I bought a refurbished steam deck finally and am thinking about what my ahem acquisition workflow will be. This is what I’m thinking from my past experience daily driving Linux (arch btw):
For Linux native games, easy - just torrent it and/or install it and play.
For Windows:
- For game file dumps, add the .exe in Steam as a non-steam game and run it with proton.
- For setup installations (repacks etc.), run the setup.exe with wine, install to a location, then do the same as above.
For any issues with the above, try installation scripts from Lutris and review protonDB and wineHQ to troubleshoot.
Is there an easier way I’m missing?
I usually run repacks on Desktop PC with Windows and copy over resulting files and point Steam at the resulting exe. It makes the process a lot faster since my Desktop has a 5800X3D. Other than that though pretty much the exact same process on my end.
I install games with the heroic launcher. And add the game to steam
Not much aaargh about playing bought games tho!
With heroic, its super easy to install the setup.exe
No need to be buying games on Epic
literally just run the setup/game exe through lutris or bottles, then add the shortcut to steam
Rutrackr
No need get window. You need somes tools though.
From the stock app market (called discover) :
- Transmission
- Lutris
- ProtonUp-QT to install ProtonGE
From GitHub:
- Decky (and the addon SteamGridDB)
On desktop mode.
I download my games as torrent from dodirepack or fitgirl with the software transmission(from stock appshop).
Once I have a game I use Lutris(from stock appshop) to execute the installer. Install games on :Z Wich is the steals file system.
Then I add the game to steam on desktop mode.
I set the compatibility in the game options mode on proton or protonGE.
And I rename the game to their steamid to be able to search for contrôler config. (Find steam game I’d on the site SteamDB)
In game mode
I then setup images for the games with the addon SteamGridDB installed from Decky (and addon loader for steamdeck)
If I have trouble running game I use protonGE which I installed with ProtonUp-QT (from stock appshop)
bullet point #2 fails more than half of the time for me.
What I found works for me is… well I’ll just repost my previous advice:
if anyone is struggling with installing 3rd party mods and such in Proton, try starting your installation process from ConEmu (ConEmu64.exe) (It’s a simple, open-source, portable terminal emulator for Windows) instead of pointing the Non-steam Games wizard at each installation and gaming exe individually.
I originally tried to do this with the explorer.exe built into Wine, but getting that thing to launch is a pain.
for example a lot of Windows programs will have you download an .exe that installs the program, then you need to run a different .exe to actually run the program. Steam’s non-steam game wizard in combination with Proton gets confused by this and runs the two .exe’s in separate environments, screwing with any attempts to install a mod or install the app itself.
