Author: Christopher Harper

It’s Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch today. Let’s get to work comparing these two devices as long-term investments for this purpose, the key advantages of each platform, and even how disadvantages of each may be circumvented. Sound juicy to you? Dig your teeth in and enjoy! Introducing The Competitors Steam Deck The Steam Deck is the latest entrant into the long legacy of “handheld gaming devices created to lose market share to Nintendo”. However, Steam Deck actually has the backing of not only the PC Steam gaming platform, but also Valve’s hardware and UX expertise at work. With Proton and…

Are widescreen monitors better for gaming? What sets them apart from other common types of monitors, and if they have a fundamental advantage, can it be subverted? Let’s dive deep answering these questions and more below. A Brief on Widescreen Monitors and Common Display Aspect Ratios First, a quick moment to establish the basics. A display’s “Aspect Ratio” is the ratio of its width to its height, and various aspect ratios are standard across different media or even eras of video games. For example, old pixel art console games are made explicitly to be run on a 4:3 interlaced display,…

PIctured in the header: No More Heroes III running in a fairly-playable-with-a-catch state on Steam Deck. More on that later! Good evening, dedicated GamersDirector readers. This is the beginning of a new segment of GamersDirector that I’ll be calling “Contra May Critique”, so there are going to be some preliminaries while I establish the format and my critical voice for your enjoyment. You may find yourself surrounded by preliminaries as you progress through your favorite games or challenges in general: trust that this is part of the process. What is Contra May Critique? Contra May Critique is the culmination of…

So you just got a Steam Deck. Now what? Especially if you’re a console gamer, new to PC gaming, or new to the peculiarities of Steam Deck’s Linux-based Steam OS, this is the article for you. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know in the order you need to know it in this definitive guide, so stick around for first-time setup and long-term use tips! What You Need For a Good Steam Deck Handheld Experience Steam Deck Included Carrying Case SD Card (Recommended For Cheaper Models) Protective Case (Recommended If Not Using A Steam Deck Dock) Fortunately, the…

What is ambient occlusion, and how does it work in your video games? I will use this article to cover this concept in detail, so you have a solid understanding of what this setting does and why you should probably enable it. Let’s get into it! What is Ambient Occlusion? Ambient occlusion is meant to simulate the realistic shading that would normally only be achievable through true global illumination. I’ve explained Global Illumination in its own article, but for now what you need to know is that ambient occlusion is meant to improve the accuracy of how shaded objects interact…

What is Triple Buffering? Should you be using it? What are the upsides and downsides to it? Today, I’ll break down all you need to know about triple buffering in hopes of giving you a clear look at what this technology is. What is Triple Buffering? Triple Buffering is a specific form of V-Sync. In order to explain what Triple Buffering is, I’ll need to take a moment to explain what V-Sync actually is, first. V-Sync, or Vertical Sync, is a software method of eliminating screen tearing. It does this by strictly controlling frame pacing as each frame is rendered…

Did you know the Steam Deck requires some mandatory maintenance to keep all of its storage space? There’s a justifiable reason for this, but at the time of writing, Valve has not made it easy to fix this issue inside Steam OS. This will require a Desktop Mode fix, which I’ll walk you through below! Why Your Steam Deck Will Inevitably Run Out of Storage Space Before I jump straight into the tutorial (though you can with the table of contents above!), I’d like to talk about why this is happening. You see, it’s actually one of the key features…

Want to find the best Steam Deck cases for protecting your handheld? No one wants such a powerful handheld gaming PC to be permanently ruined from a single hard drop while out and about. Let’s dive into the best options for Steam Deck cases currently available on the market, and what downsides you should consider before buying any of them. Why Get a Steam Deck Case? First, let’s start with why you should get a Steam Deck case to begin with: to protect your handheld. Make no mistake, the included Steam Deck carrying case is pretty good. It has padding…

Interested in the best Portable Monitors already or want an idea of what they go great with? Stick around and I’ll dive deep into Portable Monitors as gaming devices with modern consoles or, say, a Steam Deck, including giving my top recommendations! Feel free to proceed through the whole article, or skip around using the Table of Contents below! Why Pair a Portable Monitor With The Steam Deck or a Console? Let’s start with what compelled me to write this article to begin with: why pair a portable monitor with a gaming console or Steam Deck, anyway? In the case…

What is global illumination, what forms does it come in, and why should or shouldn’t you enable it in your games? Today, I’m going to break down all of these questions and more so that by the end of this article, you’ll have a more thorough understanding of what global illumination is and how it works. Let’s dive into it! What is Global Illumination? First, let’s explain the basic concept of Global Illumination. In the real world, light rays travel and bounce off of surfaces countless times before dissipating. As a result of these light bounces, the color of the…