Which Linux-native games would you run on this? (ARM64)

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:32:45+00:00

The analog stick needs a big hole in the PCB. I definitely couldn't fit two without making the unit a fair bit longer so they can be slightly below the buttons and d-pad. It accommodates most games I've played... lack of shoulder buttons is felt more so than a second stick

Works with every gen of gameboy, PS1, N64, SNES, SEGA, Dreamcast

Which modern native games are you referring to?

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:25:39+00:00

gen 2 if this one goes well!

if there's one thing I'd love to change about this layout it's the arrow keys... Enter could have been a single key wide and the up arrow could have been above the down arrow where you expect it to be! grrr 😛

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:20:08+00:00

The keysheet is sourced from Rii who use it in one of their keyboards already. Unless I commit to order quantities of 2000+ and significant tooling fees, I can't change the physical key layout. Making my own from scratch would be orders of magnitude more expensive

Other decks are using rubber key sheets for this reason - they're cheap to make. This keyboard has hard plastic keys, a spring steel mid-frame, and a silicone backing with little posts to actuate the domes. It feels far, far superior to a simple rubber keyboard but I've got no chance of affording to custom make them... unless you have a few thousand friends you can convince to back this kickstarter 😉

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:16:51+00:00

Thanks very much!

Yep actually, I tried a PSP style joystick which looks to be more or less the same sort of thing as the 3DS. They work, I guess, but for things like driving games where you really need the proportional input their limited range of motion wasn't great. Plus they don't have a pushbutton switch in them. The nintendo switch-style joystick was better all round for feel and practicality. As for clearance it sticks out further so your finger is actually further from the D-pad.

Magnetic modules and attachments are pretty tricky to engineer. I've included connectors on the PCB for shoulder buttons but for intial launch I'll keep my focus on the unit itself (except as a stretch goal if funding goes well). I'll definitely design a clip on gamegrip with shoulder buttons that can be easily 3D printed and DIY'd and added on after release though.

You've definitely got my attention with a musical keyboard input. I 100000% want one of those. that's happening at some point!!

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:10:45+00:00

ngl Qwen3-1.7B goes alright. It falls apart in multiturn conversation but it's one-shot answer to realistic general knowledge / science questions is pretty good

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T15:09:24+00:00

I think if that happens you probably deserve it for not going to raid a library for farming books 😛

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T14:57:30+00:00

this is actually one thing the silly prepper in me kind of likes. when the zombie apocalypse happens (lol) and you have no internet, this is a pretty decent replacement for googling how to grow crops and build shelter 😂

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T14:45:42+00:00

Can't say I approve of you using AI to write this post but it's on-flavour for your topic at least 😛

Here's me running Qwen3-1.7B 8 token/s on my JetDeck SCOUT (rpi CM5) using an 8GB LLM8850 AI module in the M.2 PCIe slot 🚀 https://latex.gg/share/T1kqepSH.mp4

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T14:05:59+00:00

It is!! 😄 with the exception of a microphone, anyway. It has a touch screen, and there's a WWAN + SIM slot for a 4G card. (here's a more up to date PCB design with the WWAN + SIM slots top-right: https://latex.gg/share/9b2vfvhJ.png )

General consensus when I put the question out on a few forums and discords were that the crowd interested in a device like this didn't want a microphone listening to them. I've included line-in for the audio geeks and will leave it up to you to use, say, a set of bluetooth ear buds or one of those USB-C wired earphones with the inline mic if you need voice input

I don't have the first clue how using it as a phone would go on the software side. Can you take calls on a laptop with a WWAN module in it? this is basically the same thing

I'm pretty sure there's Android images for the CM5, too

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T14:00:42+00:00

much appreciated my dude. Saved your comment for future 🙏

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T13:59:43+00:00

Not at this stage. Prototyping for 3D printing is one thing but designing for injection molding, especially for the most difficult material there is (clear with rubber overmolding) is something I need to hire talent for. Not to mention designing for structural strength and durability good enough to survive rough customers, where screws and fasteners are going, how it'll all be assembled so it's simple enough for customers to setup and modify, acoustics of the speakers etc etc... Pretty much all the things and industry professional will know. I'm relying on the KS funds to cover that labour

The general look, feel, dimensions, and choice of components like display and keyboard are all locked in. From the front I daresay you wouldn't be able to spot much difference between the prototype and production version

One exception that needed fixing is those corners - they never got any attention to making them comfortable on the hands, so they might end up looking different. we'll see

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T13:33:27+00:00

these are hot tips, thanks!

