgur.com/ygwkpg3.mp4
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You should report it when you remember because I'd like to know which profile that is supposed to be too.
But sayonara for now, as always it was a "pleasure" to hear your made-up bs.
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Heyo :)
I bought a Steam Deck OLED (still waiting for it to be delivered) and wanted to ask if you have any recommendations, tips and tricks or must haves for me. I've heard that you can do a lot with it, especially when it comes to customizing.
I'm also planning emulators on the Steam Deck, but I still can't decide whether to use EmuDeck or RetroDeck. Since PS2 is definitely a must for me, which one is best for?
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