Got it configured to taste, but now cant enter the classic cheat codes, even when using the remapped keys. Even though I'm not moving the mouse, maybe the pgup/pgdn input is interrupting the string.

Do you know how to make this mod work with the Steam version of Dark Forces? This one has a "Dark Forces" folder, in which there is the "Game" folder with all the classic original game files, a "Dosbox" folder with all Dosbox files, as well as the "Dosbox.conf" that just refers to the dark.exe being in the game folder and starting it.
No matter where I put the Dark Forces Plus files it won't start the game, so I suppose it's looking for a different folder structure?

[edit]
Ah, got it, the "Dosbox" folder and the "Dosbox.conf" file need to be inside the "Game" folder.

[edit²]
Alright, I've used it for quite a while now. Several suggestions/hints:

1. It's unnecessary to change any keys using the DOSBOX keymapper. The most important keys (movement, firing, etc.) can be changed using the game's own INSTALL.EXE. Everything else can be mapped using GlovePIE just as easily as all the rest. I reset all the keymapper mappings and instead added the additional keys like "C for F5" (= headlamp) to the GlovePIE script. This way, all keyboard keys can be used as normal for typing in the name at the beginning of the game, pressing the menu buttons, as well as typing in cheat codes.
2. I've found that using OpenGL instead of Direct3D makes the game feel a lot smoother, especially turning around with the mouse. This can be changed in the dosbox_df.conf file. On my computer this also means that using the DOSBOX keymapper crashes the game, but as said above, that's not needed, anyway.
3. I'm not a fan of the scalers, making the game look more blurry. But, this is only a personal preference and can also easily be removed in the dosbox_df.conf file.

I've decided to combine alternative configuration files for use with TQuin's Dark Forces Plus for, in my opinion, a better and more generally acceptable result. The changes compared to DF Plus are as follows:

-Slightly modified control scheme with uninverted mouse aiming
-Default keymapper configuration, so typing names/cheats and using keyboard keys works flawless again
-Modified DOSBox configuration, mainly using "OpenGL" as the renderer and no scalers, making the game run a lot smoother (at least on my computer) and look much less blurry (and thus better, in my opinion)
-Modified midi music to use General MIDI, which at least under Windows 10 makes music sound much more orchestral and in my opinion much more suitable for the Star Wars music
-Disabled use of mods, as I think the grey officer uniforms are irritating, making enemies harder to distinguish, and I still don't know about what kind of other changes the mods file introduced and rather play the game without them

[Controls]
W, A, S, D = Walk/Strafe
Left mouse button = Primary fire
Right mouse button = Secondary fire
Mouse wheel up/down = Cycle through weapons (forwards/backwards)
Middle mouse button = Switch current/last weapon
Mouse button 4/5 = Reset view
Space = Jump
Control = Crouch
Shift = Run
Alt = Sneak
E = Use
C = Head Lamp
X = Night Vision Goggles
Z = Gas Mask
V = Ice Cleats
Tab = Overhead Map
F1 = PDA (Objectives)
Escape = Menu

Download here

For installation you can just overwrite the configuration files in your Dark Forces folder with the included ones. Of course, if you may want to switch back again, you will have to backup the previous files by copying or renaming them.
I could also pack these configurations up with GlovePIE and a similar script to start the game along with it as a complete alternative to DF Plus, but I don't want to diminish TQuin's efforts in that regard, as he's done a good job making it quick and simple to get Dark Forces running in a more modern fashion.

[edit]
There's only one problem: You can't toggle the head lamp and night vision goggles on/off while crouching and running, as DOSBox uses Ctrl/Shift+F4, F5, etc. as internal hotkeys for for example capturing videos and screenshots. These hotkeys can be changed and disabled in the keymapper, but it still won't work properly. Apparently it only works by changing the Ctrl and Shift entirely in the keymapper as is the case with DF Plus, which then results in these keys not working properly anymore, Shift for example for typing in an uppercase name. Thus, I left this unchanged. The lamp and the goggles aren't used much, anyway. But, if anyone knows of a proper fix, I'd be interested to know :)

The mouse aiming seems to be inverted by default in this, is there any way to put it back to "normal" (mouse up moves aim up, mouse down moves aim down)?

As has already been answered in this thread, you need to edit the "dforces.pie" file in the "gpie" folder. Open it with Notepad and either swap the "<" and ">" characters, or swap "PageDown" and "PageUp" in it.
Alternatively you can just use my configuration above your post.

Thanks. Is there any way to get a crosshair going, or no?

Also trying to run the Steam version here, could you explain where the Dark Forces Plus files go?

Sure! As I've said, you need to move the "Dosbox" folder inside the "Game" folder (the dosbox.conf file doesn't actually matter). Then, you need to copy the Dark Forces Plus files inside the Game folder as well. You will then have to start the game using the "DarkForces+.exe".

How would you use custom missions with dark forces Plus? Thanks!

Does this work on Win 10?

Also I ran Dark Forces Plus into VirusTotal and 14 engines detected the file as malware. I am not sure if anyone else has told you about this.

Actually, the second post mentions a false positive with AVG. Here is what the creator of the mod said:

Awesome!!! Much better. I don't remember Dark Forces controls being so hard... but then again, back then before WASD we had all kinds of silly controls.

While this is great work and I appreciate any time and effort that people put into this amazing game-- can't you just change the controls in the setup.exe that comes with the game? You can set WASD and mouse-look, albeit only horizontally not vertically.

Still, awesome work!

That's the main catch. Looking up & down in Dark Forces can only be bound to keys, not mouse movement. That's why a program like GlovePie included here is needed. Also, I think some other keys can't be rebound.

Awesome! Really helpful making it compatible with my laptop sans formal mouse. Appreciate it!