While Valve’s awesome $399 Steam Deck is a capable enough gaming system out of the box, some of its best features are easy to miss.

If you know where to look, you can customize the Steam Deck to your liking, minimize annoyances, and even expand your game catalog well beyond the built-in Steam storefront.

Here, then, is a lengthy list of tips and tricks for the Steam Deck, loosely arranged from simple to more advanced:

Know your quick commands

Jared Newman / Foundry

Long-press the Steam button, and you’ll see a list of quick commands you can invoke from anywhere. A full list appears in the above screenshot, but here are a few that you should try committing to memory:

• Adjust brightness: Steam + Left Stick Up/Down
• Force game shutdown: Steam + Long-press B
• Take a screenshot: Steam + R1
• On-screen keyboard: Steam + X.
• Temporary cursor: Steam + Right Stick or Trackpad. Use R2 to click.

Get game suggestions

Jared Newman / Foundry

Not sure what to play on your Steam Deck? A couple suggestions:

• From the home screen, scroll down, then over to the “Recommended” tab. Steam will helpfully suggest untouched games from your backlog.
• Hit the Steam button and select “Library.” The first tab (“Great on Deck”) suggests games that are fully-optimized for the portable.
• Try playing some of the smaller-scale, indie games you’ve been neglecting. Chances are they’ll be easier to pick up and put down than, say, Elden Ring, and they may burn through less battery life as well.

Check your battery life

Jared Newman / Foundry

Tap the battery icon at the top of the screen to quickly bring up the Performance tab. You’ll see a measure of projected battery life at the top.

Suspend and resume

With the Steam Deck, there’s no need to quit your game between play sessions. Just press the power button, and the Deck will enter sleep mode. Press it again to quickly pick up where you left off, even a day or two later.

(It’s still a good idea to save your game between sessions if possible, and of course putting the Steam Deck to sleep during multiplayer will probably get you booted.)

Don’t miss Night mode

Jared Newman / Foundry

If you’re gaming on the Steam Deck before bed, consider turning on Night mode to cut down on blue light from the screen:

• In Quick Settings: Head to the ⚙ settings section and toggle Night mode under the “Other” heading.
• In Settings: Look under the Display tab to schedule Night mode and adjust the tint level.

Minimize distractions

Jared Newman / Foundry

Getting notified about friend activity during a game is annoying enough on the desktop, but it’s even worse on the Steam Deck, where screen real estate is limited. Turn off these alerts under Settings > Notifications.

Browse in-game guides

Jared Newman / Foundry

Need help with the game you’re playing? Instead of reaching for your phone, hit the Steam button, then select “Guides” to bring up Steam’s player-contributed tutorials. Use the arrow buttons at the top to scroll through each page. (Hey Valve, a search function would be nice.)

Tweak your performance profiles

Jared Newman / Foundry

The Steam Deck’s Performance menu has lots of tweakable knobs to fine-tune performance, visual fidelity, and battery life, separate from in-game settings. Access this menu by hitting the … button, then selecting the 🔋battery icon.

A few options to consider:

• Enable “Use per-game profile” before making any changes here. That way you can adjust settings on a game-by-game basis instead of across the board.
• To maximize the Steam Deck’s battery life without major visual compromises, drop the Refresh Rate slider down to 40 Hz, which will also cap the framerate at 40 frames per second.
• If you prefer smoother framerates over higher resolution, set the Scaling Filter to “FSR” and set FSR Sharpness to 4 or 5. Then, use in-game settings to choose a resolution lower than 1280×800, such as 1152×720 or 960×600. The FSR upscaling will restore some of the sharpness without affecting framerates.

Choose a default storage location

Jared Newman / Foundry

If you’re expanding Steam Deck storage with a MicroSD card, set your default storage location under. Settings > Storage. Highlight either the internal drive or the MicroSD card, then press X.

You can also easily move games between storage devices from this same menu. Just highlight the game, then press Y.

