Guide for Steam Remote Play / Local w/ PS4 controllers

[EraserWesley]

Hi, this is a guide for survivors who are having troubles with PS4 controllers. At the end of the day, we all just wanna sit back and play some zomboid with our friends. And we are absolutely not in the mood to figure out all the controller stuff.

This is the guide for you.

Compulsory step :
1. Plug in your controllers via USB port.
2. Go to Steam, on the top left toolbar, select [Steam] -> [Controller]-> [General Controller Settings] -> select [PlayStation Configuration Support].
3. You are supposed to see that on the bottom of that list, Steam has detected your controllers.
4. Start the game, go to [Option]->[Controller]->Select XinputController0, 1, 2, 3
5. On the right side, you will see [Test Controllers], check all of your connected controllers, whether they are functioning or not. If not, replace the USB cable or controller.

If you accidentally or intentionally unplugged the controller mid-game, you have to plug the controller back in and restart the game for the controllers to work again.

Situation 1 :
[You and your friend are far away from each other, but each has one computer.]
*You will need one PS4 controller and one copy of the game in this situation.

Assuming you are the host :

1. Do the compulsory step above.
2. Start a game, spawn in. You should see that there’s one character only.
3. Press X on your controller, top left corner should pop up : Take over player 1 / Add new player .etc. Select add new player.
4. REMEMBER TO SPAWN WITH PLAYER 1
5. Then, pretty self-explanatory. Create another character. You have two characters now ! Great !
6. Now, Shift+Tab to open your in-game Steam tab, find friends that you would like to remote play with. Then right click ->[invite to remote play]
7. Once connected, your friend will be using your keyboard and mouse (remotely), and you will be using the controller. ( Or your friend can connect another controller to their steam, on their computer, so there will be two controllers, but I never tried.)
8. Done. Have fun !

*Currently, it is impossible for both of you to use keyboard at the same time during Steam Remote Play. Welp, it is how it is.

Situation 2 :
[You and your friend are sharing one computer, and are playing next to each others irl.]
*You will need 1-4 PS4 controllers and one copy of the game in this situation.

1. Do the compulsory step above.
2. Start a game, spawn in. You should see that there’s one character only.
3. Press X on your controller, top left corner should pop up : Take over player 1 / Add new player .etc
4. If the host would like to use a controller, take over player 1. If you wish to proceed with keyboard and mouse, select add new player.
5. REMEMBER TO SPAWN WITH PLAYER 1
6. Repeat step 3, until all your friends are in the game.
7. Done. Have fun !

PS4 bindings : (if I remembered correctly)
Movements :
L stick = walk / jog
L stick + R2 = sprint
R stick = Aim
R stick + R2 or L2 = Attack
R stick + R1 = Look at far distance
X = Interact (open windows and doors)
Square = Menu (fitness, sit on ground, drink, wash .etc)
O = Cancel or climb over window/ fence
L3 = press once to sneak, a menu will momentarily show up, don’t panic
R3 = Health tab / furniture tab/ crafting tab/ zoom in/ zoom out

Inventory :
Triangle = open inventory tab(also triangle to exit inventory)
***When opened inventory, R1 and L1 to cycle through your inventory and other container
Directional button = basically arrow key
X = open item menu in inventory
Circle = Cancel (?)
Square = quick grab (?)

Cars :
X = get in to the car
Triangle = inventory
R2 = auto insert key and start the car, forward
L2 = drive backward
direction key UP = pulls up the car action menu (change seat, hotwire cars .etc)

I believe the keybindings are unchangeable via this method. If you wish to edit the keybindings, there should be plenty of guides on this forum on this issue. Go to [User]-> [Zomboid]-> [joypads], and edit keybinds there. However, there seems to be quite a lot of confusion since the actions of each button are tied to a number. And it is quite hard to figure out which number represents what actions.

Technically, the steam configuration trick should work on Switch Pro and other "generic controllers" as seen on the setting tab. But I don't have these controllers to test out. Feel free to test it out and complete this guide for other troubled survivors who just wanna play with their friends.

I will try to answer your questions and if there’s anything I missed, pls comment below.

That's all, have fun!
Eraser Wesley

[EnigmaGrey]

Pinned.

[EraserWesley]

Bug #1 :
Just found the first bug. I was playing in situation 1. Whenever the player with controller opens the inventory, there's a blue outline indicating which container you are looking at. Sometimes, as shown in the image, the blue outline appears on both your inventory and the container. The directional keys on the controller will lost its function, as well as the ability to select items.

https://ibb.co/6mqYG8c

Restart the game, doesn't work. Unload the mods, doesn't work. Switching controllers, nope. Switching usb cables, nope. Restart the computer, nope.

However, this is what works :
1. New save with new characters works
2. Old save, but kill the character with the problem, and spawn back in, picked up all the stuff
3. Sometimes, restart steam and game, then LOAD a save instead of clicking continue works.
*Whenever you play an old save, always add the characters in before inviting your friends to remote play to avoid bug #1.

[Iroquois]

Also, share button pulls up a wheel for furniture/health/crafting/zooming too and left directional can be used to quick select weapons
Oh and circle seems to just let you choose individual items if there's more than one in a stack

[EraserWesley]

Originally posted by Iroquois:

Also, share button pulls up a wheel for furniture/health/crafting/zooming too and left directional can be used to quick select weapons
Oh and circle seems to just let you choose individual items if there's more than one in a stack

Yea, nice find. Have you run into any trouble with your controller playthrough ? I always find it frustrating to move furnitures with a controller.

[ღMarcos Lover✩]

nice

[desn17]

For some reason, when playing with my friend, the game only recognize the controller and not the keyboard, and the controller moves both characters , becoming impossible to play with split screen.

[Zooks]

Imagine a world where pinning a post made it... right?

[EnigmaGrey]

Originally posted by Zooks:

Imagine a world where pinning a post made it... right?

Yes. Truly a terrible thing, pinning a helpful post. /s

[Dudoso911]

guys is there any way to play this split screen mp without controllers ?

[EnigmaGrey]

Originally posted by D:

guys is there any way to play this split screen mp without controllers ?

No, unfortunately not. Most OSes can't handle multiple mice and keyboards as separate devices. Since Steam Remote Play just simulates your friend playing on your computer, controls are the only way to make it work.

[Colaboksen]

Remote play doesnt really work, stuck on Please hold, host input. Or maybe this game doesnt support xbox controller? Which is weird.

[EnigmaGrey]

Originally posted by Colaboksen:

Remote play doesnt really work, stuck on Please hold, host input. Or maybe this game doesnt support xbox controller? Which is weird.

If you're playing from a Mac, this thread recommends making sure the Privacy & Security settings are enabled, letting Steam capture input + the screen: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/homestream/discussions/0/1660069015241889629/

They'll probably help you over there if you create a new thread and ask. Updates to the Steam client have broken Remote Play a few times, and they seem fairly quick to respond over there.

[pukezapata]

i dont know what im doing wrong both steam and my macbook both say my ps4 controller is connected and working and its working with other games i have but for whatever reason when i press X to use my controller on project zomboid it straight up does nothing

[Coldquin]

I am having issues despite following all of the steps when i start up a new game or old one my games does not register me pressing X to add a new player or take over the old one (im using ps4 Controller) In the menu when i use the controller input test thing it resisters me pressing x and i can set up a character with only a controller but it stops working when the game boots up

[In Vitriol]

So does remote play actually work?
The x button thing doesn't work for me, but when I initially join game the option to add new player is there, when I do I automatically become player 2. Either way, my friend cannot join. Says 'Input disabled while host is busy' and black screen.