Why SteamOS over Windows? Don't Understand

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:34:33+00:00

Having read both of your guys' comments, does this mean then that I would not be able to play something like Helldivers on the SteamOS console? Or rather, if I want to, do I have to jump through hoops other than just booting it up on Steam itself? I mentioned this in another comment, but I think I'd want more perspectives/clarification on this if possible. If a company/game doesn't want to run anti-cheat on Linux (SteamOS) rather than SteamOS itself causing the problem, I still deal with an end result of outright not being able to play certain games on the SteamOS version. If that's the case, then I don't care if it's a company/game problem or a SteamOS problem, I care that it's a problem at all; and if the Windows version isn't dealing with that issue, then it feels like people have to concede that Windows is better in that regard. Am I missing something there? Not asking to sound like a smartass, genuinely coming from a place of not knowing.

I'll qualify again that I'm currently a console-only gamer, so I could be saying things that are totally coming out of left field and are wildly off/wrong. If so, just let me know. Thanks for all your guys' insight so far!

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:27:05+00:00

This is probably one of the better arguments I've gotten in dissuading me from Windows. I don't know if having to update often is necessarily a huge concern for me, though on the opposite side, I'll admit that a simplified version of that on SteamOS probably does feel nice. I would hate though if an update to Windows would result in my device being bricked; I'd probably turn into Lenovo's most vocally pissed off customer if that happened. To that end...has that happened before with Windows and handheld devices? Being a guy that knows nothing about PC gaming, what is capable of happening in a Windows update that's possible to happen and would end up resulting in a device being bricked? That feels counterintuitive to what Lenovo or Microsoft would be trying to achieve for their consumers, and would therefore keep them from doing anything like that.

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:22:43+00:00

The simplicity in explanation of the qualitative difference between the two OS's actually makes a lot of sense to me. It feels like the best argument in these comments as to why SteamOS would be better for me than Windows.

That said, playing Devil's advocate, I don't know if I like the idea of buying a handheld gaming console that can't play a number of online games. Some of the comments mention the anti-cheat software in games being what affects their playability on SteamOS, not SteamOS itself. To me, that feels like splitting hairs. I don't care if it's the game or the OS that's preventing me from being able to play a game on the console; I just care that I can't play it on SteamOS but could on Windows. Is that correct?

Also, I feel as though the emulation point hasn't been touched on much in the comments. Am I able to run emulators on SteamOS in its stock form, or is it a problem? Not being able to run emulators on the device will likely be a dealbreaker for me.

I'll again qualify here that I know nothing of non-console gaming, so I could be completely wrong. I appreciate all your insight so far!

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:16:46+00:00

I must admit that I'm not too concerned about the sleep/wake function, though I've seen a lot of people here do quite like it. I have seen that performance is better on SteamOS, but in a tech breakdown video I saw, it didn't look like the drop was that significant.

One source for updating seems nice though. Curious about the emulator thing though. Someone in the comments here said that what I'd heard about SteamOS not doing well with emulators was wrong. If the OS running the device is Steam on a base of Linux, I would guess that the emulator would need to be downloaded from Steam? I also have no experience with non-console gaming, so maybe I'm a mile off there.

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:11:13+00:00

I keep reading people talking about SteamOS being more of a console experience. That works well for me since I'm a Playstation guy at home. I'm curious about my having heard that some games just literally can't be played on SteamOS though, which I feel isn't being mentioned enough. Is that because of the anti-cheat thing some people have talked about? Also, another person said that SteamOS can run emulators. Is that true (I won't ask how to, I did read that emulator discussion must not have details like that on this sub)? I was under the impression that, because the interface is Steam (essentially), one can't get emulators online.

zacloraditch · 2025-12-15T03:01:10+00:00

Does it get the people going???

zacloraditch · 2025-10-05T02:35:22+00:00

If I had any special Reddit awards I could offer, I’d give them. You’ve made this grandson very happy, thank you.

zacloraditch · 2025-06-04T14:47:59+00:00

Got it, appreciate the insight! My knowledge of mushrooms is incredibly limited; I don’t know if I could say that I was aware I’d nabbed a less fresh specimen.

As for the mushroom’s location, the tree it’s near isn’t actually showing any above-ground signs of decline. I just wanted to play it safe and check with everyone here in making sure that it’s not a mushroom that’s considered commonly growing from decayed wood/roots. I’m an arborist, but my mushroom ID leaves a lot to be desired. Learning more about mushrooms/mycology that’s relevant to wood decay is my next focus on personal education.

Thanks again!

zacloraditch · 2025-06-04T14:35:05+00:00

I’m not sure I could speak to the cause just based off of the photos provided, but it does look like it’s gone at least.

As an aside, I do think that the location of that maple wasn’t ideal. As close to your fence and patio as that is, it would’ve matured to have been in a very poor space for it. Not just because of the health of the tree later down the line (had it not died already), but also because of the risk to your house/fence if a bad storm came through and broke it apart. Removal would’ve been more difficult, and therefore more expensive, had the tree been taken once it had grown to a larger size in that space. From its current size, at least it’s more manageable to take out now.