Learn to touchpad type

Jared Newman / Foundry

While using the Steam Deck’s on-screen keyboard, put your thumbs on each trackpad and slide them around. You’ll see a circular cursor for each thumb over the left- and right-hand sides of the keyboard, and you can either click the trackpads or use the triggers to type. There’s a learning curve, but eventually it feels more convenient and accurate than using the touchscreen.

Change your keyboard

Jared Newman / Foundry

Head to Settings > Keyboard to choose between alternate styles for the on-screen keyboard. You can also visit the Points Shop to acquire additional styles at 5,000 points apiece.

Check Steam Deck compatibility

While Steam has an official “Deck Verified” program that checks for game compatibility, don’t neglect ProtonDB either. This community-built site can provide additional insights for games that don’t have an official stamp of approval, along with tweaks that might get them into a playable state.

Use the button remapper

Jared Newman / Foundry

If you have a lot of old PC games that weren’t made with controllers in mind, the Steam Deck’s button remapper is a killer feature. To use it, press the Steam button while playing a game, select “Controller Settings,” then hit the “A” button.

The possibilities are too extensive to cover in a short blurb—seriously, you can even create your own radial weapon wheels—so we’ve created a separate guide using the remapper to its full potential.

Stream from your PC

Jared Newman / Foundry

Don’t scoff at the Steam Deck’s Remote Play feature, which lets you stream games from your desktop computer. It can come in handy for several reasons:

• You’ve got limited time or scarce storage space to obtain more games.
• You want to conserve battery life while maximizing visual fidelity.
• You want to play a game that doesn’t natively support the Steam Deck yet.

To stream from your PC, hit down arrow next to the “Install” or “Play” button for any game, then select your computer from the list. Hit the “Stream” button to launch a remote play session.

Add a lock screen

Jared Newman / Foundry

To enable a PIN on the Steam Deck, head to Settings > Security. You can add lock screen when waking up the console, or just when switching to desktop mode. The latter’s especially important if you’re logged into email or other sensitive accounts while using the Steam Deck desktop.

Enter Desktop mode

Jared Newman / Foundry

The Steam Deck’s true potential comes from entering Desktop mode, which provides a full Linux-based environment for installing more software—even from competing digital storefronts.

To enter the Steam Deck’s Desktop mode, hit the Steam button, scroll down to Power, and select ”Switch to Desktop.” Then, navigate with these controls:

• Right trackpad for cursor control.
• R2 and L2 for left and right click, respectively, or click the right trackpad for a left click.
• Steam + X for the on-screen keyboard.

Note that if you shut down the Steam desktop app, the touchpad click and on-screen keyboard will stop working.

Install more software

The easiest way to install non-Steam software on your Steam Deck is through the Desktop mode’s Discover store. Click the icon that looks like a shopping bag, and you’ll see a wide range of programs to install, from Spotify and Discord to DOSBox and GZDoom.

Once installed, you’ll find these programs in the application launcher by clicking the Steam Deck logo at the bottom-left.

Add non-Steam apps to Gaming mode

Jared Newman / Foundry

You don’t need to be in Desktop mode to launch desktop apps. Instead, you can add them to Game mode for easy access.

To do so, launch the Steam app while in Desktop mode. Then, hit the “Games” tab in the top menu and select Add a non-Steam Game to My Library. If the app or game doesn’t appear in the list that pops up, use the “Browse…” button to find it, then hit “Add Selected Programs.”

When you return to Game mode, you’ll find these games in the “Non-Steam” section of your library.

Install alternative game sources

Jared Newman / Foundry

After getting comfortable with Desktop mode, the next step is to bring in games from storefronts other than Steam. Some options to consider:

• Heroic Games Launcher provides access to your Epic Games Store and GOG libraries and is available through the Discover store. A separate utility called HeroicBashLauncher can automatically add these games to your Steam library, complete with artwork.
• Lutris provides access to the above stores and more, and is also available through the Discover store.
• Emudeck makes it easy to play classic game emulators through the Steam Deck’s Game mode, assuming you have the necessary game files.
• Check out this Reddit thread for the best way to play Itch.io games on the Steam Deck.

