Important
This project has moved to MAKO
Decky LSFG-VK Experimental and LSFG-VK Experimental are now continued and developed as MAKO.
This repository is archived and will no longer receive releases, support, documentation, or issue tracking.
For the full announcement and background on the move, read:
MAKO: Frame Generation and more on SteamOS
⭐ If you want to support the project and help me keep adding features, please star MAKO and follow me on GitHub.
Experimental fork: This independently developed fork of the original Decky LSFG-VK plugin packages the fast-moving lsfg-vk Experimental engine for SteamOS, Bazzite, and other Decky Loader-compatible Linux systems. Test it per game; it is not an official release from Lossless Scaling or lsfg-vk.
Optional coexistence: You can keep the public/original Decky LSFG-VK plugin installed. Choose exactly one launcher for each native Steam/Proton game: public
~/lsfg %command%or experimental~/.local/bin/lsfg-vk-experimental %command%. Never combine them. Heroic and other Flatpak games are selected through this plugin's Flatpak setup.
| Highlight | What it brings | |
|---|---|---|
| 🖼️ | Improved full-quality image | In testing, v2 with Performance Mode disabled can show noticeably less ghosting than the older layer. Results remain game-dependent; Performance Mode is still useful when lower GPU overhead matters more than image quality. |
| 🎯 | Adaptive Frame Generation | Optionally target 30–240 FPS while the layer varies generated frames up to a selected 2x–4x ceiling. It is disabled by default while it continues to be refined. |
| 🌈 | HDR: in progress | The engine includes HDR10/PQ and linear-scRGB pipeline groundwork, but Decky keeps HDR exposure locked off while activation, presentation, colour, and performance are validated across games. |
| 🧩 | 64-bit and 32-bit Vulkan | Ships architecture-matched host and Flatpak layers. Vulkan selects the correct library for each game process, so genuine 32-bit Vulkan games no longer depend on the WoW64 workaround. |
| 🛡️ | Gamescope recovery | Bounded presentation recovery preserves proven Adaptive state, ignores transient Steam-menu cadence, refreshes history, and resumes only after the game cadence is stable again. A validated 2x Adaptive setup also recovers from short gameplay hitches without entering the longer menu/focus path. |
| ⏯️ | Live frame-generation switch | Turn frame generation on or off immediately without changing the selected Fixed or Adaptive settings. Turn it back on to resume with the same profile. |
| 🎮 | Per-game Heroic support | Use the experimental layer only for the Heroic games you choose, with the same private configuration and engine as native Steam games. |
This plugin installs a private, verified lsfg-vk v2 engine through its experimental launcher. It can remain installed alongside the public/original plugin; use only one launcher per game.
HDR is still under development and disabled in Decky, so normal launches use the established SDR path. The plugin uses
the existing Lossless.dll installed by Lossless Scaling and never copies or modifies it.
For the exact engine version, checksum, and upstream changes, see UPSTREAM_LSFGVK.md. See the latest experimental release notes for build-specific known issues.
Tip
Try the game's V-Sync setting both on and off. It can make frame delivery feel steadier, but may also add input lag or clash with the game's FPS cap, VRR, or compositor. Every game is different: compare both options and keep the one that feels smoother and more responsive.
Every game, renderer, and display setup behaves differently. Compare Fixed and Adaptive Frame Generation one setting at a time. For most games, fullscreen is the best starting point for performance and frame pacing. Restart after major display or frame-generation changes, and keep the configuration that feels best for that game.
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Install Decky Loader if needed: switch to Desktop Mode and follow the official Decky Loader installation guide, then return to Game Mode.
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Install Lossless Scaling from Steam.
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Download the latest version of the plugin.
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In Decky's settings cog, enable Developer Mode, then select Developer > Install Plugin from Zip.
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Open this plugin and select Install Experimental LSFG-VK (developer build). This required step installs the engine bundled in the ZIP into the plugin's private location.
