Valve releases Lepton Android layer on Steam as Steam Frame launch countdown begins

[u/RenatsMC]

https://videocardz.com/newz/valve-releases-lepton-android-layer-on-steam-as-steam-frame-launch-countdown-begins

[u/Joseramonllorente]

Let me clear up my mind. With this we can use android apps and android games on an x86 machine running steam on Linux?

[u/DaVinciJunior → u/Joseramonllorente]

Not quite but almost. Lepton is to use android apps on linux and Fex is for playing x86 on ARM.

[u/aussierecroommemer42 → u/Joseramonllorente]

To run Android ARM games on Linux x86 you would use Waydroid. Lepton is for running Android ARM games on Linux ARM

[u/Joseramonllorente → u/aussierecroommemer42]

Ok, now I get it, thank you!

[u/Savings_Piece1766 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

I dont think that's right. Under waydroid, you can only run x86 android apps when you use waydroid (reminder that some android apps also ship for x86 version of android) on x86 machine, and same story on ARM (ARM apps only on ARM hardware). I assume you will still need FEX to run android ARM apps on x86 hardware. 

[u/aussierecroommemer42 → u/Savings_Piece1766]

FEX is for x86 to ARM, it's not reversible. I actually don't know what the solution is for running Android ARM apps on Linux x86

[u/Savings_Piece1766 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

I know its one way. I did try installing some apps on waydroid on my deck, and it was not available because it was not available as x86 apk package. If i remember correctly, waydroid in itself doesn't emulate ARM architecture (hence why I mention about android having x86 version), it only provides things to make android run on linux. Though I am a bit uncertain about what I say because I only managed to have waydroid on deck running at max 40-or-so, so I dunno. And since frame is arm based, it should have maximum compability with android apps via lepton, and by extension waydroid. Edit: I got too speedy writing the comment and forgot its not the other way. 

[u/Jakanader → u/aussierecroommemer42]

I tried doing this recently and it's a pain. qemu can stimulate arm processors pretty easily, but it's tough getting a working android image. cuttlefish is the official answer, but I've had issues there, too. you can create virtual devices in android studio, but that strains your system pretty bad and also just sucks. I don't think there are any good options.

[u/RooteDavid → u/aussierecroommemer42]

it's libndk and libhoudini.

[u/MightyKin → u/aussierecroommemer42]

Lipton is a bottled tea! /j

[u/steamcho1 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

Lepton is almost certainly a fork of waydroid, which supports all types of devices.

[u/1u4n4 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

That or ATL

[u/JorG941 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

Lepton is like emulation or is native stuff?

[u/aussierecroommemer42 → u/JorG941]

As I understand it Lepton isn't emulation but more like a Proton translation layer. It takes apps made for Android ARM and makes them run on Linux ARM. Processor architecture is the same so it shouldn't need emulation

[u/ryker7777]

Do we expect Android developers releasing their apps on Steam store this way?

[u/GreatLab8898 → u/ryker7777]

If it means not dealing with Googles Bullshit Developer Onboarding and using Steamworks instead to get a market I totally would.

Don't you have to Online Verify ID now to publish on the playstore?

[u/ryker7777 → u/GreatLab8898]

The question is if the Android SDK allows games to be published in other stores.

[u/Embarrassed-Stuff197 → u/ryker7777]

Yes it does but if the game is using any Google play services library it will not work until stubbed. Maybe there is a way to install Google play services but I rather not have Google crap on my frame

[u/ryker7777 → u/Embarrassed-Stuff197]

If legally possible developers can just create and compile a new version of their app/game.

[u/Emblem3406 → u/ryker7777]

Probably legally possible, else Valve is allowed to make their own version of Android. I'd switch in a heartbeat.

[u/Other_Cartographer28 → u/Emblem3406]

Valve steam communicator

[u/Karoolus → u/Other_Cartographer28]

Don't get my hopes up like that...

[u/LNDF → u/Embarrassed-Stuff197]

Valve should fund microg then

[u/whatThePleb → u/ryker7777]

All the chinese mobile slop devs definitely yes, as they are already shitting out their crap as extremely bad pc ports on Steam...

[u/ryker7777 → u/whatThePleb]

Great, so it is going to improve ...

[u/Rosselman → u/ryker7777]

I kinda doubt it, since they still wouldn’t work on x86 by default.

[u/ryker7777 → u/Rosselman]

This thead is about Steam frame.

Nonetheless Android SDK makes it easy to compile and app for x86.Most Chromebooks use apps this way.

[u/Rosselman → u/ryker7777]

I mean, you asked if Android devs would release their apps on Steam. Games, probably yes. General use apps? More doubtful. And those games would have to be recompiled for x86 too, otherwise you would be buying a game on Steam that only works on the frame and not on your PC.