Transfer files with ease

Need to move some files to your Steam Deck from another computer? Instead of swapping thumb drives back and forth, check out Payload. Install this free app on both your computer and the Steam Deck (in desktop mode), and you can transfer files over your Wi-Fi network just by dragging and dropping.

Consider a USB hub

For serious Steam Deck desktop users, a cheap USB hub with HDMI output can be an invaluable addition. Plug it into the Deck’s USB-C port, and you can add an external mouse and keyboard while outputting video to a monitor or TV. (A proper Steam Deck dock may also be worth considering, official or otherwise.)

Deck out your Steam Deck

Jared Newman / Foundry

To take Steam Deck customization to the next level, install Decky Loader, which extends the Deck with a wide range of user-made plugins. Want to swap out the Deck’s menu sounds or add control your music through the sidebar menu? Decky Loader makes it easy to do so. It’s also the best way to add cover art for non-Steam games, using the SteamGridDB plugin.

To install Decky Loader, visit the project’s GitHub page from Desktop mode and click the obtain button at the top, then run the installer from your Downloads folder. After installation, return to Game mode, and you’ll see a new 🔌 plug icon in the … sidebar menu. Hit the store icon at the top of the menu to browse for plugins from there.

Photo: Freepik

If improving your Dutch or passing your integration exams are personal goals for 2023, self-study course Inburgering Online can help you get on track.

Bart Nawijn, founder of Inburgering Online, a self-access course which prepares students for the Dutch integration exams, has just got back from his vacation in Mexico. ‘I have barely any Spanish and once again I experienced how exciting it is to learn a new language, getting to know the people and the culture better and becoming capable of expressing things as you learn more,’ he says.

Independent learning

As a Dutch teacher, it was also a great opportunity to put his own learning strategies into practice. ‘Students doing my self-study course quickly pick up new words and I advise them to work with the knowledge they have,’ he says, explaining how he got by in Spanish using a list of common verbs saved to his phone. ‘Don’t underestimate what you already know,’ he advises.

‘Most courses definitely underplay the importance of independent learning skills,’ Bart continues. ‘It makes the life of a language learner a lot easier if they are shown early on what is required to be able to manage the language. For students without this knowledge, who just dive into learning Dutch, it just looks never-ending and that can be very frustrating and demotivating.’

Bart Nawijn of Inburgering Online. Photo: Inburgering Online

Inburgering Online

One of the strengths of the Inburgering Online course is that its logical, guided approach helps learners foster the right mindset for independent learning and take pleasure in the process. There is no pressure either − self-access means that they can work at their own pace and at a time and place that is convenient.

Inburgering Online prepares students for A2, B1 and the Knowledge of Dutch Society exams and is also a useful tool for any learner looking to Strengthen their Dutch. The course features videos narrated by Bart, grammar explanations, and heaps of handy tips; while practice exercises and mock exams help learners monitor their progress and familiarise themselves with the test formats.

For students thinking of signing up or simply eager to Strengthen their Dutch, Bart has six helpful self-study tips. ‘If you practise self study according to my tips, it can be a very pleasant and satisfying experience and it will make your life here more fun and interesting,’ he says. ‘Once you make it a habit to Strengthen by yourself, the whole process becomes much more enjoyable. This way, you can keep learning and progressing without lessons or a teacher.’

Inburgering Online has a logical and intuitive set-up. Photo: Inburgering Online

BART’S TIPS

Tip 1: Start with a good overview of the language

First try to get an idea of the language as a whole. Consider which basics you need to get a handle on the language. What is a typical sentence structure? Which key verbs will help you make lots of useful sentences? Knowing this stops you feeling overwhelmed. Keep in mind that a calm, relaxed approach maximises learning.

