Dark Mod on the Steam Deck

[chakkman]

8 hours ago, datiswous said:

I think your view on this is somewhat biased. ips glow and background bleeding is monitor specific

It's even unit specific.

Neither TN panels nor VA panels suffer from IPS glow though, and, most TN panels are fine these days in terms of black uniformity.

I had 3 IPS displays here, all were very bad in terms of IPS glow or backlight bleeding. So bad that I sent them back, because I couldn't stand it in darker games.

VA panels should be by far the best for games like TDM (best contrast ratio and black colours). The downside is the reaction time, especially in dark scenes, where you have ghosting on VA panels. There are also fast VA panels like Samsung's G7 though, which should be nice. Expensive though. And curved, which is not really my cup of tea.

As I mentioned, due to all those downsides, I'm still on a TN panel, which is quite nice for games like TDM actually. Of course, TN doesn't have as nice colours as IPS or VA, but, I find that in games that's not really a big issue.

Edited June 10, 2022 by chakkman

[refl3ks]

On 6/9/2022 at 12:52 PM, STiFU said:

That picture would be worthy of our Facebook site, @Springheel.  (If @refl3ks grants permission of course)

Feel free to use it!

On 6/9/2022 at 2:35 PM, chakkman said:

Cool.

How is the screen for the dark gameplay? I'm still hanging on to a TN panel monitor, because IPS has horrible IPS glow and backlight bleeding, which totally destroy the gameplay in dark games, and VA has terrible motion blur for the most part. I don't know what panel tech the Steam Deck is using. Looks like it's IPS.

The screen is an IPS display, colors and black levels are decent for what it is. I use Reshade to bump colors/brightness/contrast.

Edited June 15, 2022 by refl3ks

[kerrle]

I've played through a few missions on mine, and have a control scheme for mouselook with a virtual trackball on the right track pad.

It works really well from a performance perspective, and with the mouse control in place I don't really feel like I'm notably disadvantaged vs. M+KB on PC.

And yes, the IPS screen isn't as good as an OLED, but it's fine. I say this typing on the new Alienware QD-OLED, and sure, you don't get pure black levels like that, but it's comparable to a decent laptop screen.

[bantha456]

On 6/10/2022 at 5:55 AM, datiswous said:

You should try starting the game from the Linux executable, you're now running a Windows version. This is because the Linux version of TDM for some reason also adds the Windows executable. At some point we get the situation that people say they play on Linux, but actually they don't (well at least not nativelly), but they don't know.

Which file is the Linux executable that should be linked to Steam?

[nbohr1more]

5 minutes ago, bantha456 said:

Which file is the Linux executable that should be linked to Steam?

https://www.thedarkmod.com/downloads/

Start The Dark Mod using thedarkmod.x64 in your darkmod folder and begin playing!

[freyk]

On 6/8/2022 at 4:59 PM, refl3ks said:

This is the process I used:

1. Go into Desktop Mode
2. Download Chrome from the Application Manager
3. Download tdm_installer.linux64.zip 
4. Unzip+download in /home/documents
5. add TheDarkModx64.exe as non-steam-game
6. set compatibility to Proton 7.0-2
7. Profit

I created a simple installer script,
that uses a popular method to install TDM as non steam game to steamdeck:
Just run several commands, by running a desktop-shortcut.
(this creates a folder in the homefolder, downloads the official installer zip package, unzip it and runs the TDM installer unattended)

1. go to desktop mode
2. Download the attached file from this post, to the desktop and run it.
3. hit execute button
4. and wait.
5. After the process, you wil find the TDM folder in de home folder
6. Add the file "thedarkmod.x64" from that folder, as a nonsteam game to the steam library

tdminstall.desktop

Edited June 30, 2023 by freyk

[refl3ks]

Thanks for doing this. I traded my SD for a laptop sporting a RTX 3060. I'll be buying one again very soon, this should help!

[Cthulhu]

Just wanted to say thank you for this install script.  Made life easier! I'm new to the dark mod (but not to thief) and have just set up my steam deck to try it whilst away for a few days.  Looking forward to some portable sneaking!

[datiswous]

So I got a Steam Deck (OLED) as well and installation of TDM is very easy with the default installer:

1. Go to desktop mode (Steam button > Power > Switch to Desktop)
2. Open Chrome and download the TDM installer
3. It comes in a zip-file. Place it inside the "Home"-folder and unzip it.
4. Use the installer to install TDM
5. Go to Steam and create a shortcut to a non-steam game. You have to choose "browse" and have to change the filter to "All Files". Then select thedarkmod.x64
6. Look up the shortcut in Steam, go to properties and change the name. You can also change the image somewhere else.
7. Go back to normal mode and you see the shortcut for TDM in your Steam library and it'll start fine.

(Choosing for .x64 means you use Linux native instead of via Proton)

Btw. you can open the keyboard with the x key. In-game you first have to press the Steam button and then the x key.

In desktop mode the right touchpad controls the mouse pointer. The left touchpad works as a scroll wheel in certain windows.

Edited June 29, 2024 by datiswous

[chakkman]

Big issue I have with devices like Steam Deck is the size of the display. It just isn't fun for me to game on such a tiny display.

[datiswous]

I'm not sure if I will use it much with TDM actually. I doubt that I like to play fps type games on it, because of the screen size and the controls. I cannot get the aim to be precise.

It seems more useful for adventure, tb strategy or rpg, walking simulators maybe.

But you can stream on a bigger screen possibly.

[freyk]

Just want to note that my installer script runs like the datiswous installation method, but does it almost automatically. And doesnt forget to unpack the zipfile.

[datiswous]

18 minutes ago, freyk said:

And doesnt forget to unpack the zipfile.

Ok I changed it in the text. I do respect what you made though.

[jaxa]

2 hours ago, datiswous said:

I'm not sure if I will use it much with TDM actually. I doubt that I like to play fps type games on it, because of the screen size and the controls. I cannot get the aim to be precise.

It seems more useful for adventure, tb strategy or rpg, walking simulators maybe.

But you can stream on a bigger screen possibly.

Even if it's small, how does it look on OLED? I've never used OLED and in theory that is a good display type for stealth games.

[chakkman]

It should be excellent for stealth games. Of course, there are also low quality OLEDs, but, in general, due to the triggering of single pixels, the black levels, and contrast should be vastly superior to anything else. As far as I know, OLED also doesn't have the disadvantages of VA panels in terms of reaction time of the pixels especially with darker screen content.

[datiswous]

It looks great, but the screen is very small for fps.

[dracflamloc]

The Dark Mod is just the gift that keeps on giving. Thats awesome seeing it on the steam deck!