The big "Steam Deck NEEDS Ad-Hoc/LAN play without an external router and without leaving SteamUI" thread.

[Starlogical★]

Yes, it's a PC. When's the last time you've seen a PC do Ad-hoc play like the Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, 3DS, PSP, and DS?

One of the highlights of a handheld device is easy ad-hoc multiplayer basically anywhere provided each device has a copy of the game. Valve should implement this at a system wide level, and the hope is that you won't need any third party softwares to do such a thing nor do you even need to access desktop mode for this, for maximum ease of use. An Ad-Hoc API if you will.

As for older games that true LAN multiplayer, perhaps Valve should implement a more universal "lobby system" within Steam UI. Would make it extra cool to play classic FPSes on LAN without the need for a separate router unit, or worse, using your phone as a hotspot.

Obviously any game that's already released on Steam wouldn't support it the feature without an update, but the hope is that future Steam games made with Deck compatibility in mind would support such a feature. Give devs something to target and if any of them are interested they'll go for it

Also I want to emphasize, without any external devices. No Routers, no Phones for hotspots. Think ad-hoc multiplayer with multiple Nintendo Switch units where everyone has their own screen.

I'm sure it's too late for Valve to implement such a feature in time for launch, but I do think they should look at it as a serious consideration.

[Raterix]

I genuinely don't think you know a damn thing on what you're talking about.

Lets break down this stupidity one by one.

1) "Adhoc" connections are "to this" connection, meaning DEVICE > TO THIS SERVER directly without any other additional details, meaning the device connected directly to a server. What you're talking about has absolutely nothing to do with nearby device connectivity.
Stop trying to sound smart by using words you don't understand, it makes you sound incapable of thinking.

2) LAN multiplayer exists on any device that has internet connection. You can project the Steam Decks wireless network and make it show up as a local wireless adapter, just like with any other wireless device such as a laptop. You seem to not know how wireless adapters work, or how local area networks operate. LAN networks, by default, require a form of routing, it is physically impossible for peer-based connections to not have a routing system.

3) Your post literally is incomprehensible. You talk about "basically anywhere provided each device has a copy of the game", what the living ♥♥♥♥ are you trying to even convey with this? Each Steam Deck device can download a game, if you download Left 4 Dead 2, it's not like your friend who is sitting next to you is impossible to also have Left 4 Dead 2.

4) If you're talking about connected play by having two consoles next to each other, such as a Nintendo Switch, or Playstation Portable, and having both devices be able to play together without the need to connect to a LAN network, this is already a feature that is literally built into Steam. Maybe look around, get a basic education, and learn what the Steamworks API has to offer.

[ReBoot]

Networks have been running fine without router's for decades now. Is there ANY reason to assume the Deck needing one? No, there isn't.

[RealCelticGamer]

It's on devs to make games with local co-op over LAN though.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by RealCelticGamer:

It's on devs to make games with local co-op over LAN though.

A craptonload of games support this as well. Still no reason to assume for the Deck to change anything about this.

[Starlogical★]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by RealCelticGamer:

It's on devs to make games with local co-op over LAN though.

A craptonload of games support this as well. Still no reason to assume for the Deck to change anything about this.

The idea is LAN without being forced to go into the Deck's desktop UI and turning on hotspotting.

Should be done via the SteamUI.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Starlogical★:

The idea is LAN without being forced to go into the Deck's desktop UI and turning on hotspotting.

The idea is a lot of banging & trumpeting about how not needing a router for LAN play is something new entirely & Valve should buld it. The idea is missing out entirely on the simple fact that this is long included in operating systems.
The following line sums the idea up in a very weird way:

Originally posted by Starlogical★:

As for older games that true LAN multiplayer, perhaps Valve should implement a more universal "lobby system" within Steam UI. Would make it extra cool to play classic FPSes on LAN without the need for a separate router unit, or worse, using your phone as a hotspot.

Obviously any game that's already released on Steam wouldn't support it the feature without an update, but the hope is that future Steam games made with Deck compatibility in mind would support such a feature. Give devs something to target and if any of them are interested they'll go for it

Your idea, namely LAN without a router, IS ALREADY FULFILLED AND GAMES RELEASED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS ALREADY SUPPORT IT! Or rather, games don't give two ♥♥♥♥♥ about how this stuff is done. It's the operating system that does those things and operating systems have in fact been supporting this for 30-something years.

[RealCelticGamer]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by RealCelticGamer:

It's on devs to make games with local co-op over LAN though.

A craptonload of games support this as well. Still no reason to assume for the Deck to change anything about this.

Completely agree with you.

[retrogunner]

There will be plenty of folks in the Deck community who (I confidently believe) will create various solutions for the itch that needs scratching. [I'll be working on my own scripts just like I did for my Odroid Go Advance & Pro, PinePhone, etc.]

And, as intelligent as moderate linux users are, those solutions will over time organically coalesce into a community managed repo of howtos. Their solutions will probably also keep in mind folks don't want to mess up their Deck OR have to re-install their selection after every OS update. -- You can put it in DEV mode, but the primary OS & Steam Partition will default to read-only. Games are usually stored in a separate /home/steam/ partition for Steam OS.

Just sit back and wait until Steam OS 3.x drops and first decks start to ship. The power-users will be hot on the trail of missing creature-features & quality of life improvements.

[Turbo]

What's the context of 'adhoc' here? Everywhere I've used it is local device to local device.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Turbo:

What's the context of 'adhoc' here? Everywhere I've used it is local device to local device.

As in "no access point". AFAIK "ad-hoc" is even the official term for this as per WLAN-spec.

[BlackEagle]

Use smartphone with hotspot function

[Nanaki]

Just let this thread die...

[ThorN]

Originally posted by Starlogical★:

Yes, it's a PC. When's the last time you've seen a PC do Ad-hoc play like the Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, 3DS, PSP, and DS?

Recently. ANY PC with WiFi can do it, and the Steam Deck will as well I presume

The way to do it is fairly simple. You just need to share your WiFi on one of the PCs, and the other PCs connect to that. That's it, now you're in a WLAN network without a router or other extra requirements.

I can confirm that this works because I've played Skyrim Together on two GPD Wins with a friend on long train rides this way before. It's a pretty rare use case after all

Originally posted by Nanaki:

Just let this thread die...

Why tho :p

[KingKrouch]

I believe if you're using NetworkManager with Arch, you have the option of making an AdHoc WiFi hotspot that other WiFi devices can connect to.

Worst case, a phone's WiFi hotspot feature could also work.