The logical set-up for self-study on Inburgering Online helps you understand these basics and to get an idea of what is needed to get a good feel for the language. The courses’ vocabulary sections, for example, start with flashcards and related exercises focusing on the most common words (at easy, medium and hard levels) so that students quickly grasp the fundamental vocabulary and can start expressing themselves straight away.

Tip 2:  Identify parallels between Dutch and the language(s) you already know

You are not starting at the beginning. You already have knowledge of at least one language. Structures and rules may be similar or there may be words that are similar to ones you already know. When you come across unfamiliar words, don’t feel you have to write everything down.

Instead, prioritise words which are of personal interest to you. In time, as your vocabulary expands, you will notice that you make fewer notes as you are able to work out most new words from context.

Writing new words in your phone or on your laptop can be really helpful. Photo: Freepik

Tip 3:  Pick out the easy bits

You might like to look at what is easy within the language so that you can quickly get a foothold. Be aware that the easy stuff makes up the majority of the language and that Dutch is even easier once you recognise the patterns governing it. ‘In Dutch there is a lot of structure,’ explains Bart. ‘And once you understand certain rules, you already understand a lot.’

‘On the other hand, it’s true that some things are more difficult,’ says Bart, giving sentence structure as an example. ‘Of course, it’s great if you really make an effort to master such complicated topics. However, to have a positive learning experience, when putting the language into practice, it is also important not to focus too much on what you don’t know or understand yet,’ he adds.

Fortunately, the biggest part of the language is easy to learn and can quickly be put into practice. ‘It can really motivate language learners to see that many things are not complicated and are easy to apply,’ says Bart.

Tip 4:  Repeat what native speakers say

It’s important to get used to hearing yourself speak Dutch. To Strengthen your pronunciation, repeat as closely as possible short recordings of words or sentences spoken by a native speaker.

You can do this at home watching the news or Dutch YouTube videos, says Bart. ‘It’s a simple exercise that students with all language levels can do. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand everything you are saying. The point of the exercise is feeling more comfortable expressing yourself in Dutch. You will be surprised how effective it is!’

Sometimes Dutch can be difficult but don’t forget that the biggest part of the language is like a walk in the park. Photo: Freepik

Tip 5:  Look for sources that you find interesting 

When learning a language it can be very helpful to regularly read and listen to Dutch sources you enjoy. If, for example, you really like cooking, you could take a look at the website of 24Kitchen.

If you’re a big sports fan then watching videos on the Youtube channel ZiggoSport would be a nice way to Strengthen your understanding of Dutch.

When you are interested in something, you are much more motivated to understand what it means. What’s more, it will also Strengthen your Dutch in general!

Tip 6:  Focus on what you know

When you are listening to a recording or studying a text, focus on picking out the bits you understand, rather than allowing yourself to be put off by the parts which are unclear to you. Doing this gives you a more enjoyable learning experience. The more relaxed you are, the more effective your brain will be at completing the task.

It’s Inburgering Online’s clear and calm approach that is the secret to its success! Good luck!

A guided self-study course with Inburgering Online starts at €8.95 a month.

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The first episode of Drivetime Study Hub 2023 is here! Evelyn O'Rourke has assembled her expert guests with top tips on Music, English H & O, plus we find out how you can get the most from your study time.

The extended podcast drops every Wednesday for the next 6 weeks. On the same day, Evelyn will deliver us all the highlights on Drivetime. Right here, on RTÉ Learn, is where you can find the podcast links plus extra resources.

Press play up top to listen and subscribe to the podcast here or wherever you get yours!

We start with English Higher and Ordinary level advice from Conor Murphy of Skibbereen Community School in Cork. The HIGHEST number of candidates take on this paper, last year over 57,000 out of 62,000 that sat the Leaving Cert took this subject so listen up!

