Steam Deck and LL Flavoured Skyrim

[Anunya]

I've started the journey of modding Skyrim on the Steam Deck. I'll use this thread to share my learnings - if anyone has any tips (or questions) feel free to add them
 

Installing:

 

• MO2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpoHTvJmw-o - The only difference from the video is that I used the most recent version of proton (for me that was Proton 9.0-2), as opposed to the one in the video (Proton 8-something).
• FNIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILcu4AI6XXc (this video is not specific to the Steam Deck but worked nonetheless) [FNIS has stopped working, closing immediately on launch which is my current major blocker]
• Bodyslide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plXmDwuVhQo&t=181s (this video is not specific to the Steam Deck but worked nonetheless)
• CBBE 3BA and Faster HDT-SMP and KS Hair with SMP: just install normally, making sure you have the prerequisites.
• Schlongs of Skyrim AE - No DLL Version 1.1.4 seems to work out of the box.
• OAR works after installing .NET

 

How to Install .NET 7 and Other Windows Components:

 

1. Open Protontricks
2. Select Skyrim SE
3. Select Default Wineprefix
4. Select Install a Windows DLL or Component
5. Select dotnet7runtime
6. ... let the installation run.

 

Random Gotchas:

 

1. Naming A Character: Once you've installed an alternate start mod, if you launch the game from desktop mode via steam, while docked with a keyboard - you'll get stuck on naming the character (you press [X] to finish and name the character, but the input box for the name never comes up). If you launch the game from the deck mode, not on the dock, you'll have no such issue (the box and virtual keyboard appears).
2. Using the Virtual Keyboard frequently crashes the game in version 1.6.1170 This makes using console commands a bit annoying (as you need a docked keyboard), especially combined with the Naming Characters issue above (when you're done press [X] to finish and [R2] to submit the character's name, otherwise you risk getting stuck in that weird "can't exit character creation" state).
   1. This issue does not exist in v1.5.97
3. I had FNIS working for a bit, but for some unfathomable reason now whenever I launch FNIS the yellow FNIS windows opens up and closes immediately. Frustrating.

 

Open Questions:

 

• LOOT - I haven't been able to get LOOT proper to work with MO2. There's a flatpack that allows you to install LOOT on the deck in desktop mode, but I've been unable to connect it to MO2. On the other hand, MO2 ships with a light version of LOOT already (the [SORT] button on the Plugins tab), so hopefully that's enough. So far it has been.
• What is the best way to set up hotkeys on the Steam Deck to trigger the various custom key binds in various Mod MCMs?

 

Current Status: 

 

• MO2 is working, CBBE 3BA is working with SMP, alternate starts are working, Racemenu working, KS Hair with SMP, SOS.
• This is not heavily tested, but the game is not crashing or stuttering and my PC is running around happily in the starting area of Skyrim Unbound.
• FNIS doesn't work for some reason (the FNIS window closes immediately on launching). Trying to get Pandora to work, but can't find the .exe after installing via MO2.

Edited July 14, 2024 by Anunya

[Anunya]

I've used Vortex for modding Skyrim on PC, but I couldn't successfully install Vortex on the deck following the guides I found.

 

This video, however, was idiot proof enough that I successfully installed MO2:

 

 

So now I'm learning MO2 as well

 

The only difference from the video is that I used the most recent version of proton (for me that was Proton 9.0-2), as opposed to the one in the video (Proton 8-something).

 

[Anunya]

Following this guide got FNIS installed for me:

 

[Anunya]

The virtual keyboard seems to crash Skyrim in the current version, according to folks online (and my experience). That makes it much harder to use console commands.

 

My current work-around is to start the game in Deck mode, on the dock, with a keyboard attached to start console mode. For racemenu it does have the disadvantage that once you exit you rename your character and unless you use [R2] to submit, you'll get in that weird state where you can't name your character.

Edited July 12, 2024 by Anunya

[Anunya]

Schlongs of Skyrim AE - No DLL Version 1.1.4 seems to work out of the box,

[Anunya]

Well I'm glad I'm documenting what I'm doing because I pressed "verify files" on Steam and that disassociated my MO2 instance from Skyrim in Steam, and in trying to fix that I lost the mod list  

 

Probably something that wouldn't be an issue if I was experienced with MO2, but alas...

 

I was trying to figure out a way to install MSFT Visual C++ distributables so I could install Open Animation Replacer. It might have worked, but I got an error about a .dll being out of place. Not sure if that's an indication that OAR hasn't been updated to match the most recent release, or whether it's an indication I didn't succeed in installing VC_redist...

[Anunya]

How to Install .NET 7 and MSFT Visual C++

1. Open Protontricks
2. Select Skyrim SE
3. Select Default Wineprefix
4. Select Install a Windows DLL or Component
5. Select dotnet7runtime and the VCredist version you want (I went with 2022)
6. ... let the installation run.

... but FNIS crashes on launch and I haven't figured out how to get Pandora to install either on MO2 on the deck, so that's a pretty big blocker for any kind of LL-flavoured Skyrim at the moment.

 

On the upside OAR has been installed and doesn't crash on opening the menu in-game, so that's a victory  

Edited July 14, 2024 by Anunya

[Anunya]

I also gave up on 1.6.1170 and went to 1.5.97.

[Kashirinzan]

Did you ever get sexlabs working with the Steam Deck? I also had the same problem with FNIS closing. I'm not sure what causes it, I think the Gaming Mode probably messes with it, but I just delete it and then reinstall using this quick 1 min video whenever it acts up like that. I've gotten FNIS to work and download animations and the framework. However, whenever I actually go in game and start a new save or load an old one, the game is incredibly slow and then eventually CTDs. Don't know if this is due to memory or FPS or we have to mess with settings or what but since I have both heavily modded Fallout NV and Fallout 4 games on the same steam deck with a bunch of LL sex mods, idk why Skyrim is acting different.

 

I've also moved on to Pandora. Since I couldn't find how to get Runtime 8, I just downloaded the 1.5.1 build of Pandora which uses Runtime 7 and it works. For clarity, I'm using Mod Organizer 2 for all of this. Even with Pandora, the game still CTDs. Without sex labs the game runs flawlessly, but with it the game just crashes after a couple of seconds. I'm also using 1.5.97.

 

edit: Found my issue. I was using an incorrect version of Faster HDT. So, I can now confirm that a sexlabs modded Skyrim on the Steam Deck using MO2 and FNIS/Pandora is possible.

Edited August 21, 2024 by Kashirinzan

[Stiig]

First time posting here, but after hours of trying I got FNIS to run and update with all the sexlab animations. Im testing to see how stable it is. And I bet Ill still ctd. But one step at a time.

 

Run the FNIS executable through mo2 in your mo2 folder, should be under 'games', not through the skyrim mo2 launcher.

 

Im still testing and have no idea what issue will pop up next. Good luck.

[83ilotzent]

im getting my steam deck tomorrow, i will also be trying and see if I can get this to work.

 

I will also humbly contribute to this thread as much as I can