- Sep 19, 2011
- 88
- 0
- 18,640
*NOTE: If you're not familiar with HTPC's or running keyboard/mouse-free Windows Environments, this is probably not going to be for you.
I'm trying to figure something out, and I'm wondering if anyone else has ever faced this situation and worked out a solution for this issue.
I recently built an HTPC/Gaming Rig, running I7-6800K (Broadwell-E), ASUS GTX 1080 Rog Strix, G.Skill 16GB DDR4 on Asus X99-A II.
Essentially the machine is Keyboard/Mouse-Free. It is controlled entirely by a Remote Control for the HTPC side, and the XBOX One Controller for the Gaming side. For those moments that a keyboard/mouse interaction is absolutely necessary, I have VNC Server installed on the rig, and VNC Viewer on my smart phone. I can take control of the system on my phone and do what's necessary.
Kodi (Formerly XBMC) runs as the front-end, and I'm able to launch Steam (Big Picture Mode), from within Kodi, simply grab my XBOX One Controller & start gaming. Once the game ends, I can close out Steam (Big Picture) and I'm back in Kodi.
Essentially, I never have to enter or view the Windows Desktop/Environment, and essentially I never have the need to use Keyboard/Mouse interactions.
Except for one area: Game Trainers.
After I've completed a game, I usually like to replay with trainers for the fun of it; and also for doing the higher difficulty level which I really don't care to play otherwise. (I'm a casual gamer - not a hardcore 'need to have every achievement & beat every level' gamer). And I don't play Online/Multiplayer - only Single Player campaigns.
Trainers are the only time I have to interact with the Windows Desktop environment. Essentially right now I have to grab my VNC Viewer on my phone, login to the machine & get remote access, Alt+Tab to get to Windows, run the Trainer, Alt+Tab back into the game, and repeat the process in case I switch games.
For an HTPC Rig which doesn't use Keyboard/Mouse & I never have to interact with the Windows Desktop Environment, this is not a convenient solution. It's very much a PITA.
I'm trying to figure out a way to minimize or eliminate this interaction.
This was easy on XBOX 360, where trainers were built into games and you could hit a combination of keys on your Controller to bring up the menu & chose the cheats. I seriously this was possible with PC Game trainers as well, but I don't think it is.
Very few games, like "Dying Light" support Developer Menus, which are great! No outside interaction required.
For others, I still don't have a solution.
One idea that occurred to me:
If the machine could be tricked into a believing a 2nd Monitor is attached or exists; VNC Viewer can be set to login to a particular monitor on the machine in a dual-monitor situation. For example, if you have two displays, they are generally names "1" and "2" in windows. In VNC Server you can define which display should be remotely accessed, or all should be accessed.
I could set VNC to remotely login to the 2nd monitor, which will essentially be an empty desktop space. Over there I can have all my trainers present in a folder on Desktop and run whichever I like.
I won't be required to Alt+Tab or interact with the desktop which is running my KODI/STEAM. It will almost be like accessing a different system altogether, and not your HTPC.
This is still not good as the Built-In trainer solution, but it's the best I can think of.
However, in Windows 10 Pro, I don't know how to do this 2nd monitor thing.
Just would like to discuss with someone else who's ever faced this issue or has ever implemented a solution.
Thanks.
I'm trying to figure something out, and I'm wondering if anyone else has ever faced this situation and worked out a solution for this issue.
I recently built an HTPC/Gaming Rig, running I7-6800K (Broadwell-E), ASUS GTX 1080 Rog Strix, G.Skill 16GB DDR4 on Asus X99-A II.
Essentially the machine is Keyboard/Mouse-Free. It is controlled entirely by a Remote Control for the HTPC side, and the XBOX One Controller for the Gaming side. For those moments that a keyboard/mouse interaction is absolutely necessary, I have VNC Server installed on the rig, and VNC Viewer on my smart phone. I can take control of the system on my phone and do what's necessary.
Kodi (Formerly XBMC) runs as the front-end, and I'm able to launch Steam (Big Picture Mode), from within Kodi, simply grab my XBOX One Controller & start gaming. Once the game ends, I can close out Steam (Big Picture) and I'm back in Kodi.
Essentially, I never have to enter or view the Windows Desktop/Environment, and essentially I never have the need to use Keyboard/Mouse interactions.
Except for one area: Game Trainers.
After I've completed a game, I usually like to replay with trainers for the fun of it; and also for doing the higher difficulty level which I really don't care to play otherwise. (I'm a casual gamer - not a hardcore 'need to have every achievement & beat every level' gamer). And I don't play Online/Multiplayer - only Single Player campaigns.
Trainers are the only time I have to interact with the Windows Desktop environment. Essentially right now I have to grab my VNC Viewer on my phone, login to the machine & get remote access, Alt+Tab to get to Windows, run the Trainer, Alt+Tab back into the game, and repeat the process in case I switch games.
For an HTPC Rig which doesn't use Keyboard/Mouse & I never have to interact with the Windows Desktop Environment, this is not a convenient solution. It's very much a PITA.
I'm trying to figure out a way to minimize or eliminate this interaction.
This was easy on XBOX 360, where trainers were built into games and you could hit a combination of keys on your Controller to bring up the menu & chose the cheats. I seriously this was possible with PC Game trainers as well, but I don't think it is.
Very few games, like "Dying Light" support Developer Menus, which are great! No outside interaction required.
For others, I still don't have a solution.
One idea that occurred to me:
If the machine could be tricked into a believing a 2nd Monitor is attached or exists; VNC Viewer can be set to login to a particular monitor on the machine in a dual-monitor situation. For example, if you have two displays, they are generally names "1" and "2" in windows. In VNC Server you can define which display should be remotely accessed, or all should be accessed.
I could set VNC to remotely login to the 2nd monitor, which will essentially be an empty desktop space. Over there I can have all my trainers present in a folder on Desktop and run whichever I like.
I won't be required to Alt+Tab or interact with the desktop which is running my KODI/STEAM. It will almost be like accessing a different system altogether, and not your HTPC.
This is still not good as the Built-In trainer solution, but it's the best I can think of.
However, in Windows 10 Pro, I don't know how to do this 2nd monitor thing.
Just would like to discuss with someone else who's ever faced this issue or has ever implemented a solution.
Thanks.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram