Author Topic: Steam Deck (Read 7165 times)

Bedwyr · « **on:** 15 July 2021, 13:28:34 »

I'll be. Just after the Switch OLED was announced with no performance improvements. Color me mildly intrigued.

https://www.steamdeck.com/en/

Mecha82 · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 July 2021, 15:51:18 »

Seems like highly possible flop to me.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 July 2021, 16:07:38 »

I'm dead center in their market. Steam games on the go? <raises hand>

Daryk · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 July 2021, 16:42:21 »

The site seems to be having issues loading...

ActionButler · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 July 2021, 19:28:22 »

I wouldn’t preorder one, but I will definitely keep my eye on it. This is something (at least, in theory) that I’ve been looking for for a very long time.

Daryk · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 July 2021, 19:31:12 »

Finally loaded smoothly... not something for me, I think.

TheoLehman · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 July 2021, 19:43:46 »

Most of the games I play on PC I use keyboard and mouse for, so, uh, gonna pass on this one.

Sartris · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 July 2021, 20:13:39 »

Interested to see what the expected shelf life of these guys are before the games outclass the hardware. My mid tier 2015 Lenovo laptop still fends for itself fairly well so if it’s in that neighborhood I’ll definitely have interest

idea weenie · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 July 2021, 21:10:47 »

I wonder if this is why they stopped with the steam controller?

SCHiZO · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 July 2021, 21:31:23 »

If there are no problems at launch I'll pick up the most advanced one. A nice laptop alternative as my main rig is massive.

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 July 2021, 23:53:02 »

I'm unsure about this. Specs don't look that impressive for a gaming device.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 July 2021, 01:21:40 »

Quote from: idea weenie on 15 July 2021, 21:10:47

I wonder if this is why they stopped with the steam controller?

A form factor and construction quality that just didn't jive with people. Personally, I love it to pieces, especially for the touch menu and radial menu functionality.

I can understand I guess. I don't play action FPS games. RPGs like Fallout and Borderlands are about as close as I get and mouse-look with a touchpad is plenty for me. Others just need the familiarity of a stick, better build quality, and better handfeel. And it kind of worked out as Steam Input has matured into one of their service's best features. I'm disappointed, sure, but the controller is still pretty well supported and I use it in the TV room for PC games.

Rorke · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 July 2021, 06:30:05 »

Quote from: TheoLehman on 15 July 2021, 19:43:46

Most of the games I play on PC I use keyboard and mouse for, so, uh, gonna pass on this one.

Bang on!

But heck not for me to stand in the way, of others having fun.

marauder648 · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 July 2021, 09:07:17 »

they missed a beat by not calling it the Gabe Boy.

JadeHellbringer · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 July 2021, 10:26:24 »

Quote from: marauder648 on 16 July 2021, 09:07:17

they missed a beat by not calling it the Gabe Boy.

*slow clap*

That was actually pretty good. ;D

Hellraiser · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 July 2021, 11:52:22 »

Quote from: Rorke on 16 July 2021, 06:30:05

Bang on!

But heck not for me to stand in the way, of others having fun.

Agreed, looks interesting but I was NEVER a fan of thumb pad games from Nintendo-1 and forward.

I'm old, either a Joystick at the Arcade or a Mouse at my PC. hehe.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 July 2021, 23:13:55 »

Welp. I reserved mine. The idea of playing Mass Effect Trilogy and other games in an airplane is just too much to withstand.

TheoLehman · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 July 2021, 23:30:59 »

It's going to be running the same Linux build as Steam Machines, which I suppose shouldn't surprise me. Make sure y'all's games are Proton-compliant before you get hyped about playing them on the Deck.
Also Kotaku has an article about how actually the Steam Deck isn't trying to compete with the Nintendo Switch, which is, um, (adjusts glasses) it's certainly a take.

SCHiZO · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 July 2021, 01:12:05 »

I'm still on the fence with reserving. I would go for the top tier model but according to Steam I wouldn't be able to order and receive it until Q2 2022. Yikes!

Sartris · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 July 2021, 01:25:28 »

the more I look at this the more I just want to take the money and dump it into my next PC

TheoLehman · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 July 2021, 12:58:52 »

I'm sticking with my current setup: pretty nice gaming PC for games I want keyboard & mouse for, Switch for controllery stuff.

Sartris · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 July 2021, 13:33:58 »

An xbox controller suffices for me as a PC pad. I only put stuff on console if it’s exclusive since my old consoles get retired to storage.

Nerroth · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 July 2021, 08:05:17 »

So far as PC gaming is concerned, the kind of titles I'd want to play are those Total War franchise entries which I've missed out on in recent years, such as Three Kingdoms and Thrones of Britannia; as well as... HBS' BattleTech.

I'm not sure how well such games would work with the dual touchpads on the Steam Deck, or how clearly they'd be viewable on the screen (in terms of font size). That said, Valve are reportedly working on an official dock, which would perhaps make keyboard and mouse usage on a TV/monitor that much easier.

Given the install space used up by these games, however, it would appear that the 256 GB model would be the minimum required to install more than one or two such games at once before being obliged to add a microSD card.

Wrangler · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 July 2021, 08:42:05 »

Name deck sounds like a play on Shadowrun's deck (deckers used), I'm not sure if Cyberpunk (original RPG) used them

Bedwyr · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 July 2021, 08:59:34 »

It's almost certainly a reference to Neuromancer.

BirdofPrey · « **Reply #25 on:** 18 July 2021, 16:15:52 »

Quote from: marauder648 on 16 July 2021, 09:07:17

they missed a beat by not calling it the Gabe Boy.

🔴🔵🟢 GABE GEAR

TheoLehman · « **Reply #26 on:** 20 July 2021, 20:08:30 »

The less we have to think about Gabe's Gear, the better.

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #27 on:** 20 July 2021, 22:52:49 »

Lord Harlock · « **Reply #28 on:** 21 July 2021, 11:01:00 »

Quote from: MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on 20 July 2021, 22:52:49

I can’t disagree with the logic. It’s pretty sound. That being said the Deck has the same issue as the Steam Boxes- the lack of upgradability. You can upgrade the ROM like a Switch via Micro SD memory cards, but PC gaming is partially about being able to upgrade the hardware. And like a Switch, the Deck is kind of stuck with most of the original parts.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #29 on:** 21 July 2021, 11:42:14 »

Quote from: Lord Harlock on 21 July 2021, 11:01:00

I can’t disagree with the logic. It’s pretty sound. That being said the Deck has the same issue as the Steam Boxes- the lack of upgradability. You can upgrade the ROM like a Switch via Micro SD memory cards, but PC gaming is partially about being able to upgrade the hardware. And like a Switch, the Deck is kind of stuck with most of the original parts.

Well, that violates the aesthetics and hobby of PC makers, but they're not really the audience. This is the crew that's already committed to the best mouse and keyboard rig you can possibly make. This is not for them. But there's another group of gamers out there, those that are interested in a robust gaming experience in different portable forms: thin-n-light gaming laptops (Razers and ROG Zephyrus), the Switch, and to a lesser degree people playing on dedicated full-fat gaming laptops (ROG Strix and Dell Alienware).

I think for people used to static hardware configurations, this represents something really interesting. I'm dead in the middle of this wishing for a long time that I could play things like Mass Effect 3 and No Man's Sky on the go. I actually do have both a self-built HTPC and a Gigabyte light gaming laptop. The former is to get the best, most consistent PC couch experience I can. It's a hobby that involves lots of searches for media software like Kodi, for hardware like the Steam Controller, and configuration of everything to make the experience smooth. The latter is partly to unify my work experience and desktop game experience on the go.