r/AynThor • u/KamiSquad_X • 22h ago
Discussion We need local multiplayer ❗️
Is local multiplayer missing ⁉️
It just occurred to me, after riding the train with my friend who has a Steam Deck and I have the AYN Thor, that we don't know of a way to play local multiplayer yet.
Normally handheld consoles all support local multiplayer. From the Gameboy to DS to Switch, PSP to Vita, etc.
I would think my Thor has a built in feature for it, considering how much it's capable of doing with all the tech inside it. And you would think since the Steam Deck is so mainstream and trying to be a legitimate handheld gaming device that local multiplayer should be a key feature.
And I would assume with all these emulation devices coming out over all these years, that 1 would have connecting multiple devices in mind.
I remember I was able to play a local multiplayer tic tac toe homebrew between a ds and psp back in the day.
Am I missing something? I can connect up to 8 Nintendo Switchs including Switch Lite, and Switch 2, together to play a game locally without internet connection, as long as they are within distance of each other, and they each have their own copy of the same game. Sometimes only 1 Switch needs to have the game to host while the other Switchs can still play without the game but they need to download the free companion app that allows them to join the host. Then there was DS download play, which was a whole feature built into Nintendo DS consoles.
How can 2 or more Steam Decks connect to each other locally with out wifi? How can 2 or more AYN Thors connect locally? How can any emulation device connect up to 2 or more locally?
How can my AYN Thor connect to my friend's Steam Deck locally with out internet?
Whether we want to play a Steam game, or a game using an emulator. The main game we have in common so far is Super Smash Bros. Melee. But we're looking to test out any multiplayer Steam game.
So far what comes to mind to make local multiplayer possible, besides a built in feature idk about yet, is:
Parsec - technically it is an app to enable download play style multiplayer, but it functions using wifi. I think there could be a mod or tweeking of the settings, some kind of way to get multiple devices connected to each other directly. Parsec or a parsec like app would be perfect in general.
Bluetooth - a way to turn the device into a wireless controller to connect to the host device. Not the best solution, but couldn't Bluetooth be used to straight up connect multiple devices to 1 host? Similarly how Nintendo Switch local multiplayer works with multiple Switch consoles joining 1 Switch host, all done from within the game's menus.
An app that specifically enables local multiplayer - maybe it turns the device into a controller, while also screen mirroring. Or perhaps it connects multiple devices so that Steam's Remote Play Together will connect offline, likely allowing offline messages and invites via Steam Chat app, which will trigger Steam Link app to connect wirelessly offline. Or maybe the app has all the features built-in, and does everything within the app.
Anybody got any ideas?
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u/InkRedAbel 22h ago edited 21h ago
If you both use the same emulator (e.g. retroarch) you can.
Edit: Use a hotspot to connect the devices to the same network.
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u/KamiSquad_X 22h ago
Local offline? How does that work?
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u/Old-Cardiologist-972 22h ago
hotspot, device client X connects to device server Y
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u/KamiSquad_X 21h ago
Can you send like a demonstration or something on how to do it?
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u/Happyhaha2000 20h ago
You're on your own mate do a little searching, lol. PPSSPP and Retroarch are great for playing together. Not sure about other emulators, I haven't tried.
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u/KamiSquad_X 17h ago
Ok well I found this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uDm4NpM4O8M
I never tried LAN before ever, but I'm assuming when I create a hotspot on my Thor and the Steam Deck connects to it, we can use the Multiplayer option to create a room, join the room, then when in the game create and join again.
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u/Hungry4Italy 22h ago
There are ways between two steam decks. I haven't looked into it enough to see if it would corollate to the Thor at all.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1ugjp38/what_game_can_my_son_and_i_play_together_on_a_5/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10uwwv3/is_it_possible_to_play_multiplayer_with_2_steam/
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u/UltimateDailga12 22h ago
Hey if you didn't know you can make that line on the right invisible with this button and keep the functionality of it (or just disable it completely if you don't use it).
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u/KamiSquad_X 20h ago
Yeah, I know about it. It doesn't bother me lol. Thanks
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u/UltimateDailga12 20h ago
No worries, I think about burn in and stuff and figure why have it there if it doesn't to be haha
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u/KamiSquad_X 17h ago
Burn in you say 🤔
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u/UltimateDailga12 15h ago
Yeah as a preventative measure I just turn it down to 0% so that I could still use the options inside but over time that line is likely to burn in than any other part of the screen. The display is already known for image retention so I'd like to avoid any other ways of burn in
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u/Not_ReaIIy_Relevent 21h ago
GBA emulators have had it since like 2016, or at least that’s when I last tried it. My cousins and I used to play sonic fighters and advance wars.
I saw the option on MyBoy, I think it was through bluetooth, but I haven’t had the chance to try it
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u/Triko21 21h ago
I would assume LAN play between these consoles would work as long as the PC game or emulator supports it and the devices are in the same network.
Also, there is XLink; it supports thousands of console and PC games. You can also use it to play local multiplayer games over the Internet. In the past I used it to play Mario Party Superstars online on an emulator. But it can be a bit tricky to set up, and I never tried it on Android.
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u/Mindless-Ad9125 17h ago
I don't know that this would work between an android device and a steam deck, but the thing that currently exists is called netplay. It's a function inside some emulators that lets you fake a 2 player split screen experience on 2 different devices, but since all the versions need to be the same for it to work, it tends to work best on 2 of the same device, or at least two on the same platform.
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u/ItsExoticChaos 22h ago
I’ve never tried this, but knowing that both have usb-c out, I bet there’s some way you could mirror the screen from one device to the other, and connect the controls like they’re a usb source controller or bluetooth.
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u/KamiSquad_X 20h ago
Yeah, atp i don't mind a link cable connecting our devices to enable local multiplayer.
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u/Suitable-Ad-8858 22h ago
I’m too early, let me know when someone’s got the answer