The only Guide you’ll need to play 3DS Games in SBS 3D on Your Steam Deck with Xreal Air Glasses

One of the biggest benefits of AR Glasses is the ability to pair them with any kind of games console, sit back, relax and game away with a console strapped to your face. That's where this guide comes in. If you've been itching to play 3DS games on your Steam Deck with an added layer of depth, you're in the right place. 

Using Xreal Air glasses, we're about to turn that flat gaming experience into a 3D adventure. This is the only guide you'll ever need to seamlessly merge the power of the Steam Deck with the innovative Xreal Air glasses for an unparalleled SBS 3D gaming session. Let’s get your setup ready for a game-changing experience.

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How to play 3DS Games in SBS 3D on Your Steam Deck with Xreal Air

Preparing Your Gear

1. Upgrading the Glasses: The journey begins with ensuring your Xreal Air glasses are equipped with the latest firmware. This crucial step unlocks the ability to enter SBS 3D mode.. Head over to the Xreal update page and follow the instructions to upgrade. Remember, the latest update at the time of writing is air_07.1.02.201_20230228.bin - an essential file for accessing the new feature.
2. Setting Up Citra and Your Games: Next, install Citra, the emulator that brings Nintendo 3DS games to life on your Steam Deck. Guides like Emudeck can simplify this process, helping you load your games and prepare for action.
3. Tailoring the Display Environment: Shift to desktop mode on your Steam Deck to configure it for an external monitor - in this case, your Xreal glasses. This setup is pivotal for achieving the 3D effect, necessitating the switch to desktop mode since the dynamic scaling in game mode interferes with the 3D experience.

Configuring Citra for 3D Gameplay

To unleash the full 3D capabilities of your gaming setup with Citra on the Steam Deck, start by launching Citra and initiating your game of choice. Dive into the settings by clicking "Configure" while your game is active, and activate the 3D SBS (Side By Side) option, cranking the depth setting to its maximum at 100%. After applying these changes, a mirrored game image should appear on your Steam Deck's screen, signaling you're on the right track. 

Next, navigate to "View," adjust the "Layout" to "Large Screen," and then enter full-screen mode to optimize your viewing experience. At this juncture, with the game in full screen and mirrored correctly, press and hold the "Start" or "Hamburger" button to switch the Steam Deck into gamepad mode, ensuring your controls are game-ready. Now, with anticipation building, reconnect your Xreal Air glasses. You'll be greeted by the mirrored display now visible through your glasses, while the Steam Deck's screen fades to black. 

Finally, a simple press of the "Up" brightness button on your glasses will catapult you into the mesmerizing realm of 3D gaming, where every scene and character leaps out at you, offering an unparalleled immersive experience.

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Adjusting the Display Settings

To enhance your 3D gaming on the Xreal Air glasses, fine-tuning the Citra emulator's screen layout is key. Here's how to adjust the qt-config.ini for an optimal 3840x1080 resolution, perfect for SBS 3D mode:

• Navigate to your Citra directory, typically found at Home/.var/app/org.citra_emu.citra/config/citra-emu. A desktop shortcut to this directory can simplify access.
• Locate the qt-config.ini file. This contains the default settings, so make a backup by copying and renaming it to "qt-config.ini-BACKUP" for safety.
• Open the original qt-config.ini file and scroll to the "Layouts" section to begin adjustments:
• Modify layout settings to better fit the Xreal glasses' resolution:
• custom_bottom_bottom=725
• custom_bottom_left=2712
• custom_bottom_right=3840
• custom_bottom_top=300
• custom_layout=true
• custom_top_bottom=950
• custom_top_left=12
• custom_top_right=2700

custom_top_top=130

• Ensure to disable the default setting for each by setting \default=false.

• After adjusting these settings, save the file and close it.
• Launch Citra and run a game in 3D mode; the display should now utilize the full potential of the Xreal glasses' resolution, making the 3D experience significantly better.

Should you wish to revert to standard settings for non-3D gaming, simply rename your optimized "qt-config.ini" to something like "qt-config.ini-3D Backup" and then rename your backup file back to "qt-config.ini." This allows easy switching between enhanced 3D settings and default visuals, ensuring each gaming session is as immersive as possible.

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