Similar opinion here! What I’ve noticed since the NES, is that my hands are largely symmetrical, and so the better layout depends more on the game than anything. For example, Microsoft had the advantage for a long time in racing games! Longer triggers giving better control, left stick in a spot making symmetry with the face buttons so everything goes naturally over steering, throttle, brake and whatever the face buttons do in the specific game, maybe turbo or…

Similarly, that layout favors games where camera control isn’t important (or possible) like action games, platformers and so on, focusing on movement and actions.

Now, the symmetrical sticks? They are perfect for things like fps, as the hands will be comfortably over the same spots: both thumbs on analogs, index and middle fingers over shoulder buttons and if there’s back buttons even a better alternative to face buttons!

And as mentioned in another comment, the Steam Deck has everything on the same level, making it perfect for anything. <3

I have played so much that nowadays I don’t even notice the difference in layout so much, be it the Dual Sense for games that support it or the GameSir Cyclone 2 for the rest (TMR sticks!) but what I DO notice is the not anymore start and select. Press “mystery button” to open the menu and I’m there, trying to figure out if it’s the one on the right or left side…

Somehow I never noticed that everything is nice and symmetrical until you mentioned. That… yeah, I think that’s even better than Sony’s design.

PowerWash Simulator. Was included with Apple Arcade and I saw no reason not to actually try it, then I started getting into it and long story short, there’s a lot extra content on the main version, plus a lot extra paid dlc (that’ll have to wait for a sale!) and the only way to play the game is, IMO, with the gyro. Perfect match for the Deck!

You know Proton, and how the various versions have different compatibility? And some games might prefer a specific Proton? This stuff is a… “Linux base” that developers can target, so for example if I make a game tomorrow and target a specific version, it’ll run tomorrow like in 20 years, because no matter how the actual system will change, that “Linux base” I targeted will still be there.

Look, I have a Mac, I like the ecosystem but have a handful of Linux machines (including my laptop) so I’m, ahem, not the average Mac user. You go in the App Store and enjoy whatever games are there. Or hear that on Steam they’re less expensive and go through that… then discover that there’s a boatload of Mac games that simply won’t work on your OS because they are 32 bit and Apple dropped support for that in 2019 (meaning that from 2019 no Mac, even Intel ones, can run those games). Then, there’s the Crossover option: a paid product that will allow you to install Steam for Windows and any game compatible with that platform. It’ll use GPTK for compatibility and it’s a big supporter of WINE, so a purchase helps open source…

But: how likely do you think that an Apple user will go that far off the beaten path?

Mandatory reminder to remove the microsd before opening the Deck…

I have none of those issues, but a couple of extra weird ones… this is the official dock btw. First, maybe it’s something I plugged in, but the Deck’s battery will be drained (slowly, over many days) if it’s plugged in and not turned on. Suspended or off is the same, I must unplug. Then the one that really pisses me off because I can’t wrap my head around it, I can’t unplug it unless I fully turn it off first. Doing otherwise tends to make my home network comatose! Basically nothing can see anything. Computers lose connection to the NAS, to the router… nothing works until I plug it back and turn it on, then I can turn it off and unplug. ffs.

I got Warplanes Air Corp and also Battle over the Pacific. And Dragon Age Veilguard.

However, lol, the servers must be a little overloaded, it’s downloading at dozens of megabits and, running a speed test at the same time gave me over 700 so yeah. It’ll take some patience XD

Yep! Just pick any Proton, and it’ll work… my favorite is experimental as it’s always updated, but the latest one is fine, same if you want to use proton GE.

Have you considered Snowrunner, Farming Simulator and American/Euro truck simulator? All games capable of unplugging your brain for a while. Just remember to manually set Proton if you play either truck sim, they have a terribly unoptimized Linux native version that runs poorly on the Deck.

It’s a computer, after all. But if you want to try it… don’t expect too much: a simple game, VERY pixelated by the time I’ve reduced the resolution enough was enough to make it barely hit 60fps. A cool experiment, but not much more…

The weirdest thing so far has been setting up Steam VR with ALVR because I could. And it technically works XD

Agreed 100%, I’m happy with my 4th quarter 64gb Deck (after the ssd upgrade XD ), however choice and diversity is good. If Windows is considered a selling point, and a Linux version would have to be a separate SKU, reducing availability? Giving the option to buy the single Windows SKU, and maybe downloading an official tool that installs Linux with all the necessary drivers would be better than having to justify a separate, likely less popular SKU. Plus while neither of us is interested in the Ally, other people will have different tastes. Let companies make all shapes and performance/price options for everyone :D

I pointed out that the OS, trackpads and ergonomics are my main focus. Honestly, more Linux devices would be a win! Even if it ships with Windows but there’s an easy, official way to get Linux on the thing that’d be great.

I say “”””yes”””” you might disagree. Here’s my findings https://startrek.website/comment/13646875

I wanted to shit on Lenovo because when I bought my laptop last year they had no Linux laptops (anymore) and specifically an article on how to install Linux links to one that just explains what an OS is… but I actually double checked before posting and it’s looking promising! There’s a list of “best laptops for Linux” including the Mr Moneybags version of mine, and a bunch of FAQ that looks very much not Microsoft approved. So that’s a good sign.

It honestly depends on a few factors. Mostly… what games are you planning to play? There’s stuff that can last for 5-8 hours with the Deck battery alone. Here’s a good bit of information: mentions both a maximum of 100wh on power banks and how to calculate wh from volts and ah (V * Ah). So assuming the usual 3.6v power bank the maximum you can carry is a 27000mAh one.

The usual warnings apply: check in advance with your airline, rules and regulations vary around the world and so on.

Thanks! I’ll have to find a way to “pitch” this but that’s interesting.

Makes sense! And it does track with my own observations of new indie games being more likely to at least court the Deck platform. Do you have an article with those numbers? I’d like to share it with a small developer that might be interested in this knowledge.

On the other hand, it’s a lowest common denominator they can target. “It runs well on the Deck! We’ve done our job.” and the fact that it sold a lot means it’s a market that it’s probably worth the investment (can’t imagine it’s that much) in making a game work. After all any optimization for the Deck also translates into similarly modest hardware being able to run the game…

Not that I complain! Completely gave up on Windows a few months ago lol