Sorry to post this here, but I put it in the proper topic five months ago and still nobody's replied to it. And I'm finally getting around to considering playing it soon, but I really don't want to have to use the keyboard.

All I can use is the arrow keys to move and like z and x keys to fight, or something horrible like that. I can't rebind at all, and the options screen has every option for everything crammed all together, but there's nothing for a controller. There's even an option for something like "use analog as digital", but if I check it, that still doesn't enable the controller.

Dunno how to help you. I got every single YS game on GOG and there is not a single one without gamepad support. I do not even use a original Xbox pad, works as well for me.

Just remember to use the DX9 mode, else you may get compatibility issues. It is a pretty old game already and sometimes it may screw the settings on start up, so always remember to start up the settings-launcher and validate/adjust your settings.

Open your installation path and look for "config.exe", resp. "config_dx9.exe".

Doubleclick on that and you'll get an options menu (see attachment).

Oh i think it is enabled automatically, but it is always wise to start up the settings launcher first. Those older YS games got a settings launcher. The newer ones got every settings inside the game menu.

I don't know anything about a settings launcher, and that image is completely screwed-up, but I'll try what you said, though I have to wait until I restart into Windows (I'm using Linux right now), and I don't have time right now. But thanks.

It is pretty obvious, either there is a configuration outside or inside a game. Especially many older games use a configuration outside a game. Should not be a issue for a Linux user because Linux users usually have to do way more stuff manually due to many reasons. As well important to take the time and checking the games data; this way many matters may become revealed.

Are you not using Wine, then?

It is always good providing enough information about the issue including system used, else for everyone trying to help this is a "never ending guessing story". If used on Linux this game surely can ask for troubles but we got many Linux users who apparently got almost anything to work.

Just in case it can help, you can rebind "anything" on Linux:

#!/bin/bash

xmodmap -e "keycode 25 = w"
xmodmap -e "keycode 52 = z"
xmodmap -e "keycode 24 = q"
xmodmap -e "keycode 38 = a"

exit 0

package is xdotool

I just tried it and I can't get it to work. I sort of figured out what's wrong with it, but not why.

So I opened the config_dx9.exe, and was able to change the resolution, and rebinded a key, and both changes affected the game.

However, I tried opening the non-dx9 one also, and it still had the changes in it, like they're using the same data source, which means I'm not sure which one's actually being used by the game, so I don't know if it's in dx9 mode or not.

Anyway, I also tried the input tab, and wanted to choose my XBox controller, but the only two listed are:

SpaceMouse Compact
3DConnexion KMJ Emulator

I know for a fact that the XBox controller is plugged in and working, because the light is on, and right afterwards, I played a different game and it worked fine.

I think it was set to 3DConnexion KMJ Emulator by default, but I tried setting it to SpaceMouse Compact and tried using that in the game, but nothing happened.

But during calibration, the cursor moved around, but it stayed where I put it, as if I were using it with a mouse (and even went out of the boundaries of the square!), though that doesn't surprise me, considering that a lot of games and related programs are stupidly not designed to properly recognize it, though that shouldn't be an issue, since I wasn't planning on using it, anyway, but rather the XBox controller which for some reason doesn't even appear on the list!

And for context, the SpaceMouse is a device that is typically used for 3D modeling, but it can be used for playing 6DoF games like Descent, and works great for shooting games too. And the KMJ emulator just allows it to emulate a keyboard and mouse (since 99% of games won't recognize or properly use the thing otherwise - stupid developers).

But how can I get it to add the XBox controller to the list, so I can use it in the game? It has always worked in other games, even YS I and II just fine!

And just setting up the Linux firewall to block Wine and all applications from having outgoing connections is a bit of an ask, presumed?

I dunno what he is using exactly but for sure his issues are linked to the pretty exotic OS-configurations which apparently are totally raw without any graphics, else my stuff would not be confusing at all.

Some Linux-user will have to assist, as this is the true issue here.

dnovraD, I want it essentially air-gapped, or as close as possible. I don't want any telemetry (spyware).

Xeshra, I'm telling you, it has NOTHING to do with Linux! I'm running the game in Windows, and the way I have it set up, Linux doesn't interfere at all. And I don't see what graphics has to do with anything - this is an issue of a conrtoller. And remember, no other game (not even the first two Ys games) has this problem, so it's not an issue with hardware or the OS, because then all games would have the problem.

Well I fixed it. I had to unplug the SpaceMouse and then it immediately recognized the XBox controller! How dumb is that? Why would that interfere? Especially considering that it doesn't for any other game, just by being plugged in, but not actually used.