Steam Deck (handheld from Valve)

[bradigor]

If anyone cares, here is our podcast special on the Steam Deck

 

https://mhg.podbean.com/e/steam-deck-special/

 

https://www.mentalhealthgaming.com/podcast-steam-deck-special/

[Strafe]

37 minutes ago, bradigor said:

Rez is on sale. Must not buy as need to save

ooohhh handheld Rez

[Siri]

Hmm, I think the beta channel update, while making everything a lot quieter, has brought in some unintended threshold issues with the analog sticks. When going back into neutral, the software doesn't quite get it to centre properly or fast enough, so you get some drift, particularly during deceleration (ie. gently bringing the stick back to centre).

 

I think this is entirely a software issue, though - I've also noticed in the last update they've eliminated some threshold feedback that was occurring on my unit's left trigger, and before the update I had zero issues with the sticks. I'm guessing they must be fiddling with shit behind the scenes.

 

It's more an issue in certain scenarios, though - standard pad fare like Superlimimal seem fine, but I don't think some games are recognising deadzones, like World of Horror, so you'll end up attempting to make precise movements to select something only for the pointer to drift away like a dickhead. I'll have to adapt a new control scheme for that one.

[iwan_canobi]

Is it Q3 yet?  

[Cyhwuhx]

1 hour ago, bradigor said:

Rez is on sale. Must not buy as need to save

 

 

Well, that's another tenner gone.

[luckypierre]

5 hours ago, Siri said:

Hot cheap SD card news:

 

Samsung Evo Select 512GB cards are 20% off at Amazon (direct, not a reseller, and they're they're the new rebranded cards), making them about £48.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09D3LP52K/

 

I've got one in my Deck, and no complaints about it so far, so I'm getting another to stuff Windows on it.

Do you know if it will definitely boot from the sd slot?

 

I got this one

Samsung EVO Select 256GB microSDXC UHS-I U3 100MB/s Full HD  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085FGBBQT/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_NBEBHJKSGWMNW6JK2T0H

 

The bios doesn't see it in the sd slot but does via a card reader in the USB.

[Big Swifty]

After my first one failed to arrive on the 1st of April the second try from Valve arrived this afternoon. Almost a month later but I'm pleased Valve managed to get another to me this year with the wait time on the things for new orders. Parcelforce are still investigating what happened to the first, I'm fairly sure it was stolen when it got to the UK and the "stuck in customs" line was just a fob off.

[Siri]

12 minutes ago, luckypierre said:

Do you know if it will definitely boot from the sd slot?

 

I got this one

Samsung EVO Select 256GB microSDXC UHS-I U3 100MB/s Full HD  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085FGBBQT/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_NBEBHJKSGWMNW6JK2T0H

 

The bios doesn't see it in the sd slot but does via a card reader in the USB.

 

I'll check when I'm back from work - I know for Windows To Go to work, you need to specifically format it via Rufus to do its thing which probably includes being recognised by the bios. But of course, it's a concept I can't test without nuking an SD card first, so it might have to wait until tomorrow if it doesn't see the SteamOS formatted card initially.

[smithstock]

Anyone else struggle to sign in to their Steam account? I've got Error 56, seems like others have had it too:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/u7uuu9/cant_login_with_my_account_error_56/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

[bradigor]

It has issues with 5ghz initially. You need to turn on developer options and disable WiFi power management. 

 

I'd connect to a 2.4ghz connecting initially to get in and sort from there. 

 

It's something they need to figure out sooner rather than later 

[luckypierre]

1 hour ago, Siri said:

 

I'll check when I'm back from work - I know for Windows To Go to work, you need to specifically format it via Rufus to do its thing which probably includes being recognised by the bios. But of course, it's a concept I can't test without nuking an SD card first, so it might have to wait until tomorrow if it doesn't see the SteamOS formatted card initially.

Ignore me. It must have been something the latest update fixed. It was like the sd reader wasn't initialised properly on boot up. Gave an error which I can't remember, something about unable to assign address. Anyway, just tried and it now works

[Siri]

42 minutes ago, luckypierre said:

Ignore me. It must have been something the latest update fixed. It was like the sd reader wasn't initialised properly on boot up. Gave an error which I can't remember, something about unable to assign address. Anyway, just tried and it now works

 

Ah, righto. Had a check just now, EFI was only showing the NVME partitions, so I'm assuming I'd have to format a card for the BIOS to recognise it anyway. Job for tomorrow evening!

 

Regarding WiFi, no issues here thankfully, even with futzing with phone hotspots.

[smithstock]

1 hour ago, bradigor said:

It has issues with 5ghz initially. You need to turn on developer options and disable WiFi power management. 

 

I'd connect to a 2.4ghz connecting initially to get in and sort from there. 

 

It's something they need to figure out sooner rather than later 

Excellent cheers, all sorted now!

[Big Swifty]

After all that waiting I realised I forgot to get a screen protector, any recommendations or ones to avoid?

 

I have some spare for my OLED Switch, but even though the screen is also 7 inch the bezel is bigger on the deck so they don't cover it all. It looks like the "made for steam deck" ones are also calling themselves 7", but I don't want another OLED size one.

[Siri]

@Big Swifty - I got the Benzacap tempered glass screen protectors from Amazon.

 

The actual protector is great, but the stickers they provide to do the hinge method to apply it are complete crap and came off while applying it that way. You don't really need to do that though, as the glass is cut neatly and drops into the sunken recess where the screen is mounted so it's practically flush. That, and the tempered glass protectors generally sort themselves out in terms of bubbles and such.