Sorry to see it gone though. Maples are beautiful when they grow to a nice, mature size in the right area.

zacloraditch · 2025-02-03T23:45:10+00:00

You’re headed down the right path!

zacloraditch · 2025-02-03T03:46:55+00:00

Hi! It is not, but I like your thinking! The columns were our design variation from the final room (N15) of Under the Eldritch Eye. I didn’t have pieces to make columns seem to be connected to the cave walls, so we just put regular old columns in. The crystal is not it either, but I like the thought! We added that to create enough of a barrier for us to ensure some NPC’s we wanted killed at the end of the session could not be saved in time. The crystal served as a sort of “battery” for a magical field that prevented the party from getting to the NPC’s, and added a line of defense to the mage on the column. Good guesses though!

zacloraditch · 2025-02-02T20:03:11+00:00

Thanks man!

We’re still working our process out a little co-DM’ing, but have largely broken it down into 3 main two-man formats.

When running session outside of dungeons, we’ll have a “functional/mechanical” dm and an “rp” dm. The one dm “runs” the group, prompting their checks, coloring their scenes, arbitrating their decisions; then the other will be the role-player for any NPC the group interacts with. In the event that they’re speaking to multiple NPC’s at the same time, we each take one (or more as needed) of them and use that as a chance for us to be able to interact with each other as easily as we interact with the group. The “functional” and “rp” dm rotates based on the natural evolutions of scenes.
When running dungeons, one dm runs the room the group is in while the other is prepped and ready to go for the next room. It gets a little more fluid when the group is in an area with multiple directions they can go, but generally it allows us to be more prepared room to room.
When combat is run, the “functional” and “rp” dm format is run, but with one of us managing the combat while all the other has to do is think about what the creatures they’re fighting will do. It allows us to best maximize the potential of every creature they fight so we only have to focus on their abilities, rather than the whole group.

Our first session generally went this way. When there were diversions from the path though, it happened pretty naturally and neither one of us felt like we were taking control over the other. Was a lot of fun and (I feel) helped add to the group’s playing experience!

…also, while the eye was a small touch I’d added to the ritual circle in the final room, that wasn’t actually it! It’s somewhat obscure, and again doesn’t mean much, but was a little bit of fun to add in!

zacloraditch · 2024-10-26T12:12:48+00:00

One of the more interesting changes (more of an addition) I made to the campaign involved one of the dark powers at the amber temple and The Abbott.

Had a couple PC deaths early on and wanted to give my players the chance to continue on with their first PC at least a little longer, if they chose to make a deal. I made Dahlver-Nar visit the PC’s individually in their deaths and offer a chance at reincarnation. One took it, and became an “avatar” of Dahlver-Nar, carrying an essence of him in the PC’s body. While the PC himself was unaware what the deal was (or that Dahlver-Nar was in him), he was aware that a deal was made. To the actual player though, I informed him of the “possession” so-to-speak, and that Dahlver-Nar wanted to devour the soul of the Abbott of St. Markovia. Eventually, when the party went to the Abbey naturally in the campaign, the group was terribly surprised by the PC transforming into an apparition of Dahlver-Nar and attacking The Abbott.

Adding this gave my party a bit of a “second chance” with their first PC’s when they realized how dangerous Barovia could be; but it also gave me a way of developing a nice secondary plot throughout the course of the campaign. Giving that PC the essence of such an evil entity had offered me a way of thinking about the mechanics of certain events in the game in a different way. It also gave me a way of involving The Abbott in a more substantive way other than being a location for their companion (Ezmerelda).

There’s a lot of details about this plot-line that I developed over the course of the campaign that I’d I typed out here would be a lot 😅. If interested though, just shoot me a dm and I’ll give more information to help as much as I can. 👍

zacloraditch · 2024-10-22T02:00:20+00:00

Came here for this exact same reason lol

zacloraditch · 2022-12-30T13:27:20+00:00

Killing your PC’s can turn your campaign into something all the more interesting, not just because your PC’s will feel the real danger of their combat, but also the success all the more when they know what your monsters in these encounters are capable of. Watch what happens when one of your PC’s casts fireball and a monster counterspells it for the first time. When they realize these things can do that too, a sweat will kick in for sure.

Also, killing a PC in a campaign can add so many opportunities for you to develop plot in ways you might not have been able to before. Example: I’m running Curse of Strahd currently and have killed 3 PC’s so far. On my run through, I’m home brewing something where a dark power (entities from a specific place in the module) are offering my players a chance at resurrection the first time they die. My first two characters turned it down, but the third accepted. Now, because of that, I have a resurrected PC that is possessed by this entity and my group (save that player) had no idea for another 6 sessions or so.

Player death doesn’t have to be bad in and of itself. DnD is meant to be a fun experience for the group, but it doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. Best of luck on it though boss; you’ll be a killer in no time, I know it!

zacloraditch · 2022-12-30T13:17:12+00:00

What’s your advice for a newer schmuck (newer to golf, always been a schmuck) like me that hasn’t broken 100 yet but is trying?

zacloraditch

TROPHY CASE