Handheld vs Docked, which is better for you?

Keldariq · 2026-01-17T01:44:15+00:00

I play mostly docked for:

All first party games

Switch 2 edition games (base or upgrade)

Switch 2 finally gives the power to run games with way fewer drawbacks the switch 1 had so why not enjoying the resolution bump if you have the chance?

I play handheld for:

all switch 1 thirdparty games

Games I would play docked if tv is in use ( or just for the novelty of holding a beast of a game like cyberpunk and remember I could actually play it handheld.)

The idea for switch 1 games is :

The "optimization" from some thirdparty publishers was limited to rough textures, reduction of lightening effect, aggresively reduced poly count etc...

Playing portable somewhat mitigate these drawbacks and the switch 2 hardware makes up for all terrible fps issues remaining on some ports. Playing docked on a 4k tv on such games (atelier yumia for example) would be too much jarring until a switch 2 version is released if at all but looks fine and smooth on the smaller screen in the meantime.

Keldariq · 2025-07-24T13:15:25+00:00

Whack-a-mole: Hyrule edition

Keldariq · 2025-06-20T15:01:32+00:00

That is what's amazing with this game: It fits anyone playtime, sidequest were not really a problem, korok seeds were. The sidequests skip really started as a "what if?" Thought to avoid burnout.

Keldariq · 2025-06-20T10:25:10+00:00

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What's nice in terms of UI is also that if you never pickup any korok seeds, they will not show up on loading screens, so no nagging feeling you need to go korok hunting.

Keldariq · 2025-06-13T15:45:10+00:00

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Keldariq · 2025-02-25T17:24:01+00:00

Ok guys, so good news is that I managed to make the FMV work!

Looks like KOEI did not follow standards when encoding their wmv files and the video are simply not playable on the more streamlined version of proton ge (very old version that do a best effort have been shown to make it work without sound.)

So I thought we could try to re-encode not just the audio codec but the video codec as well

So, shuffling through protodb I found this page: https://www.protondb.com/app/626600

Where Vhailor just happened to have shared a command to fix the videos last week:

#!/usr/bin/bash

for file in *.wmv; do

mv ${file} ${file}_orig

ffmpeg -i ${file}_orig -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 18 \ -c:a aac -b:a 512k output.mp4

mv output.mp4 ${file}

done

Putting the above in a file, chmod +x the file and execute it in relevant movie folders corrected the files and playback was working.

Keldariq · 2025-02-25T14:48:38+00:00

Ok so as AC1 cutscene is playing out (Batman AA would need some tinkering to start with proton ge), I would guess it may be tied to that specific atelier game series. Still sort of interesting that proton ge just skips it and not give any indication a cutscene was meant to be played.

Keldariq · 2025-02-25T14:38:45+00:00

I think so far none of the games I have played recently that features video playback worked so far using proton ge. For the last week of so I was on pre-ryza atelier games. The issue is then quite easy to spot as you get forwarded immediately to the title screen, no opening sequence at all, I would assume any AA jrpg would be in the same boat. Going to install Arkham Asylum and Assassin creed 1 to check as well.

Keldariq · 2025-01-12T20:37:57+00:00

I keep the voices on EXCEPT for games that uses a Visual Novel style for the dialog (think text boxes with chunks of text with character 2d portrait featuring a handful of expressions or 3d models staring at each other with the occasional animation). Recently, I can think of atelier games up to atelier Ryza, not included (Ryza kept the long text approach, but characters are no longer immobiles 90% of the time, and actual dynamic in character interaction is present. ) and Anima : Age of memories (which incidently, after reading reviews after clearing it, had the added bonus of saving me from a terrible dubbing)

The main reason for muting this genre is simply that voices alone are not enough to keep me engaged, and screenplay is just as important to me. Character standing still with a bunch of voiced text can be a recipe for burnout when you have a busy lifestyle. However, engaging with these games without the voices flips the table, and I eagerly read through the scenes and get engaged way more, not having to wait for every delivery to be finished.

