How to Install Fallout Nevada on Steam Deck Guide

After getting caught up in the hype off the back of Season 2 of the Fallout TV show and the rumours of Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, I really wanted to get stuck into some form of Fallout. I was holding out for the remasters, I would play the ever-living shit out of them again but it looks like they might still be a while off, if they happen at all. Not too long ago, I did a run through all the main Fallout games, so they’re still pretty fresh in my mind. What I really needed was a new story but in a familiar shell. That’s where Fallout: Nevada comes in.

What is Fallout: Nevada?

Fallout Nevada is a fan-made total conversion mod for Fallout 2. It was released in 2009 and an English translation arrived in 2017. It’s set in… uh, Nevada and acts as a prequel to the original Fallout. You take control of a vault dweller out of Vault 8 (Vault City), your primary objective is to locate the Set of Outer Security which is a system created to organise security measures for future vaults. From there, things kinda spiral into a much larger, darker journey across the wasteland. A big focus of the mod is social interaction, probably even more than the original games. It’s heavy on the role-playing side of Fallout and you’ll regularly be presented with moral and ethical dilemmas which will further highlight your dialogue choices, reputation and consequences.

Well, let’s get to installing it on the Steam Deck…

Install Fallout Nevada on Steam Deck

1. Do a fresh install Fallout 2 on your Steam Deck.
2. Swap to Desktop mode and head to the No Mutants Allowed thread to follow the download link.
3. Run the Installer.
   
   I have WINE installed and just execute the .exe. Otherwise, you can add the installer to Steam as a non-Steam game and run with Proton.
4. Change the install path to: Z:\home\deck\.steam\steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 2
5. Click next, toggle the language to English, click next again and finish.
6. Head into the Nevada Mod folder and edit ‘f2_res.ini’ with the following:
   
   [MAIN]
   GRAPHICS_MODE=2
   SCALE_X2=0
   SCR_WIDTH=960
   SCR_HEIGHT=600
   
   [INPUT]
   ALT_MOUSE_INPUT=1
   
   You can update the width and height options to whatever you like. Some will crash the game, others will work fine. Like in my Et Tu Mod Guide, I found this resolution to scale best for the Steam Deck.
7. Add NevadaHD.exe to Steam as a non-Steam game.
8. Head back into Gaming Mode and into non-Steam Games. Select NevadaHD.exe and select ‘Properties’.
   
   In the shortcut tab, you can name the shortcut whatever you like. I went with uh… Fallout Nevada.
9. Still in the Shortcut tab, add the following Launch Option without quotation marks:
   
   WINEDLLOVERRIDES=‘ddraw.dll=n,b’ %command%
10. Head into the Compatibility tab and tick ‘Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool’.
    
    Some form of Proton is needed for the game to run, I’m currently using GE-Pronton10-4 and it’s working perfectly. Well, as perfect as it can.

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Fallout Nevada Redux

This part is very much optional.

Fallout Nevada Redux is a further fan-made enhancement that aims to polish and tighten up the original Fallout Nevada experience. It bundles a handful of additional tweaks, incorporates a few other small mods and adds some extra items and quality of life fixes. It’s still in beta and development is handled by a single fan in their spare time. Whether it sees any future updates is uncertain, but in its current state it will smooth some of Nevada’s rougher edges. You can grab it from the No Mutants Allowed thread. As with basically all mods, I’d recommend installing it over a fresh install of Fallout Nevada. Ensure you read the thread carefully, there’s a few recommended settings and some highlighted bugs that can potentially break the game.

Further Notes:
– For best results, as with any mod, start with a clean install of Fallout 2. The fewer extras you have in your Fallout 2 folder, the less likely something is to go wrong

– Fallout 2 is notoriously buggy, Nevada builds on top of that already temperamental foundation. Crashes can and will happen. Stick to the time tested method: save early, save often. Also, use multiple slots.

– Do NOT toggle Scaling X2 on at any point. You can if you like, I’m not a cop. In my experience, it causes the game to crash or prevents it from launching.

– Fallout Nevada is HARD. The early game can be pretty brutal with ammo and supplies scarce. Speech is an extremely valuable skill, but there’s no easy mode here. You’ll have to plan, think and just accept it’s going to be tough. You could also edit your save file, or save-scum. Dealer’s choice.

– Included with the mod is F12se, a save game editor. You’ll find it in the F12SE folder within the Nevada Mod folder.
To configure it for Fallout Nevada:

1. In the Path Section, set this to your Nevada Mod folder.
2. In the Override section:
   • Under ‘fallout2.exe’, enter NevadaHD.exe
   • Under ‘fallout2.cfg’, enter nevada.cfg
3. Click OK to save your settings.

Once configured correctly, F12se will work just like it does with Fallout 2.