Topic: Valve's Steam Deck console Thread

@JaxonH my problem is my PC is in the office and far from the living room so that I would need to have long cables and wireless dongle for controllers and m+k are not reliable. I tried Steam TV but could not get the controllers to work correctly with the TV (recognized but analogues not working)

Looks really cool wish I had the money

@Balta666
Ya you really want a PC dedicated to the TV, set up beside it.

For controllers to work you have to activate support in the options first, and make sure you modify the default Desktop config template for the controller you're using.

Once you do, as long as Steam is minimized in the background, the analog will control the mouse. I have it set up for my Steam Controller, DualSense and Xbox One controller. Also for Switch Pro and Dualshock 4 but I don't use those on PC anymore.

Open the main Steam window and head to Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings. Check the box for your controller—PlayStation, Xbox, Switch Pro, or Generic—and you should now be able to move your mouse with the right stick on your controller.

From the Settings > Controller page, you can click the Desktop Configuration button to customize which buttons emulate which keyboard keys.

Yeah, I should've been clearer and replied to both of you. Point was more that if you're worried about storage there are plenty of options here beyond just the largest SKUs. And if people are playing strategy games on this thing that kinda demand KB/Mouse putting a portable HDD in your bag wouldn't be a big deal.

I mean the point of carrying your library on a drive would be two fold. It'd allow you to access games when you don't have an internet connection and it would be faster than downloading when you do. So a portable SSD would be a bit overkill for that purpose.....

Excuse Australian prices but the Steam Deck is in the $550-900AU range on the current exchange rage. You can get a 4TB portable mechanical HDD for ~$130AU which isn't that much relative to the cost of the Steam Deck itself. Almost works out that you could get the 250GB Steam Deck instead of the 500GB SKU and then pick up a 4TB portable HDD and have enough left over to get a 250GB microSD card

Drop that portable HDD in your bag, if you want to swap games? Well now you're copying it at ~700Mbps rather than downloading it over the internet at whatever your connection speed is away from home

@skywake
Ya, I suppose that might be an option for some people.

But for me, I won't have a bag or anything, and definitely won't wanna deal with copying games. Just a slim case with as much of my relevant library available as possible.

Regarding Cities Skylines, we’ll see how it goes but I didn’t intend to use Mouse or KB for it. Hope the trackpads and some Config on the buttons will suffice. Not like you have to move around super fast so I don’t mind if it slows me down.

Sounds like the Steam Controller works good enough from this article: https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/3yp07m/citi...

If it doesn’t work out, at least it will save me 4+ gigs hehe.

It’s probably my most played game on Switch but gets a bit boring with just the vanilla content so adding mods will be great. I don’t really play it on my Macbook any more and had to get rid of all my PC desktops due to space issues (thanks to my baby son!!). So very much looking forward to the Deck to resurrect my pretty big Steam library, and buy some new stuff that Switch could never handle!

About other strategy type games, definitely want to try a few but probably Turn-Based only so doesn’t matter too much about being a bit fiddly. Endless Legend/Space, Humankind, Stellaris, Frostpunk, Oxygen Not Included, Kerbal Space Program. That sort of thing.

Really want to buy Age Of Empires 4 but as that’s Real-Time it may not be suitable.

Who knows, if the Deck takes off, developers may be tempted to put in some specific controls and UI for it. Skylines could just do with the console UI as an option but I guess it’s not straight forward especially considering how mods would need to integrate to it (well, they wouldn’t!).

@Kirby_EU
That’s fantastic news. You know Phil wants Gamepass on there.

My brother also reserved one, but he’s dead set on installing Windows for Gamepass. I keep telling him it’s the wrong move, as Steam OS is so much lighter than Windows, easier to navigate, has built in frame limiter unlike Windows needing 3rd party solutions, etc. But, I get it, he wants Gamepass on there.

IF they could figure out a way to make Gamepass accessible on Steam OS, that would be massive. Idk how they could do it though. Unless they make the Steam versions part of it?

If nothing else, more MS games on Steam is a win all around.

So it seems both Easy Anti Cheat and Battle Eye have now announced support for the Steam Deck.

And, that pretty much seals the deal for full potential compatibility. Now it's just a matter of Proton ironing out kinks for individual games.

The fact my Deck won't arrive til mid 2022 just means half a year of beta testing as far as I'm concerned. Let everyone else figure out which games have wrinkles and get it sorted by summer.

@JaxonH Aw yeah, Rainbow Six Siege on the gooooo!

Here is a teardown video from Valve showing that you can change the thumb sticks yourself (even if it is NOT recommended!).

The Steam Deck is looking better and better and this is only the first revision!
Can't imagine laying and playing Fallout 4, Assassin's Creed 2, Odyssey, Origins and so many other games that we will not get on the Switch

Soooo... working on the basis that nobody has one of these yet:
I don't have Steam or a gaming PC, but the Steam Deck intrigues me.
Would I be starting off on the back foot here, in that this machine is to complement your PC gaming rather than be your PC gaming?