Gordon Weldon, Guidance Counsellor at St Conleth's School in Dublin and careersportal.ie will be here to tell you how to get the most from your revision and study time. And when we say study, we don't mean sitting there, flicking through pages - he will help you make sure what goes in stays in!

We face the music with Dr Susan McCormick, Assistant Professor in Music Education, School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. There are so many elements to this paper from the practical, aural and the writing section, but Susan will have us all singing from the same hymn sheet!

Susan has kindly shared loads of great resources for the music exam.

Click here to watch the videos and obtain her notes!

© Provided by Android Police

We've finally found a true digital Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game in full form. Initially announced in July 2021 and launched in early 2022, the collectible card game eventually made its way to mobile gamers after a brief delay. Nonetheless Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is here to blow away all the bizarre mechanics of previous Yu-Gi-Oh! games brought in, offering one of the best games on Android.

If you're brand new to the franchise, Yu-Gi-Oh! is a collectible card game that locks players into 1-v-1 combat, where you'll enlist peculiar magical and mythical monsters (or beings) to take down your opponent's life points (LP). Spell cards, trap cards, monster effects, and your quick-wittedness can turn the tides of the duel at any moment – constantly testing your skills at any given turn. But of course, taming this card gaming beast is no easy feat on your trusty Android gaming phone, which is why we've put together a guide covering how to get started on your first competitive deck, the best way to spend your Gems, and all the essential tools Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has to offer.

Getting started on Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

You jump straight into a tutorial and eventually learn the basic mechanics and controls for how Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel plays on Android. And as a well-deserved reward for completing the tutorial, you get to choose your starter deck:

You’ll eventually get your hands on all three starter decks, so it doesn’t matter which deck you pick initially.

At this point you’re almost in. After selecting a name, you’re ready to obtain the full version of the game!

Data transfer

If you previously played Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel on another device or platform, you can bypass these early steps and re-login into the app by using the data transfer feature. All you have to do is create or link a Konami ID and then log in with your credentials.

Yu-Gi-Oh! ruleset

For more information on how to play Yu-Gi-Oh!, check out the official trading card game rulebook. Note: Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has its own forbidden/limited card list.

Playing through solo mode

We advise you to wait to jump into ranked matches, even if you're already a seasoned Yu-Gi-Oh! player. You'll want to earn all beneficial rewards in solo mode.

How solo mode works

The solo mode is the central hub for your single-player experience: split into gates, each incorporating a general theme. The first gate, Duel Strategy, is comparatively a tutorial extension to introduce more gameplay fundamentals: synchronization, link monsters, pendulum summoning, etc. and for new players, completing this gate helps you catch up to the modern-day game mechanics in Yu-Gi-Oh!, which is what we recommend as one of the first stops before heading to ranked.

Once you unlock and play through more gates, you obtain completion bonuses such as Gems, structure decks for an archetype, cards, and elemental orbs.

Use your Gems effectively in Master Duel

Thankfully, Gems are the only in-game currency to keep track of while playing. To no one’s shock, the game’s quite generous, giving out a handful of Gems at the very start but slows down significantly the more you play – you may want to dial back on an early spending spree, or you could face trouble later!

Anything purchasable in the shop uses Gems: card packs, cosmetics, structure decks, and more. To get anywhere in this game, you’ll be looking into using your Gems primarily on card packs, which we will go into detail about in the next section.

How to get Gems

1. Claim your Limited-Time Missions and Unlimited Missions. Don’t forget to log in daily, this is one of the easiest missions to complete!
2. Play through solo mode. You’ll earn Gems for clearing gates.
3. Earn points on your duel pass (normal and gold). Refreshes seasonally.
4. Spending real money.

You can only hold 10,000 Gems at a time, any excess gets sent to your gift box.