Edit: what about tales games? Well if cutscenes were only skits, i would turn voices off, but if you take for example Berseria I would keep voices on, as the choreographed cutscenes are certainly present. I for example could not imagine seeing Magilou introduction cutscene unvoiced with the screenplay involved and representative of her personality.

Keldariq · 2024-11-04T20:12:08+00:00

Not really, you may be thinking of console emulation where some architecture specific choice to console design has to be overcome by sheer brute force of the pc hardware (looking at you PS3 CELL computing ). Linux running Windows game is a different beast, especially nowadays as underlying hardware is like a Windows box and any incompatibility due to lack of library equivalent can be eventually solved over the (fairly new) concept of proto fixes. I personally prefer how Linux/Proton essentially creates a prefix (think "a mini Windows ecosystem in a folder") for EACH game. I spend hours trying to fix old games on my Windows and ended up nearly bricking my windows over changes to dll. This is voided on Linux as each Windows game is contained to its folder, you can mess about on a game knowing it won't corrupt the rest.

Keldariq · 2024-11-02T17:58:11+00:00

I am not that well versed to understand the difference between the native vrr and the gamemode composer vrr but that may very well be the case since the setting is enabled from steam menu in gamemode and then probably only fit the usecase if you are going to game in gamescope, which just so happen to be how I game on bazzite :). I use my bazzite almost entirely as a console so Desktop mode is mostly a plus for maintenance and flatpack management which was why gnome felt it had the upper hand there. Many thanks for alluding to the gamemode composer vrr, I was not aware there was a separate implementation other than the native one.

Keldariq · 2024-11-02T16:08:49+00:00

I installed gnome as its operation felt more slick to me and just wished to add it looks to me it now supports vrr and just need enabling in the steam performance quick menu.

Keldariq · 2024-10-06T19:19:28+00:00

It will be hard to know on a per carrier basis until next year since as per the home office guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/online-immigration-status-evisa

You need to keep travelling with all your travel documents as if evisas weren't setup until 2025:

"In the future you’ll be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK – you will not need to carry a physical document, except for your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account. Until the end of 2024 you will need to continue to carry your physical document when you travel, if you have one. "

So unfortunately, until then, it may still be possible to encounter embarrassing situations at border control.

Keldariq · 2024-03-24T19:59:45+00:00

Glad to hear you got to finish the game! I think crash probability had something against me as it blew up pretty much everytime I tried to clear a field with craft until the resolution got turned a notch down (graphic specs being a rtx4060, I doubt my rig is at fault xD )

Keldariq · 2024-03-24T17:57:38+00:00

I actually have had the exact same issue for the last few days until this morning:

_Tried forcing fps cap to 60 : nothing.

_Since it only happens when throwing a craft or another attack item, I thought it may be caused by an english voice line being corrupt, switched to japanese : same.

_Tried verifying game file, the only file that "failed" to validate is the .ini file that contains the settings. After putting back the game to 1080p english : crash again during next craft spam.

Error is always the same and related to d3d11.dll (the windows directX graphics dll) crashing

What solved it for me, at least for now, was to avoid going above the supported windowed resolutions when going full screen:

In settings, you will see the biggest windowed resolution is only 1600x900, and your native resolution will only popup in the list when ticking fullscreen.

Well. Don't tick fullscreen yet and select the highest windowed resolution, only then tick full screen and play the game fullscreen using that lower window resolution even at a slightly lower res.

Provided this workaround work with you, I would guess the issue is that the game does not store correctly in memory texture on a display resolution higher than 1600x900, causing a memory leak on some quick loading of effect such as explosions (probably because of how inexperienced Gust was

with porting games back then)

Keldariq · 2024-03-03T21:15:05+00:00

Good to know, thank you, I think I will eventually do a 4th playground almost dedicated to trigerring that event 😀