@Rambler ...I mean, some people will use it to complement their gaming PCs, since they'll prefer more powerful tabletop hardware when at home, but there's also no reason you shouldn't be able to play it like any other gaming device.

The biggest negative to coming to this without a background in PC gaming is that you won't automatically have a gigantic library of games to play on it. Like pretty much any other new, non-BC gaming device.

With that said, Steam has sitewide sales multiple times a year that heavily discount the majority of games on their storefront, so it's not like you can't just start building up a library now.

Also, since it's Steam, keep in mind you'll be able to redeem steam codes you get from other websites as well.

Cheers for the advice, @Ralizah.
I think it's the power and screen size of the Steam Deck vs a standard gaming PC.
Having said that, I'm sure that the screen size vs TV / monitor has been discussed already.
But it seems like you can connect it to a TV, and I would imagine use a Bluetooth controller.
Think your response has answered all my current questions
Really intrigued to see how this turns out.

Never mind the thumbsticks, that video tells us what's involved in upgrading the SSD.

It might not be as easy to get at as with a typical laptop but I was expecting far worse from the earlier descriptions.

Hopefully there'll be a compatibility list issued at some point, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if they've cornered the entire world's supply of that particular make and model.

Valve have confirmed that there'll be marking games in the store that are verified to work on the Steam Deck or at least playable on it:

That's good in two ways. Firstly, it'll save you having to check the specs, look at the tags for controller support, and weigh up from screenshots whether the fonts/hud will be legible on the the small screen. Instead, you'll get it all at a glance.

Secondly, developers who want to get their games on the first page of the store will have to ensure that they've made it fully compliant with the Steam Deck so they're far more likely to put the extra work in.

Also, it's a win for other handheld PCs. If you've got a GPD or an Aya it's also going to be a fairly reliable indicator as to how well games are going to work with them.

@Matt_Barber
Good point on the "if they want premium placement, they'll have to ensure their game is Deck optimised".

Hopefully if this thing does well enough they'll give us a revision model that's a bit smaller, lighter, and offers an OLED screen. Ya it would suck buying another model 2 years later but, I'd do it. Handheld gaming is too important to me not to.

I wouldn't be surprised if companies patch games with Steam Deck presets in their settings menus. Not having to fiddle with settings options is one of the joys of console gaming. Games just... work. And it should be relatively simple to include an option that's designed to ensure optimal performance on this hardware.

A Steam Deck Lite would be really compelling, though. While I'm still interested in it, the device is giant and bulky enough that it doesn't seem particularly ideal as a handheld. Hell, even the significantly more diminutive OG Switch is bordering on that. It's why I doubt the SWOLED would ever replace the Lite as my go-to undocked Switch hardware, because the smaller, lighter form factor makes a world of difference when you're carting it around or pulling out to play something.

Hell, I'm not even sure I'd have purchased the New 3DS XL if the smaller model had been available in the U.S. at the time.

@Ralizah
I fully agree about the Switch Lite. It’s the perfect size, and with the magnetic flip grip it’s 100% pocketable. I can do the same with larger Switch using 3rd party flip grip. But it extends out of my back pocket high enough it doesn’t feel nearly as secure as the Lite.

With that in mind, I would agree nothing could ever replace my Lite for undocked play, except… the OLED screen is just so good I can’t help but play it over the Lite. Even with the disadvantage of the larger size, I can’t go back to the Lite now. I can’t. And since I have now started to form the habit of using the OLED in handheld instead of the Lite, i’m beginning to appreciate all the other little advantages. The notably larger screen, for example, makes games way more enjoyable to play and text much easier to read. The HD rumble is like, ahhhh. I’d forgotten what it felt like to have HD rumble playing handheld. And of course the image itself is just so magnificent it’s a pleasure just to look at the menu, much less play a game.

I really, really wish they’d release an OLED Lite. Thinner bezels, larger screen, same size, but HD rumble added also. Because as much as I appreciate the form factor, there’s just no going back from the OLED. It may be bigger but, it still works with the magnetic flip grip and is still pocketable. As long as that’s the case, the scales simply weigh too far against the Lite.

Steam Deck is definitely a handheld that would require a carry case (believe it comes with one). And while that isn’t as convenient as slipping into your back pocket it’s still portable. I’m heading back down to Indiana next week and that’s some thing I could easily take to the hotel with me as I’m taking my OLED and Focal Clear MG headphones. Could still take to work. And still offers that handheld experience at home (I just like playing in handheld mode- it’s a more personal gaming experience). Over the years, hopefully revisions slim the size and weight down. But for now it’s a great start.

@JaxonH @Ralizah I actually prefer the size os the OG in comparison with the lite (screen is too small) and it is very easy to travel with as long as you detach the Joy cons (I have done it for a long time almost every day when in London)