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ScummVM is an application that allows you to play classic point-and-click adventure games and RPGs.

Website: https://www.scummvm.org/

GitHub: https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm

Compatibility List: https://www.scummvm.org/compatibility/

ScummVM's Wiki: https://docs.scummvm.org/en/v2.6.0

ScummVM Table of Contents

  1. Getting Started with ScummVM

  2. ScummVM Tips and Tricks

Getting Started with ScummVM

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ScummVM is a fairly straight-forward emulator to set up. Place your ROMs in Emulation/roms/scummvm. Read the Configuration section to learn more about ScummVM and its folder locations.

To launch your ROMs in game mode, use Steam ROM Manager and use one of the following parsers to play your ScummVM ROMs:

Configuration

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  • Type of Emulator: Flatpak
  • Config Location: /home/deck/.var/app/org.scummvm.ScummVM
  • ROM Location: Emulation/roms/scummvm
  • ScummVM does not need any additional BIOS files or firmware to run
  • Saves: Emulation/saves/scummvm/saves

Note: ~/.var is an invisible folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders.

Works With

ScummVM Folder Locations

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These file locations apply regardless of where you chose to install EmuDeck (to your internal SSD, to your SD Card, or elsewhere). Some emulator configuration files will be located on the internal SSD as listed below.

$HOME refers to your home folder. If you are on a Steam Deck, this folder will be named /home/deck (you will likely not see deck in the file path when navigating using the file manager).

Paths beginning with Emulation/.. correspond to your EmuDeck install location. If you installed on an SD Card, your path may be /run/media/mmcblk0p1/Emulation/roms/... If you installed on your internal SSD, your path may be /home/deck/Emulation/roms/..

Note: Folders with a . (.var, .local, .config, etc.) at the beginning are hidden by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders.

$HOME/.var/app/org.scummvm.ScummVM

org.scummvm.ScummVM/
├── cache
│   ├── fontconfig
│   ├── scummvm
│   │   ├── icons
│   │   └── logs
│   │       └── scummvm.log
│   └── tmp
├── config
│   ├── pulse
│   │   └── cookie
│   ├── scummvm
│   │   ├── scummvm.ini
│   │   └── scummvm.ini.bak
│   └── user-dirs.dirs
└── data
    └── scummvm

File Formats

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It varies.

Refer to https://docs.scummvm.org/en/latest/use_scummvm/game_files.html and https://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php?title=Category:Supported_Games for additional detail.

How to Update ScummVM

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How to Update ScummVM

  • Update through Discover (Shopping bag icon)
  • Through the Update your Emulators & Tools section on the Manage Emulators page in the EmuDeck application

How to Launch ScummVM in Desktop Mode

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How to Launch ScummVM in Desktop Mode

  • Launch ScummVM from the Applications Launcher (Steam Deck icon in the bottom left of the taskbar)
  • Launch the script from Emulation/tools/launchers, scummvm.sh
  • Launch the emulator from Steam after adding it via the Emulators parser in Steam ROM Manager

ScummVM Tips and Tricks

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How to Configure ScummVM to Work with ES-DE, Pegasus, and Steam ROM Manager

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Preface

Since ScummVM ROMs come in a wide variety of formats, parsing these ROMs through Steam ROM Manager and ES-DE can be tricky. However, the included Steam ROM Manager parser and ES-DE include fairly easy methods to parse these ROMs and allow you to play them depending on your preferred front-end.

Depending on your preferred front-end (adding ROMs to Steam through Steam ROM Manager or ES-DE), "converting" these ROMs into a usable format may differ.

  • If you primarily use ES-DE or Pegasus and do not use Steam ROM Manager for ScummVM whatsoever
  • If you primarily use Steam ROM Manager and do not use ES-DE or Pegasus for ScummVM whatsoever
  • If you like to mix and match between Steam (through Steam ROM Manager) and ES-DE or Pegasus, it is recommended you use ES-DE's and Pegasus' method of structuring ScummVM ROMs
    • Using this method will likely cause your ROMs to not be parsed correctly in Steam ROM Manager, see How to Fix a Mismatched Entry to fix any potential mismatches

How to Configure ScummVM to Work With ES-DE and Pegasus

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To configure ScummVM games with ES-DE, you will need to place a compatible ScummVM game in Emulation/roms/scummvm. Afterwards, you will need to create a .scummvm file matching the game's short name and rename the game folder to match that newly created .scummvm file.

