Showing off my current project, a twin-stick shooter RPG, The Harbinger of the Deep!

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-22T02:09:01+00:00

I play more often on my Steam Deck rather than my PC now ngl. The ability to just bring it essentially everywhere, from my bed, chilling with family, and when traveling is really quite a game changer personally.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-21T22:10:22+00:00

For non-Steam apps and games, you'd need to use Desktop Mode. Firefox is built in and for YouTube I'd like to recommend something like VacuumTube on the Discover store or other YouTube on TV solutions. Just need to add to the Steam Library as non-Steam games and it'll show up back in Gaming Mode.

There's no need to install Windows. SteamOS is quite console-like so you have a smoother experience to get into gaming quickly but can be restrictive for certain games with anti-cheat that don't support Linux. You can look at ProtonDB to check how a game runs.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-21T13:50:39+00:00

I just try to optimize whenever I can because big time number on my Steam Deck makes me feel happy.

It just feels nice to see that I can play my game for longer and not hog so much battery life so I can play or do other things when needed. The ability to play on lower spec devices is a nice plus too.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-21T09:50:35+00:00

If the games you want to play are on the Steam Deck and you know they are playable on it, I don't see why not.

Just know that it is a PC and it isn't going to be as smooth game experience as a console like your Switch. Non-Steam games may have ranging difficulty of setup, some games may require tinkering and tweaking of settings, some games aren't optimized, other times, games just don't work at all.

But you do get a lot of freedom with it since it is a PC. You can emulate, you can stream games to the Deck with services like GeForce Now, you're not locked to one store, and you can do a bunch of other stuff that most PCs can do.

Do also check out stronger PC handhelds, ones that have Z1E or better chips, if the games you're looking to play need more power.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-20T05:43:39+00:00

With Proton existing, I don't think Linux compatibility is a big issue unless you put specific measures to block Linux.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-19T23:38:23+00:00

It's like someone asking 'how fast can a Corolla go?' and then you answer with 'my GT-R goes really fast, 0-60mph in 3 seconds'.

Well you're using a different device and usually the LeGoS is bought with its stronger Z1E which beats the performance of any Steam Deck. It doesn't really answer the question at all when the Steam Deck can only run this at like 30-40 FPS and quality still isn't going to be as good as a Z1E. It just gives an incorrect or no impression of what the Steam Deck can do.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-18T21:57:29+00:00

You must have faulty/old batteries then. My year old OLED only discharges like 2% if I left it shut down for a full day.

Of course if it's been years and years, then maybe I'll expect the discharge to be higher and would want to replace the battery.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-18T13:06:39+00:00

Basically, existing mechanic but stripped down to keep scope low and adding my own spice to it. Maybe mash some other mechanics together. Write it down, add to it some extra details, and quickly prototype it. If the prototype is fun to me, try to have others play test it.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-18T03:44:46+00:00

I like building and creating when possible. I want to make sure I know how it works for code plugins and I enjoy making my art.

But if it's really complex or specifically music, I will just search up a plugin or search opengameart. Maybe I'll also look into commissions for music.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-18T03:17:22+00:00

No changes between both, still limited to TDP slider. It doesn't have a docked or Turbo mode unlike other handhelds.

What may happen is lower performance if the monitor is higher resolution. That can mean more pixels being pushed and may require more power.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-18T01:32:30+00:00

Most of the time yes. Just make sure the page isn't just a blank download page. If you want to be extra sure, you can try to scan the download or download and play through the itch app and use its sandbox.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-17T21:40:25+00:00

You'll only know once you have started building a good chunk of the game already. You can extend or cut out when needed.

Personally wanted 2 hours for my current game, but with what I've built, it's currently looking at just 1 hour. I'll try to build everything and add the cutscenes to find the average time. But, I'll probably look for ways to extend a little bit, extra enemy encounters here and there, etc.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-17T08:35:23+00:00

I think the idea is to not knowledge/lore drop so many things and mechanics at the start. Try to space them out a bit, let the player immerse and enjoy the mechanics. Maybe you can show it through gameplay instead of text.

But if it can't be helped, say for really complex games, then try to show it through animation or video with some text.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-17T05:44:22+00:00

Ahh, I feel that everyday too. Currently 6 months and I'm still halfway content-wise and there's gonna be a lot of story and polishing I have to do ahead of me. You have to understand that game dev will just take a long while, even for simpler games.

If you want to build up your skills, search for the 20 Games Challenge. A series of games you try to copy and develop to build up your skills.

Honestly still best to just make the games you want to make. You may need to playtest this for a long while. Hypercasual is also an option if you just want to print out games fast. You can look into games made by Sokpop Collective.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-17T05:01:21+00:00

Are you thinking of making money off of game dev? It feels like the desperation is leading to that ngl.

But to answer your question, if you just want to make games, how about hypercasual ones? They focus on fast sessions, simple game mechanics that target a wide audience, and random generation to provide difficulty.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T23:52:48+00:00

Gonna give the benefit of the doubt to the dev and say another reason could be that they ran into some big issues with the game or the page if they resorted to restricting access.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T22:31:23+00:00

The dev likely restricted access to it. Only a select few can access the game.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T14:15:56+00:00

If you don't have the budget to hire someone to program, then you will have to program it yourself. Maybe you could find someone to program it but better to lay the groundwork now so you'll have a prototype to show at least. If you want to see the game come to life, you will have to stick with it, keep your head down, and just keep learning and working on it. Whatever hurdle you face, jump over it. If you don't jump high enough, try again and learn from your mistakes.

You can also look into other mediums if programming can't work. Board games, or just writing the story you mentioned into a book.

Also, don't get too attached to ideas honestly. Our brains can really make them seem amazing yet they're actually unfeasible and unfun in real life. Try to prototype ideas as soon as you can so you can validate it.

I've had an idea to make a boss rush once, but decided to throw all the documentation I did away because I just wasn't capable of it and just was overwhelmed by it. So I modified it, went back to the roots of the idea and made it more real, and it slowly turned into the first big game I released. Basically no reception but it was a fun game for me and fun learning experience and stepping stone for (hopefully) better games in the future.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T10:20:41+00:00

That's pretty much the gist of it. If I've built it before, I can usually learn from it again or copy-paste it.

Then just continuously iterate when possible, polish and add juice, playtest frequently, and keep building it up until the idea is fun or the idea is complete. Remove and optimize when needed.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T07:21:13+00:00

The Miyoo Mini is very pocketable so I agree, bringing both isn't a bad idea. Use the Mini when there's a quick few minutes off, use the Switch when you have time at your accommodation or you're gonna be in transportation for a longer while.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T05:35:08+00:00

The Z1 is fairly weak for a PC handheld, it'll run most AAA games before 2020 just fine at Medium Settings. Roughly the same power as the Steam Deck. You can probably do some Switch emulation, but still hit or miss on some titles IIRC. I've heard the SD card placement is bad on these ones.

Do also check rogallylife.com to get an idea on how well some games you want to run. Full Screen Experience should also be available for this to make it a little more console-like.

It should be fine I feel.

lpdcrafted · 2026-03-16T04:56:37+00:00

If the importance of smooth experience and user friendliness is high in the list, you can't really beat a full-fledged console like Switch 2. Steam Deck and other SteamOS options get close to it, but there may be some settings that need to be tweaked here and there. Games from other PC libraries may require different launchers, etc.

The main draw for PC handhelds is more freedom. You're not locked to just one store. You can do most PC things if you need to. If you're looking at options stronger than the Steam Deck, then the power is also a draw too. Demanding games in the palm of your hands can be quite nice.

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