PortMaster Guide for Retro Handhelds

What is it?

With PortMaster, you can install game ports typically available on Linux-based systems. Examples include Hollow Knight, Stardew Valley, Undertale, and Celeste; you might use ArkOS or other customized firmware to play games.

The following is a list of every compatible PortMaster game: The PortMaster wiki for Christian Haitian is at https://github.com. Before continuing, check this list to determine if your game is supported.

Download the Game's Linux Files

For this essay, I'll use Stardew Valley as an example game here and on Steam. Itch.io is also workable, but any way to get the game files would work.

Steam Method

When Steam operates on your Windows PC, use WIN+R to open the Run command. Then, type: Steam://open/console

This will cause the Steam command console window to open.

In that window, you should now type the following command: Download_depotyyyyyyyyy (X)

Generally speaking, you would for most games. Stardew Valley won't work if you do that because it needs compatibility files. As a result, the Manifest ID for Stardew Valley must also be included. The command download_depot I would be utilized—yyyyyyy zzzzzzzzz.

You must enter the App ID of the game you wish to download from the Steam DB website instead of six. Just select the Depots tab on the left side of the page and substitute depot_id with yyyyyyyyy. Zzzzzzzzz must be replaced with the Manifest ID, which is situated to the right of the Linux depot_id.

As you can see, the App ID (413150), depot_id (413153), and manifest ID (83221187383026702) all correspond to the Linux version of Stardew Valley. Therefore, the command will be download_depot 413150 413153 832187383152776702.

Hold on a second. Some text will give the impression that nothing is happening, but it is. Just wait for a popup with the location of your downloaded files. It might take a few minutes.

When it's done, you will get a line of text like this one that tells you exactly where your files are! In this case, they are at C: Software files (x86)steamsteamappscontentapp_413150depot_413153, which may differ from yours; therefore, check yours.

If you manually navigate to Windows File Explorer or copy and paste the location, all files should be viewable! We'll return to these files soon, so keep the window open.

PortMaster Files

Go to Options, Tools, and then select PortMaster on the device that has PortMaster installed (in this case, ArkOS).

Locate the game's port—in this example, Stardew Valley—by going to All Ports. You'll see that Stardew Valley isn't on the list in this instance. Nonetheless, it is included among the supported titles on the Wiki (https://github.com/christianhaitian/PortMaster) that I previously linked to.

If you encounter this situation while playing any game, click the game link in the Wiki (in this case, StardewValley.zip).

Next, select Download by clicking the three dots on the right.

StardewValley.zip, or whatever game it is, should be downloaded. After you unzip it, you'll have a stardewvalley folder and a stardewvalley—sh file.

Remember that window I instructed you to keep open and all those things we downloaded from Steam? After copying each file, insert it into the stardewvalley game data folder we just unzipped.

If your device is ArkOS, you must move the Stardewvalley folder and the Stardewvalley. Sh, file into the ports folder. Either detach your SD card from the device and move it manually with a PC or use the web-based file browser to accomplish this remotely. This is how your ports folder should appear; disregard the game list files and ensure the game' s.shgame's.sh and the folder are in the ports folder.

If you used the web-based file browser, restart your device; if you used the SD card, replace it in the device. Open PortMaster once more on your device, then select Manage Ports by scrolling down. In our scenario, you should watch the game in Stardew Valley. After selecting it, use A to select Reinstall (Reinstall is indicated in the bottom right). Run the script.

After you quit PortMaster, you should see a PORTS tile with Stardew Valley inside it from the main ArkOS home screen. To begin playing, select it! The exit hotkeys are still START+SELECT.

That's it! Enjoy yourself.