 

I do need a dust-free environment to apply the second protector right, though. Should do it at work, really 

[bradigor]

I don't have a dust free environment. Would it be wrong to ask my doctor at the hospital to do it?

 

 

[bignige]

1 hour ago, bradigor said:

I don't have a dust free environment. Would it be wrong to ask my doctor at the hospital to do it?

 

 

Do it the ‘Switch’ way. 
Run a hot shower and get your bathroom nice and steamy. 
Clean the screen, then apply the protector. 

[Siri]

Damn, the new Beta update overnight has already patched the fan bug (where it resets the curve after coming out of sleep, making the new quieter curve ineffective), and.. added the 40hz switching mode.

 

Guess I'll give it a quick go before getting ready for work, see if it's any cop for NMS 

 

EDIT: It is! It's incredibly smooth and responsive. I'm not entirely sold on the battery life (it's something like 2 1/2 hours on a full charge), but it does also keep the already vastly improved fan speed in further check, could barely hear it.

 

The refresh switching is fairly quick, like a split second of black-screening with is perfectly quick enough as you're starting a game - the problem is how it's presented in the dashboard. As it's a slider, it creates a flickering effect as the display is coping with so many adjustments as you ramp it down  make it a drop-down menu or give it a delay, for god's sake!

 

And again, per-game profiles ala Geforce Experience would be ideal, although at this point it would be incredibly brain-dead to not include it at this point. My guess is that they're implementing the features that matter for this type of thing first, and then implementing profiles as it's better to implement what core features it controls now than down the road.

[bradigor]

Just turned it on myself. Will try it with a couple of games today.

[smithstock]

So you folks recommend using the beta firmware instead?

I also noticed from playing Sonic Mania last night that there was a subtle hitch every so often. Is that something anyone else has experienced? It's not exactly the most taxing of games.

[bradigor]

Yeah on beta, seems just as stable. 

 

Managed to get the unsupported Fall Guys running with barely any tinkering. Just using ProtonUp and double checking anti cheat is installed in Steam library.

 

That'll make my daughter happy.

[Siri]

I'd argue that everything is in beta still, even the stable branch has issues. As someone once said when I was fucking around with Manjaro Linux, you're bound to get cut on bleeding edge gear. If you're unsure, you can just wait a day for reports on any potential fuck-ups - it's not like consoles where you're required to update automatically.

 

Anyway, gave Generation Zero a go around for lunch with the new settings - dunno if it's the motion blur in the settings, but 40fps motion in this game feels really.. filmic? It's strange. I'd probably have to turn it off.

 

Again, though, it's a smooth experience outside of super hectic gunfights, but again the drops don't feel as severe from 40 to mid 30s. About 2 1/2 battery time - which sounds rough, but that's with a framerate that dances around the Series S version, at native resolution and cranked up settings outside of shadows. I could easily live in it, outside of emulated stuff and game engines that run faster/slower based on FPS.

 

That does make me think of something, though - emulated PAL games at native 50hz. Pwoarrr.

[bradigor]

Fall Guys runs really well. More games added again today now supported. Edging closer to 300/1600

[smithstock]

I've got Game Pass going, still need to test Emulation and Epic Games Launcher.

 

 

I imagine it's been asked already, but has anyone managed to get PS Now up and running or is that a no go? It has a Windows app but Steam Deck is Linux?

[bradigor]

I've not bothered with Epic yet as it seems there are solutions in active development, so happy to wait a while longer. 

 

 

[Siri]

1 hour ago, smithstock said:

(oops, deleted too much) agine it's been asked already, but has anyone managed to get PS Now up and running or is that a no go? It has a Windows app but Steam Deck is Linux?

 

Yes, it can be done. It's a little long winded, mind, but the link is in the description of this video here:

 

 

Meanwhile, Valve's emailing me with more wishlist deals, and Humble Monthly has just popped for this month's selection. Steam Deck pls

[bradigor]

Oooooh Shredders and Grand Mountain Adventure have both been verified today. 

[S0L]

Got my order email today, woohoo! I thought they only sent them out on Mondays so slightly surprised. 

 

I guess a week till I can sit on the loo and play American Truck Sim!

[jonamok]

They switched to both Mon/Thurs email drops a couple of weeks back. Congrats!

[Siri]

Played a bit of Superliminal and Quake on the 40hz lock, because I wanted to see how it would cope with slower and faster FPS games.

 

I thought it introduced a bit of motion blur on Superliminal, until I flicked it back to 60hz and it looked and moved pretty much the fucking same  That's what I get for not fucking around with the settings first to make it crisp. Again, somehow looked and ran much better than the XBox Game Pass version, likely because it's not been updated for the Series consoles.

 

Quake feels great in that mode as well, but what's really blown me over is, again, Steam input. I decided to fuck around with Gyro, by having it trigger mouse movement whenever I touch the right thumbstick or trackpad. I'm no Quake Pro, but I did find having broad movement with the thumbstick while having the gyro for precise movements, quick adjustments or adding onto the acceleration of turns felt really, really good. And because the gyro only activates when touching the top of the stick, you could easily do rapid broad movements without initiating the gyro at all.

 

All this, while the fan is barely doing fuck all with the beta update is a real revelation, too. I've always liked my Series S because, well, it gave me complete peace and quiet at the expense of some frames or an upscaled Xbox One experience compared to the big computer. Now, it's in my hands and it's running unb0rked versions of Gen Zero and Superliminal omgggggg