Also, at the last sale I had gotten a Steam Controller. I think it's a great device due to its configurability and new ideas, but holding a game controller feels awkward to me for the same aforementioned reasons and generally makes me want to reach for a mouse and keyboard.
Nevertheless, I set this up:
The basic setup is that my laptop runs Privateer in DOSbox and streams picture and sound to the TV via the Steam Link.
This just requires a modified DOSbox build like Daum that supports Direct3D surfaces, so that the Steam Overlay works and Steam can capture the screen properly. For some games, you also need a simple pixel shader to reliably get the overlay to be drawn, but Privateer is actually working okay without as long as you don't open the overlay from any of the menus.
Then the Steam Controller is really nicely customizable to support controlling the entire game:
The basic configuration is this:
- Right touchpad for mouse control (mostly the part of the game that plays on the base and the navigation).
- Left analog stick for flying (pitch, yaw). I've set it up to use a "wide" spread, meaning that smaller inputs will send even smaller signals to the game and it ramps up much later to the full input range. You can also configure it to eliminate the in-game deadzone, because the Steam Controller is just so much more precise (and therefore doesn't need a deadzone) than what Privateer thinks I'm using...
- Additionally, the gyroscope/accelerometer of the Steam Controller can also be used to make additional fine adjustments (aiming).
- Triggers for firing weapons and afterburner.
- "Start" to open the Quine 4000 (Privateer's PDA and menu system) and "Select" to close it.
- The left D-Pad and the four main buttons are various cockpit control functions. The more interesting ones are those with multiple mappings, e.g. short pressing A is mapped to Jump (that's often happening in an emergency situation) while long-pressing A is mapped to Autopilot (by definition not an emergency). Also, B uses the Steam Controllers 'cycle' function to cycle between the key to switch to the cockpit and the key to switch to the turret, effectively optimizing an extra button away.
- And finally, the left grip (additional buttons where you hold the controller, I think these are pretty specific to the Steam Controller) is used to bring up a radial menu (in high-res, with icons, in a DOS game — you have no idea how amazing this is!!!) for rarely used functions, e.g. save scumming (because in 1993, games were all hardcore and didn't mind deleting your progress of the last half an hour, and in 2017 I no longer have time for that shit
). - You can press the Steam button mid-game to bring up the Steam Overlay (in a fucking DOS game!) and reconfigure the Steam Controller, chat with your friends or browse the web.
Cort