Conquer Total War: Pharaoh with Steam Deck Guide
Welcome to the Total War: PHARAOH Steam Deck Guide! If you’re a Total War: PHARAOH player looking to enhance your gaming experience on the Steam Deck, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into it.
Proton Version – Play Windows Games on Linux!
What is Proton?
Proton is a nifty tool that Steam uses. It lets Linux gamers enjoy Windows games on their Linux computers. It’s like magic for the Steam Deck because it makes many Steam games work.
Is the latest Proton always the best?
Proton keeps evolving. Sometimes, a change that makes a new game work better might make an older game work worse. So, you can pick from different Proton versions if one doesn’t work well.
Steps to Change Proton Version for Total War: Pharaoh
- Go to your Library and find Total War: Pharaoh. Look under “Installed.”
- Click on the setting Gear.
- Go to Properties.
- Go to Compatibility.
- Check the box that says “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.”
- Now, select the Proton version you want to use for Total War: Pharaoh.
Recommended Proton version: 7.0-6 (as of the time of writing this guide)
Fixing Fonts for Total War: Pharaoh
Sadly, the font Total War: Pharaoh uses doesn’t work well with Proton. Many texts will look blank. But don’t worry, there’s a mod to fix this. Follow these steps:
- Subscribe to this mod: Total War: Pharaoh Font Fix Mod
- Make sure you read the installation instructions. It’s not as simple as just subscribing!
Before and After Font Fix:
Controller Layout
I’ve shared my controller layout with the community. Search for “Levie’s TW: Pharaoh Layout.” It’s pretty straightforward:
- Right Trackpad for mouse.
- Left and Right sticks adjust the camera.
- Right Trigger for left click, Left Trigger for right click.
Some extras:
- Use Left and Right bumpers to cycle through armies and provinces on the campaign map.
- Touch the Left trackpad in a circular motion to zoom in and out.
- Use X and B buttons to cycle between Settlement and Outpost views on the campaign map. These buttons can also help you select groups 1 and 2 on the battle map.
- Button A acts as the “enter” key, Button Y acts as the “escape” key.
Grip buttons:
I’m not sure if grip buttons work in the layout. In case they don’t, here’s how I set mine up, mainly for the battle map:
- L4: Shift
- L5: Space
- R4: G
- R5: Insert
Graphics Settings – The Sweet Spot
These settings should keep your game running smoothly:
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Textures: Ultra
- Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
- Texture Filtering: 8x
- VFX Detail: Ultra
- Terrain Detail: Ultra
- Building Detail: Ultra
- Unit Detail: High
- Tree Detail: High
- Grass Detail: High
- Water Detail: Ultra
- Interactive Water: Low
- Shadow Detail: High
- Fog Quality: High
- Shroud Detail: High
- Interactive Grass: On
- Clouds Shadows: On
- Footprints: On
Post-Process:
- God Rays: Medium
- SSAO: High
- Screen Space Reflections: Medium
Performance:
- Unit Size: Medium
- Porthole Quality: 2D
- Hide Dead Bodies: 1 minute
Additional Tips:
- Lock FPS to 30 from the Steam Deck performance menu to save battery.
- You can usually leave “Allow Tearing” on from the Steam Deck performance menu for most games. It might give you a few extra FPS.
- I use CryoUtilities. If you don’t, your results might be different. Learn more about CryoUtilities here.
Learn More
For a better understanding of each graphical setting and how it affects Total War: Pharaoh’s performance and visuals, I recommend watching this informative video:
That’s all for our Total War: PHARAOH Steam Deck Guide! If you have any questions or tips to add, please leave a comment below. For the original article, credits go to the author, Levie.
Recommended Graphics Settings
Here is the recommended graphics settings for Total War: Pharaoh on the Steam Deck:
| Setting | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1280×720 |
| Textures | Ultra |
| Anti-Aliasing | FXAA |
| Texture Filtering | 8x |
| VFX Detail | Ultra |
| Terrain Detail | Ultra |
| Building Detail | Ultra |
| Unit Detail | High |
| Tree Detail | High |
| Grass Detail | High |
| Water Detail | Ultra |
| Interactive Water | Low |
| Shadow Detail | High |
| Fog Quality | High |
| Shroud Detail | High |
| Interactive Grass | On |
| Clouds Shadows | On |
| Footprints | On |
| Post-Process | N/A |
| God Rays | Medium |
| SSAO | High |
| Screen Space Reflections | Medium |
| Performance | |
| Unit Size | Medium |
| Porthole Quality | 2D |
| Hide Dead Bodies | 1 minute |
These settings should provide you with a great balance between performance and visuals for Total War: Pharaoh on your Steam Deck.
FAQs about Proton version for Total War: Pharaoh
Q1: How do I change the Proton version for Total War: Pharaoh?
A1: Follow these steps:
- Go to your Library.
- Find Total War: Pharaoh.
- Click on the setting Gear.
- Go to Properties.
- Under Compatibility, check “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.”
- Select the Proton version you want to use.
Q2: What’s the recommended Proton version for Total War: Pharaoh?
A2: As of now, it’s recommended to use Proton version 7.0-6.
Q3: How do I fix the font issue in Total War: Pharaoh?
A3: Subscribe to the Total War: Pharaoh Font Fix Mod on Steam and follow the installation instructions provided.
Q4: What are the controller layout tips for Total War: Pharaoh on the Steam Deck?
A4: The controller layout includes using the right trackpad for the mouse, sticks to adjust the camera, and triggers for clicking. There are additional features for army and province selection, zooming, and more.
Q5: What are the recommended graphics settings for Total War: Pharaoh on the Steam Deck?
A5: Recommended graphics settings include resolution, texture quality, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, and many others for the best balance between performance and visuals.