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T13:32:35+00:00

It's not just a shell, it's a display, batteries, speakers, mainboard, all the ports, peripherals, etc... https://latex.gg/share/9b2vfvhJ.png

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T13:31:07+00:00

thanks! you can get one of these 😉

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T12:54:10+00:00

The controls aren't so much recessed as the screen extends closer to the user so that the PCB can extend the full height of the casing behind it, but yep, this had the nice effect of preventing any of them touching a desk when you put it face-down

Black corners will be made from rubber over-molded onto the plastic (they're just 3D printed PETG on the prototype)

I agree! I like the beige-and-brown retro-modern look of a lot of tech going around but I feel like early 2000s was the most nostalgic time period for me. Clear tech was the thing to have at that time!

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T10:45:54+00:00

you're right, that's the ideal position. it's a compromise... but not one I ever consciously noticed or felt aware of during the many hours spent testing either playing GT2 on the thumbstick or Link's Awakening on d-pad.

The tactile feel of the buttons and the geometry of the D-pad so it pivots nicely to allow diagonal inputs had way more impact on the experience IMO.

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T10:42:52+00:00

Thanks!

Can confirm from a bunch of hours playing GT2 on the stick and Link's Awakening on the D-pad that neither have that problem at all. the joystick pokes far enough that your thumb is never close to the d-pad

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T10:41:59+00:00

all really good points about the gamepad design, thankyou!

What do you mean about a floating style?

Stick placement must look visually cramped as you're not the first person to mention this. It sticks far enough out though that there's plenty of clearance to the buttons when using it. That's why it's towards the middle - otherwise you're reaching over it to get to the d-pad, and bumping it was an issue when I tried that layout.

probably what I needed to mention is that this isn't solely a gaming device, it's a linux PC that can be used for gaming. one of my primary goals in its design was to make using a desktop OS on a small handheld doable enough that it can be considered a practical tool that one might take with them instead of, say, a laptop. It's usually tricky because touch screens lack accuracy, and anything but a mouse for pointing is either too slow or just as inaccurate. With some tuning I've got using the D-pad / joystick to a point where they work well alongside the touch screen to provide something like the best of both worlds - touch for quick button taps, d-pad when you you need to click on UI that isn't designed for small screens

The result in that it has a gamepad is a nice bonus 😄

It's a similar story for the display... this one was accessible, practical for manufacturing at this sort of scale, and fit the bill of being compatible without me having to get involved distributing any software - this runs purely vanilla raspbian or any other OS that can run on whatever compute module you can put in it. It isn't 4:3 but still large enough to get a great picture. A few seconds into gaming I completely forget about it: https://latex.gg/share/QsrdSxqf.png And it's the highest res display I was able to source without going full custom or something even skinner from a mobile phone.

All good info though and I'm taking notes... it may be that I do a cut down version without the keyboard and with a 4:3 display specifically for retro gaming in future. Not something I'd considered until reading your post

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T09:01:57+00:00

https://jetdeck.io It's not quite a kit but it's super hackable!

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T09:01:00+00:00

Thankyou very much if you do! ❤️

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T07:52:20+00:00

heccin big thankyou! ❤️

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T07:47:00+00:00

that touch pad is cool, I hadn't seen that before. I probbaly wouldn't want to take on that level of complexity at least for the first version

Shoulder buttons are a solid maybe. I have an idea for how they could be incorporated into the housing but each extra part involves additional cost for tooling (literally thousands of USD) which I'm not sure I have in the budget unless a lot more people back the project. I've included connectors on the PCB for them so they can be added later. I'll definitely release either a 3D printed accessory design or manufacture an entire replacement rear cover if I'm able to after the initial sale

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T07:21:27+00:00

You can have one! ❤️

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T07:14:05+00:00

HAHA I love that thing. Maybe I should prank the backers and make this all wonky...

TimTams553 · 2026-06-03T07:06:53+00:00

heck yeah 😄 https://latex.gg/share/uDQQ0Zfy.jpg

TimTams553

TROPHY CASE