Starting your first deck

Creating your first deck is an extremely crucial step if you want to be successful at Yu-Gi-Oh! at a competitive level. You’ll eventually run out of single-player content the more you play. So the only option left is to get ready for PvP (player versus player).

With over 10,000 cards in the game, it’s foolish to blindly open up packs without having some idea what kind of deck you’re trying to build. This next section focuses on which staple cards you’ll want to go for, what to buy from the shop first, details on using the crafting card system, and how to unlock secret packs.

Staple cards

Staple cards are cards that are important for deck building, and they can be generalized cards that fit into most decks. Fortunately, two staple cards, Monster Reborn and Raigeki can be easily obtained through Duel Strategy via solo mode. You can find the rest within the shop.

Upon arriving at the shop, your first few purchases should be on three sets: Solemn Judgment, Lightning Storm, and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Later, you'll earn more staple cards either through limited-time events, updated content, or by getting lucky with your packs.

How to purchase a bundle deal

1. Tap on Shop > Special > Bundle Deal. Buy all three packs for a total of 30 Master Packs to guarantee all three ultra-rare (UR) cards.

Once you acquire these cards, they are good enough to be placed in any deck you create.

Using the card crafting system

Cards are split into rarities: normal (N), rare (R), super-rare (SR), and ultra-rare (UR). The rule of thumb dictates higher rarities have lower chances of appearing in your card pack pulls.

The most powerful tool to get the card you want and integral to unlocking secret packs is through the card crafting system. To access these secret packs, you’ll have to craft SRs/URs. Secret packs are only available for 24 hours at a time, so only splurge once you’re ready.

You can generate and dismantle any card to spend or earn card points (CP) for that rarity. Foil cards (shiny/glossy) are worth more CP.

How to craft cards

1. Tap on Deck. Tap on any existing deck to access your Deck Menu.
2. Tap Edit Deck. The left side is your deck’s card list, and on the right is a search tool to find any card. Cards you don’t possess are grayed out.

   Close

3. Search for a card you don’t own but wish to craft. Tap on that card > Generate > Generate (again). You now have that card!

   Close

How to dismantle all extra cards

1. Tap on the triple line to access the submenu.
2. Tap on Dismantle All Extra Cards > Dismantle.

   Close

Secret packs

Secret packs are target-specific packs that focus on an archetype and support that theme. These packs are imperative to deck-building since 99 % of the time you’ll only pull cards from these packs – your last four cards are guaranteed to be part of that pack.

How to unlock and find secret packs

1. Craft or pull any SR/UR card that matches the corresponding card pack.
2. Head over to Shop > Pack > Secret Pack.
3. Tap on the secret pack you want to pull from and select 10 Packs (1000 Gems).

   Close

Constructing your first deck

Now that you know how to get cards, you’re ready to construct your deck.

Tips for constructing your first deck

1. Find an archetype that resonates with you from solo mode. You can use a structure deck you already have and find stronger cards that work for that deck type.
2. If you’re unsure about your preferred archetype, jot down a few themes, then check and see what matches your play style. Use the public deck list to find constructed decks and copy ones you like.
3. Check deck strength online. These decks have likely been used in tournaments already.
4. Budget your Gem spending for secret packs. Always do 10 pulls to secure a guarantee on an SR/UR.
5. Add your staple cards to your deck, and find filler (general use) cards to add to your deck as potential substitutes - keep your CP for essential cards. Don’t forget to save your deck edits!
6. Practice using your deck in solo mode – it might take some time to get used to a new deck and pinpoint changes you may want to consider.

Mastering the craft of Yu-Gi-Oh!

Spending your resources wisely is always a challenge, but a game like Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, which is considered one of the best card games on Android, is worth your time and patience. But once you've reached the limit for earning free Gems, the Duel Pass becomes your newest best friend, even letting you make back everything you paid if you've completed the pass. Plus, it motivates a competitive streak while helping you sharpen your skills during heated matches. So now, if this sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to load up the Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel app through the Play Store widget below.