How to Configure ScummVM to Work With ES-DE
  1. Open https://www.scummvm.org/compatibility, and note down the game's Short Name in the ScummVM ID column.
    • You will see two words, word1:word2, in the ScummVM ID column, the shortname is word2
    • For example: Discworld's ScummVM ID is tinsel:dw, therefore the shortname is dw
      • Discworld Short Name
  2. In Emulation/roms/scummvm, rename your game folder to shortname.scummvm
    • Replace shortname with the shortname you located in Step 1
    • The folder needs to contain no spaces and all lowercase characters including the file extension .scummvm
    • For Example: dw.scummvm
      • Discworld Folder Name
  3. In the game folder, right click and create a new text file
  4. Name it shortname.scummvm, matching the folder name exactly
    • When you create a text file, Linux may attach a .txt file extension, replace .txt with .scummvm if this is the case
    • Replace shortname with the shortname you located in Step 1
    • The file needs to match the folder name exactly, no spaces, all lowercase characters including the file extension .scummvm
    • For example: dw.scummvm, matching the folder example in Step 2
      • Discworld File Name
  5. Right click the file you created in Step 4 and open it in Kate or a text editor of your choice
  6. Write the shortname from Step 1 on a single line. Save and exit the text file
    • For example:
      • Discworld Text Example
  7. Repeat as needed for each ScummVM game
  8. Your game should now show up in and launch directly from ES-DE
    • To scrape your games, use ScreenScraper instead of TheGamesDB for best results

A few examples using folder visualizations:

The Dig

dig.scummvm
├── DIG.LA0
├── DIG.LA1
├── DIGMUSIC.BUN
├── dig.scummvm
├── DIGVOICE.BUN
└── VIDEO

Beneath a Steel Sky

sky.scummvm
├── MT32_CONTROL.ROM
├── MT32_PCM.ROM
├── SKY.CPT
├── sky.dnr
├── sky.dsk
└── sky.scummvm

The Neverhood

neverhood.scummvm
├── a.blb
├── c.blb
├── hd.blbfor ScummVM
└── t.blb

How to Configure ScummVM to Work With Steam ROM Manager

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To configure ScummVM games with Steam ROM Manager, you will need to place a compatible ScummVM game in Emulation/roms/scummvm, and rename the game folder to add a .scummvm file extension.

In order for Steam ROM Manager to scrape the game, the name of the game folder itself needs to match a pre-existing page on https://www.steamgriddb.com/.

If a page does not currently exist for your ScummVM game, request one at https://www.steamgriddb.com/request-game. Make sure to upload art as well once your page has been approved.

How to Configure ScummVM to Work With Steam ROM Manager
  1. In Emulation/roms/scummvm, rename your game folder to GAMENAME.scummvm
  2. Repeat for each ScummVM game
  3. Your game should now be compatible with Steam ROM Manager

Example:

How to Roll Back ScummVM to an Older Version

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If you do not have access to a mouse and keyboard for the below section, use L2 to right click and R2 to left click. Alternatively, remote into your Steam Deck using one of the methods found in the FAQ, How do I remotely control my Steam Deck?.

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Konsole
  2. To see a list of prior versions of the emulator, type:
    • flatpak remote-info --log flathub org.scummvm.ScummVM
  3. If Konsole prompts you to select system or user, enter 2 to select user
  4. Konsole will list a list of previous versions for the flatpak. The important line for each version is the Commit: line. The Commit: line will have a long accompanying alphanumeric string (the “commit” code). Copy the string for the version you want to downgrade to.
    • Using Citra as an example:
      • How to Roll Back Flatpaks: 1
  5. To downgrade to the version you want:
    • flatpak update --commit=put_commit_code_here org.scummvm.ScummVM
    • Replace put_commit_code_here with the actual code you located in Step 2.
      • Using Citra as an example:
        • How to Roll Back Flatpaks: 2

If the above steps did not work and you are getting an error message along the lines of Flatpak not installed, your Flatpak is likely installed at the system level instead. Select one of the below solutions:

Solution 1: Open the EmuDeck application, click the Manage Emulators page, select the emulator in question, and click Reinstall / Update.

Solution 2: Add sudo in front of the commands written in Step 2 and Step 5. In Step 2, write sudo flatpak remote-info --log flathub org.scummvm.ScummVM and in Step 5, write sudo flatpak update --commit=put_commit_code_here org.scummvm.ScummVM.

How to Configure Language Settings

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UI

  1. In Desktop Mode, open ScummVM
  2. Click Global Options
  3. Click the GUI tab
  4. To the right of GUI Language, select your preferred language in the drop-down menu

In-Game

  1. In Desktop Mode, open ScummVM
  2. Click Add Game...
  3. Locate your game folder and click Choose
  4. Work through the prompts and select your preferred language on the Game screen
  5. If you added your game without selecting your preferred language, click your game in the list, click Game Options...
  6. Click the Game tab
  7. To the right of Language, select your preferred language in the drop-down menu