SteamDeck Setup

Just a little guide here for how I got SWOS 2020 running on my SteamDeck after giving up on getting the GOG 96/97 version working and finding SWOS 2020.

So you essentially have to do 2 setups. One for accessing the DLC browser via Desktop mode and another for the game itself in Game mode. There may be better ways to do this but this is working for me so I'm happy with it for now. Always happy to be upstaged by something easier though!

What you need:

• SteamDeck!
• SWOS 2020 already setup on a PC.  Not gonna flog a dead horse about that here as I'd think its already covered in this forum!
• A way to transfer your SWOS 2020 install to your SteamDeck eg ssh/USB drive/SteamDeck MTP plugin

Steps - DLC manager

1. Goto Desktop Mode on SteamDeck
2. Copy your SWOS 2020 folder to the either SteamDecks SSD or your microSD
3. Install Bottles from Discovery Store. This will create the Wine Bottle to run SWOS.
4. Install Flatseal from Discovery Store. This give Bottles file permissions.
5. Open Flatseal and choose Bottles from the menu on the left.
6. On the right hand panel scroll down to 'Filesystem' and share with the following as appropriate
   1. Choose the default option 'All user files' if you are installing SWOS 2020 to the SteamDeck SSD, or
   2. If installing to the microSD click the add folder icon to the right of 'Other files' and in the box enter

      /run/media/mmcblk0p1

   3. Close Flatseal, we're done with it now.
7. Open Bottles and wait for its first time setup to complete.
8. Click the Menu/three horizontal lines/hamburger/whatever you call it icon and goto preferences.
9. Goto Integrations and enable them all. Close preferences
10. Click the + in the top left of Bottles and name your bottle.  I used 'Gaming' as environment but probably fine with 'Application' since we won't be playing the game through this.
11. Click Create and then wait for Bottles to do some of its magic.
12. Once its done you should see your new Bottle in the Bottles window under 'Your Bottles'. Click on it
13. Goto Settings under Options and then find the Compatibility section. Change it to Windows 7.
14. Exit settings and go back to the top of your Bottle and find 'Add Shortcuts...'
15. In the window that pops up navigate to where you copied your SWOS install and select gameLauncher.exe. In the filter section you may need to remove the 'Windows Installer Package' by clicking the delete icon to the right of it to be able to see the .exe file.
16. Click the play button next to gameLauncher under Programs and it should launch the Launcher.  You can goto the DLC manager here and download what you want.
17. Close the window and you can add this to your library using the 3 dot menu next to it. I seemed to have issues adding to Steam or Desktop so added to library and just run it from there in desktop mode.
18. Onto playing the game!

Steps - The game!

1. Add gameLauncher.exe to Steam via Desktop mode and then goto Game mode.
2. In Game mode go to the game properties and choose your proton version. I've found it seems to work fine with any Proton version but YMMV.
3. That is basically it.  You can now run the game itself from Game mode and if you want some new DLC then you head back to desktop.

So yeah thats it! Enjoy this awesomeness on your SteamDeck you goal scoring super star heroes!!

EDIT: So its been mostly fine I've found. One thing I've noticed is if in the SWOS in game video settings you choose 1280x800 for the resolution it stretches the screen vertically. It may be OK for some but it triggered me seeing the mishapen center circle. I've found I have to set it to a 16:9 ratio every time I boot.

Also, I've uploaded Community layout for controls. I've got A/B buttons mapped in the game to Shoot/Sub respectively and then the following:
Replay - X,
Save replay - Y
Quit match - Select
Pause - Start
Stats - L1
Highlights - R1
Mouse + click(for the launcher) - Right trackpad

Thank you for your time spent on this guide.
This will give me the nudge to buy the Steam Deck finally... i've been holding off for month's, but this has made up my mind.

Hi, installed and working but controls do not work.
Do I need to chose keyboard or xbox 360 controller?
I also downloaded community layout but can’t fox this.
anyone can help please?

Thanks for the awesome guide! As another option, I've create a Lutris script that automates the install without the need to install the game on PC first. You just feed it the SWOS 2020 installer and an original copy of SWOS 96/97 and it does the rest. The launcher also seems to work for me in Game Mode, so no need for 2 separate entries in Steam.

Scripts and install guide here:
github.com/eskay993/gamefiles/tree/main/swos-2020

Hope this helps!

Hey there, I just found another workaround solution that doesn't need Bottles: add the game proper (gamelauncher.exe) as described above in the game section, and make sure a newer version of the Steam Proton Layer (I current use 8.20) is applied to it. Then add databasebrowser.exe and DLCManager.exe separately to Steam, and Force the use of the older Proton 5.0-10 Layer on them.

From ten on, whenever you need them, don't run them through the SWOS launcher but individually, separate from the game. You can then install and apply all DLCs at your own leisure. Once all changes are applied, close the DLC Manager,then start SWOS through the launcher as usual - it will run with all the DLC you selected before. (The game itself needs Proton Layer 7 or higher to work properly, while Database Browser and DLC Manager will only Work with version 5 of the Proton Layer apparently)

Hi, I'm super new here and I'm trying to install SWOS on the Deck.

I followed the instructions up to point 15 then I run the gameLauncher.exe and nothing happens.

Does anyone experienced the same issue?

thanks

mrfranz wrote:

Hi, I'm super new here and I'm trying to install SWOS on the Deck.

I followed the instructions up to point 15 then I run the gameLauncher.exe and nothing happens.

Does anyone experienced the same issue?

thanks
 

I solved it changing the bottle settings from "soda" to "wine"

Hi, how can I access the community layout for the controls?