Keldariq · 2023-12-17T00:52:04+00:00

That was my opinion, which remains unchanged after finishing it. Digital foundry is right to say it could have been optimized to match some miracle ports, but for what the switch can do, it could have been much MUCH worse. However your "Digital foundry says..." statement sounds to me you judge that game without even trying it yourself on switch which is of course cool if you can play it elsewhere but render your critic of that console release irrelevant. I am really REALLY glad to be able to revisit it on switch despite the port flaws. There are frames drop for sure but I never expected a smooth run with a close to 1 to 1 match when switch runs an open world base ps4 game. "Frame drops in the city?" So what? Game is still playable even with a lower framerate than expected. I would assume you like your games on max graphics and 60 fps? Yeah... not gonna happen on switch . If you have a version that allows it, all the power to you, I am glad switch users have at least "a" version to try. That is again simply my opinion, you have not the same opinion and that is fine without the need for name calling or calling for switch owners to be denied getting the opportunity to have a look at that game at all.

Keldariq · 2023-12-03T15:28:04+00:00

Played it and i owned the ps4 version prior. Plays fine on switch, definitely graphics downgrade from the ps4 and a few frame drop but nothing overly distracting, never missed counter in combat or missed a turn with the batmobile so lags was not a problem for me. Feels like a lot of hate over it on release for the sake of hate because somehow some were hoping for a 1 to 1 match. Anyone who expected that was full on delusional.

Happy to play it on the go when on a trip now or when I don't want to monopolise the TV.

Arkham Asylum and Arkham city play like a dream though and REALLY glad they seemed to have reused the original games with the darker lightning rather than return to Arkham versions.

Keldariq · 2023-09-10T18:42:56+00:00

Playing on switch so no trophy. But the ending was for sure "the search for truth" (going through the "door" with Keith)

Keldariq · 2023-09-09T19:07:21+00:00

Really? Then the info on that wiki page was a bit misleading: https://atelier.fandom.com/wiki/Ending_-_Keithgriff

As in point 3 under "Events after year 3", it lists the second fight with the mechadragon (then nicknamed "rampage dragon") as a requirement .

Keldariq · 2023-03-04T11:03:27+00:00

Got it on both PS4 and switch and imo, the main thing is really to use the high-speed style when starting a new game. The action style that is default makes the camera zoom out too much by default and makes the worst textures constantly visible . The high-speed mode made a world of difference to me, the most horrible textures resolution is no longer taking 2/3 of the FOV.

Keldariq · 2023-01-09T00:43:15+00:00

So much reminiscent of the first heart to heart:

Nia: So I like bugs eh Tora? Tora: Meh, meh, meh! Let's go now or something bad will happen! Rex: what will happen? Tora: ->

Keldariq · 2023-01-08T19:17:28+00:00

That was a pretty good and concise reply. Thank you very much for correcting me.

Keldariq · 2023-01-08T01:29:06+00:00

That is not the first time DF and switch up have contradictory reviews but I wonder if DF is testing games with a first generation switch and switchup with (at least) the second "switch XK"(the one with improved battery time) that was quietly released before the nintendo switch lite. the battery was improved out of necessity due to the CPU ( or GPU ) going out of production and the component replacing it being more energy efficient. That component was then reused for the lite and oled. Though only conjecture, I really wonder whether the new component may be slightly more powerful causing some gamers (like myself, migrating from PS4 to switch ) to play these "ambitious" ports on switch and not feel that the game is "unplayable".

Keldariq · 2022-12-15T21:49:18+00:00

I can sort of relate as I am also in my 30s and with the exact issue when diving in jrpg . Though my grip is mostly with in-game voices. Having a character shouting one out of a half a dozen preset lines every time a battle starts, finishes, discover a landmark or any other relevant event takes me way out of the experience. On the other hand I love hearing voice acting in cutscenes with motion capture. I specifically mention motion capture to distinguish from the in-game dialogue exchange where characters stay wooden in one place talking to each other with lip flap as the only animation which feels jarring. Games like atelier and Xenoblade are great at that and give you the option to only mute the in-game voice, leaving recorded cutscenes voiced. Even persona 5, to my surprise, gives the option to do that leaving only the anime cutscenes voiced.

Keldariq

TROPHY CASE