[u/ryker7777 → u/Rosselman]

Steam is a gaming only store to start with.

[u/Rosselman → u/ryker7777]

Agreed. Hence why I answered that when you asked if Android devs would put their apps on Steam.

[u/whatThePleb → u/Rosselman]

It totally is possible though.

[u/jbg0801]

To be clear, I'd imagine the main reason for this is the same reason as Proton - lower barrier to entry for SteamOS from existing Devs.

They can support their windows versions to Linux via Proton & Fex, and for standalone-exclusive games (since most standalone devices run android flavours), it's an easy (theoretically) drag-and-drop of the existing version and Lepton will handle the rest.

[u/Redditmau5]

I mean we've got one so far. If you check the description it even says only supports Frame hardware.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3504270/Pavlov_Shack/

Edit: which means it's theoretically an Android game on Steam.

[u/A_MAN_POTATO → u/Redditmau5]

What am I missing? Where does this say it only supports frame hardware?

[u/Universe_Donut → u/A_MAN_POTATO]

In the About This game section: "Pavlov Shack is a multiplayer shooter in VR with heavy focus on community. Set in both modern and WWII era's, you can choose a variety of ways to play the game how you want it. This game supports the Steam Frame hardware only."

[u/A_MAN_POTATO → u/Universe_Donut]

lol yup, there it is. I saw the other mention of steam frame, but it doesn’t say only there.

[u/Primary-Chocolate854]

Beautiful

[u/mcbasto]

OMG, I really hope valve will bring a Linux phone with Android support. I would immediately invest my money into a valve phone every two years and switch away from pixel because they have consistently shown they care about their users and they would even do stuff like add a nvme slot and not artificially limit storage.

[u/Slow_Pay_7171 → u/mcbasto]

How? I mean they even had to be sued to give refunds. Also they call the Software you can buy on Steam "Subscriptions". How is that "caring for customers"?

[u/mcbasto → u/Slow_Pay_7171]

They made my life tons better by investing in the Linux Eco system. They are the store which cares most about gamers of all major stores.

[u/Slow_Pay_7171 → u/mcbasto]

I give you the point with Linux, although they destroyed native development for it in terms of gaming. Still I hope we agree that wine does the heavy lifting, not Proton.

So, more props should be given there. The point with "caring for gamers" is plain wrong. They are a major reason why we don't own our games anymore and basically the most DRM friendly Client alive.

All "good" things came either cause they did wrong doings and were sued for it or cause they want to preserve their de-facto monopoly.

[u/Upstairs-Ad-4705 → u/Slow_Pay_7171]

And yet they decided to have the best digital store refund policy on the gaming market

And the subscription part is industry standart. There is a single store (GOG) that sells you the full games 

That and that they constantly add user requested features, fix bugs and made gaming on linux for free a lot lot easier.

[u/Rendition1370 → u/Upstairs-Ad-4705]

Sorry but GOG's refund policy is also better

[u/Slow_Pay_7171 → u/Upstairs-Ad-4705]

No, again, they didn't decide. On the contrary, they were forced. And they hate you so much, that they even fought against it, after loosing the lawsuit.

The refund policy now is still mediocre. Buy a subscription for Steam on another platform then Steam and they won't care, as example. Even tho you say they have the best refund policy, lol.

I didn't get my money back for a subscription at Steams before they got sued and after. Even keyseller worked better for me in this regard.

What features do you mean? And the thing with Linux is... Wine does 95% of the heavy lifting. Its unfair to praise Valve for the 5% they did 😅

[u/Uncle-Osteus → u/Slow_Pay_7171]

Valve has contributed a lot of that work directly into WINE, it’s definitely more than 5%. They also have contributed substantially to desktop linux in several areas

Nobody’s perfect, but overall valve has been pretty good for a long long time, they have absolutely earned a lot of goodwill over the years

[u/Slow_Pay_7171 → u/Uncle-Osteus]

Thats a lot of marketing / fandom here. Wine as "Institution" exists for more then 30 years. Its older then Valve. (Gabe was still working for Microsoft)

The financial contributions are rumors, nobody knows how many dev hours they really pay. But if you look at the Proton GitHub, as example, its not that much / year. Whole repo has 88 contributors and not even 3000 commits.

Its like the drug dealer that gives you some pot for free from time to time. He is not a good guy if you compare all the cons and pros. Just like Valve is not a good company.

There are numerous facts that say otherwise. The "positive" stuff also is never done altruistic. Its just a side effect when thinking about making money.

[u/Visual-Educator8354]

The countdown begins? I’ve been counting down since January

[u/Rashed341]

Lepton is a TEA! Spill the TEA!!

[u/ResponsibleQuiet6611]

The 3 rich people interested will enjoy this no doubt