both manual and scripted steps needed to get elden ring randomizer up and running on a steamdeck

elden-ring-randomizer-install.sh

	cd ~/Downloads

	# prereq: download https://www.nexusmods.com/eldenring/mods/428?tab=files
	# as Elden Ring Randomizer-428-v0-5-4b-1666703960.zip
	# prereq: download https://www.nexusmods.com/eldenring/mods/117?tab=files
	# as EldenModLoader-117-3-2-1662569069.zip

	INSTALLDIR="/home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ELDEN RING"

	# wget https://github.com/Cloudef/ModEngine2/releases/download/2.0.0.1-proton-v3/ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64.zip


	unzip Elden\ Ring\ Randomizer-428-v0-5-4b-1666703960.zip
	unzip ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64.zip
	unzip EldenModLoader-117-3-2-1662569069.zip -d modloader

	mkdir "$INSTALLDIR/Game/randomizer"
	mv randomizer/* "$INSTALLDIR/Game/randomizer"
	rmdir randomizer
	ls 
	mv modloader/* "$INSTALLDIR/Game"
	rmdir modloader

	mv ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64/modengine2 "$INSTALLDIR/Game"
	rmdir ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64/mod
	mv ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64/* "$INSTALLDIR"
	rmdir ModEngine-2.0.0.1-win64/

	cp "$INSTALLDIR/Game/modengine2/bin/lua.dll" "$INSTALLDIR/Game/mods"
	cp "$INSTALLDIR/Game/modengine2/bin/modengine2.dll" "$INSTALLDIR/Game/mods"

	cat > modengine.toml << EOL
	[modengine]
	debug = false
	[extension.mod_loader]
	enabled = true
	loose_params = false
	mods = [
		{ enabled = true, name = "default", path = "randomizer" }
	]
	[extension.scylla_hide]
	enabled = false
	EOL

	mv modengine.toml "$INSTALLDIR/Game"
	mv "$INSTALLDIR/Game/start_protected_game.exe" "$INSTALLDIR/Game/old.exe"
	cp "$INSTALLDIR/Game/eldenring.exe" "$INSTALLDIR/Game/start_protected_game.exe"

	## manually add and "ELDEN RING/GAME/randomizer/EldenRingRandomizer.exe" as a non-steam game in the steam client. set proton version to experimental

	## manually set elden ring launch properties to:  echo "%command%" | sed 's/start_protected_game/eldenring/' | WINEDLLOVERRIDES="dinput8.dll=n,b" sh

Hey, hopefully you’re still active around here to help me out. I cannot, for the life of me, get this randomizer to run on my new OLED SD. I have followed this guide exactly. Only difference is when I first add the randomizer to steam as a non-steam game, I have to download/install .net runtime by changing the target in the randomizer.exe, then reverting back. Once this is complete and I try to “play” or run the randomizer, absolutely nothing happens. I don’t get a pop-up, I don’t get an error message, I just get about 2 seconds of steam attempting to run it and then…nothing. If you are available, could you please help? Thanks!

I seem to remember something similar that I also never got to work properly. There was an update to the randomizer that added the dotnet requirement that also made it difficult to make it run properly on the steamdeck. These instructions were written before that requirement which is why they do not mention installing dotnet framework.

Last time i looked at this I got it to work by doing part of the randomization on my pc instead.
Since the randomizer is sort-of two things in one - first you write the randomization to the game files, second you run the modded game - it did work for me to copy files back and forth for the first step, only doing step 2 on the steamdeck. Thus, since the randomizer exe never has to run on the steamdeck i dont have to install dotnet framework on it.

I'm guessing you already found this post?
It looks like the method did not work for enemy randomizer? I only used it for item randomizer, so i cant say if it works for anything else.

Yep, that’s the post I originally followed. Eventually made my way to your page, which is a nicer, easier to follow instruction. I would love to have any sort of randomization-enemies or notz Unfortunately my only option is to run the rando locally on the deck, as I don’t have access to a PC atm. I’m not sure what exactly is happening under the hood when I try to run the randomizer.exe, all I know is that it fails to launch at all.

From what you say about the updated version, do you think an earlier version of the rando could potentially work?

I could always ask to file share with someone else, but I would hate to put somebody out for my own benefit. Thanks for your help!

The tricky thing with using an old version of the randomizer is you also need the old version of the game, so you need to figure out which version of elden ring was active when Elden Ring Randomizer-428-v0-5-4b-1666703960.zip was made, and then downgrade to that elden ring version on your steamdeck, and then disable updates somewow i guess? Offline mode?

Even then it maybe will not work if there are shader updates or compatibility layer shenanigans than create issues?