Approximately Up Steam Deck Playable Guide

Approximately Up is rated Playable on Steam Deck by Valve’s compatibility team: the build runs successfully on SteamOS and the default configuration performs well, but some text input and controller glyphs expect manual work. This page explains recommended settings, controller mapping, and on-screen keyboard workarounds so you can wire ships, fly to the Moon, and chase 22 Steam achievements from the couch. Pair it with Controls for the keyboard map you’ll mostly leave behind and Build Your First Ship for your first Deck-friendly hull.\n\n## What Playable means on Deck\n\nValve’s Playable tier means:\n\n- The game launches and runs on SteamOS\n- Default configuration performs well\n- In-game interface text is legible on the Deck’s 1280×800 screen\n- Some functionality is not accessible with the default controller config — you may need the touchscreen, virtual keyboard, or a community configuration\n- Some input requires manually invoking the on-screen keyboard\n- This game sometimes shows mouse, keyboard, or non-Steam-Deck controller icons\n Source: SteamDB Deck compatibility report for app 3904850. If you bring a mouse and keyboard (USB-C hub or Bluetooth), Approximately Up plays identically to desktop. The interesting bit is going fully handheld.\n\n## Recommended launch options\n\nApproximately Up supports the default Steam Deck runtime and Proton 11.0-2RC is the recommended runtime per Valve’s testing. You should not need to add launch options. If you want to force a specific runtime:\n\n1. In Steam Library, right-click Approximately Up → Properties.\n2. Under General → Launch Options, leave blank unless you need -force-vulkan or specific Proton flags.\n3. Under Compatibility, confirm Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool is not checked unless you have a known reason.\n Steam Cloud saves work normally — your blueprints and saves sync between Deck and desktop once you sign in.\n\n## Recommended graphics settings\n\nThe game uses Unity with DirectStorage / FMOD / Resonance Audio / UnityBurst / UnityEntities / UnityIL2CPP per the SteamDB tech profile. On Deck:\n\n- Resolution: leave at 1280×800 native or 1152×720 if you want to extend battery life. The 7” screen does not benefit from 1080p upscaling.\n- VSync: on to avoid screen tearing — but remember patch 1.0.005 added an option note explaining VSync must be off for the Max FPS limit to apply. If you cap to 40 FPS for battery, either disable VSync or accept VSync priority.\n- Frame limit: 40 FPS for battery; 60 FPS when docked.\n- Anti-aliasing: medium or off if you see frame drops near large stations.\n- Draw distance: lower when piloting a heavy ship with many components — the wireframe rendering hits FPS more than the ship mesh.\n If the game runs hot, switch to the Deck’s 15W TDP profile and lower the frame cap to 30 FPS during long flights.\n\n## Controller mapping and on-screen keyboard\n\nApproximately Up expects keyboard and mouse for the garage and fly mode UI. On Deck, you have three workable strategies:\n\n1. Touch + trackpad hybrid — use the right trackpad as a mouse, tap screen for clicks. Works for most garage actions but gets awkward in fast combat.\n2. Community configuration — search Steam Community for Approximately Up Deck configs. Some map inventory selection to back grips and joystick.\n3. External mouse + keyboard — a Bluetooth keyboard in your lap or a USB-C hub solves everything but kills the couch vibe.\n For text input (save names, profile names, server browser), press Steam + X to bring up the on-screen keyboard. Patch 1.0.005 added an option to disable the in-game Workshop for players who want a quieter garage UI — useful on Deck where the workshop list crowds the screen.\n\n## Touchscreen usage\n\nThe Deck’s 7” touchscreen is your friend for:\n\n- Garage component scrolling (drag the inventory list)\n- Map zoom on the planets view\n- Clicking small UI buttons (Steam’s overlay shows them at native resolution)\n- Pausing/unpausing during build (tap the screen edge)\n It is not ideal for fine joystick nudges — keep the right thumb on the right stick and the left thumb on the touchscreen for quick taps.\n\n## Battery and thermals\n\n- 45-minute flight sessions are typical at 40 FPS, 15W TDP, 50% brightness.\n- Long burns (long trans-Moon coast) draw more wattage; cap to 30 FPS if you want to finish the transfer.\n- Co-op multiplayer taxes the Deck more — frame timing can hitch when four players broadcast physics state. Use 40 FPS cap and lower draw distance if you see stalls.\n A simple lap desk and an external 65W charger solve the heat-throttling issue if you intend to play at 60 FPS docked.\n\n## What works great on Deck\n\n- Garage building — trackpad + touchscreen is faster than trackball\n- Short flights — Moon runs in 15 minutes\n- Achievement hunting — leave the Deck on the dock, let Objectives Completion % tick toward Golden Thruster\n- Reading the wiki — second-screen guide while flying\n

What is awkward\n\n- Live combat piloting — fine motor control suffers on trackpads; consider external mouse\n- RCS precision nudges — the right stick has deadzone tradeoffs; community configs help\n- Text-heavy missions — typing in chat or save names means invoking the on-screen keyboard every time\n- Multi-crew voice chat — Discord works but requires a Bluetooth headset\n\n## Cloud saves and cross-device blueprints\n\nSteam Cloud syncs your general save and blueprint files automatically between Deck and desktop. To verify:\n\n1. In Steam, right-click Approximately Up → Properties → General → Steam Cloud should show Enabled.\n2. In-game, blueprints saved with B appear on both devices after a sync.\n3. If a blueprint is missing on your Deck, sign out and back in — Cloud resyncs within a few minutes.\n

Read Blueprints for naming conventions and the Save Files reference for file locations if Cloud fails.\n\n## Co-op multiplayer on Deck\n\nFour-player co-op works but only one Deck per crew is realistic — even with Proton networking, you cannot pair two Decks as LAN peers easily. Host the lobby from your desktop or invite a friend on PC while you pilot from the couch. Communicate via Discord on your phone.\n\nThe Co-op guide explains role splits that still work with a controller — Builder in garage, Pilot in fly, Engineer in instruments, Navigator on radar monitor.\n\n## Verifying Deck compatibility yourself\n\nIf Valve updates the rating (currently Playable) or you want to test your own experience:\n\n1. Right-click Approximately Up in your Deck library → Properties → Compatibility.\n2. Check the latest Deck Verified rating.\n3. Submit your own report at Valve’s Steam Deck Verification portal.\n If a recent patch breaks something on Deck, the fastest fix is reverting to Proton Experimental in compatibility settings until a Proton stable catches up.\n\n## Related guides\n\n- Controls — full keybind list\n- Build Your First Ship — beginner-friendly garage session\n- Patch Notes — 1.0.005 VSync and Workshop toggle notes\n- System Requirements — desktop specs\n- Co-op guide — role splits with a controller\n- Save Files — file paths for manual backup\n\nSteam Deck play is one of the cleanest experiences for casual Approximately Up sessions. Set your controls once, drop a community configuration, and you can build, fly, and achievement-hunt without ever touching a desktop tower.

Ship build walkthrough — useful on Deck