Let us start here, from square one. No, from Zero!

hooks/input/dinput8/hook.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#include "hook.h"
+
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <dinput.h>
+
+#include "util/detour.h"
+#include "util/logging.h"
+
+#include "fake_backend.h"
+
+//static decltype(DirectInput8Create) *DirectInput8Create_orig = nullptr;
+
+static HRESULT WINAPI DirectInput8Create_hook(
+        HINSTANCE hinst,
+        DWORD dwVersion,
+        REFIID riidltf,
+        LPVOID *ppvOut,
+        LPUNKNOWN punkOuter)
+{
+    log_misc("input::dinput8", "DirectInput8Create hook hit");
+
+    if (ppvOut == nullptr) {
+        return E_POINTER;
+    }
+
+    *ppvOut = new FakeIDirectInput8W();
+
+    return DI_OK;
+}
+
+void hooks::input::dinput8::init(HMODULE module) {
+
+    /*
+     * This is for the games using DirectInput for keyboard/gamepad controls themselves,
+     * for things such as debug controls. We don't want that, neither do we want the game to
+     * interfere with our RawInput stuff.
+     */
+
+    log_info("input::dinput8", "attaching...");
+
+    // patch IAT
+    detour::iat_try("DirectInput8Create", DirectInput8Create_hook, module, "dinput8.dll");
+
+    /*
+    if (DirectInput8Create_orig == nullptr) {
+        DirectInput8Create_orig = orig;
+    }
+    */
+
+    log_info("input::dinput8", "attached");
+}