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Leave the defaults in place unless a game needs adjustment. Fixed 2x remains the default; Adaptive Frame Generation is optional.
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For a native Steam/Proton game, add this to Steam Properties > Launch Options:
~/.local/bin/lsfg-vk-experimental %command% -
Start the game normally.
Important
If Decky does not show or reload the plugin after installing a ZIP, uninstall this experimental plugin from Decky, install the ZIP again, then restart your Steam Deck or Steam Machine. Afterwards, repeat step 5.
The Steam launch wrapper cannot enter a Flatpak sandbox, so configure Heroic through Flatpak Setup:
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Select Flatpak Setup in the plugin.
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Under Flatpak Applications, prepare Heroic. If the matching runtime extension is missing, the message tells you which runtime to install, commonly 25.08. Preparing Heroic grants access to the wrapper, configuration, and
Lossless.dll; it does not enable frame generation for every Heroic game. -
In every Heroic game you want to enable, open Settings > Advanced and set the first Wrapper field to:
/home/deck/.local/bin/lsfg-vk-experimentalLeave Arguments empty. Do not use
%command%in Heroic. -
Start that game normally from Heroic or its Steam shortcut.
The wrapper applies only to the selected Heroic games. It enables the uniquely named experimental Flatpak layer and disables both known public LSFG identities for that game. While HDR is locked off, its controlled SDR discovery keeps Gamescope WSI ahead of the experimental layer; selection does not depend on ambiguous same-name search ordering.
Important
After installing a newer experimental plugin ZIP, return to Flatpak Setup and select Update for Heroic's matching runtime extension, commonly 25.08. This replaces Heroic's Flatpak engine with the version bundled in the ZIP. Your Heroic preparation and per-game Wrapper commands remain in place.
Important
Preferred clean update: To avoid Decky retaining a previous plugin backend or bundled payload, especially when moving between local test ZIPs, uninstall this experimental plugin from Decky, install the newer ZIP, restart your Steam Deck or Steam Machine, then open the plugin and select Install Experimental LSFG-VK (developer build).
- Quit games using the experimental wrapper.
- Uninstall this experimental plugin from Decky, then install the newer ZIP through Developer > Install Plugin from Zip.
- Restart your Steam Deck or Steam Machine.
- Open the plugin and select Install Experimental LSFG-VK (developer build) to install the private native engine bundled in the ZIP.
- If you use Heroic, open Flatpak Setup and select Update for Heroic's matching runtime extension, usually 25.08. This updates its Flatpak engine without changing Heroic preparation or per-game Wrapper commands.
Profiles and Steam launch options are retained. The private native engine and launcher are re-created in step 4; shared Flatpak extensions are retained, then refreshed in step 5. An in-place ZIP update still works in many cases, but use the clean path above if Decky reports an archive error or fails to reload the plugin.
- Configuration guide: fixed and Adaptive modes, quality/performance settings, profiles, and compatibility options.
- Troubleshooting: Gamescope recovery behaviour, HDR compatibility, and diagnostic logs.
- Local packaging and publishing: build a ZIP for a Steam machine or publish a prerelease.
- Upstream engine record: pinned source, checksums, and carried changes.
Community creators have covered and tested this experimental plugin on Steam Deck hardware. See Featured In for video links, channels, and coverage details.
- Kurt Himebauch / xXJSONDeruloXx for the original Decky LSFG-VK plugin on which this experimental fork is based
- PancakeTAS for creating the lsfg-vk Vulkan compatibility layer
- Lossless Scaling developers for the original frame-generation technology
- Deck Wizard for community support, guides, testing, feedback, artwork, and tutorials
- The Decky Loader team and community contributors and testers
This project uses coding agents as part of an evidence-driven engineering workflow while keeping architecture, review, validation, and release decisions under human ownership. See AI use in Decky LSFG-VK Experimental for the full approach.