How to couple Desktop Gaming PC to Laptop for Streaming?

[motaro38]

Hi guys, how are you all. I have a desktop gaming PC I built a couple years ago, and a laptop about the same age, and although my laptop is a bit weaker due to onboard GFX card, the processor/memory are essentially the same; it's a very nice 17" HP laptop that was bequeathed to me and is just sitting here, so would be nice to make use of it. Being able to share my gaming stream would be useful even just to save my content, with broadcasting live as a neat option. I've never streamed before, but used to work in IT and build pcs/set up networks etc. for a living, so want to figure this out, and hope you guys can help. I would like to do a little twitch streaming, and would like to know how to either:

1. hook my desktop up to my laptop(somehow) to use desktop as the gaming pc handling the game and the laptop handling the streaming
   or
2. desktop handles all the work(game+stream), and laptop is used, via it's built-in webcam, to video me while I game, and this video would be in it's own smaller window in a corner of screen, as the rest of screen is taken up by the game being streamed by desktop. (perhaps using a webcam on desktop and allowing laptop to stream game+desktop webcam better?)
3. From research I see there are several ways to hook 2 computers up, via hd cable, from what I see this can't be done with just a cable and requires something like the Elgato hd60s, but this is expensive(to me). I've heard there are ways to hook computers up via ethernet cable, though a bit more complex. I'b be wiling to look into this option as I have plenty of cable, extra switches, know my way away around a router from port forwarding all the way to 3rd party firmware to turn wrt45g's and other routers into access points, wireless bridges, etc., so hopefully if this path is a good idea for me I'd be able to comprehend it.
4. I am also wondering if the streaming program and/or twitch can take in streams from 2 computers/sources at once into one stream/broadcast, allowing for the webcam video on laptop to be streamed along with gaming from screen capture stream on desktop. Also, it would be neat if laptop could do all the streaming, both desktop's game video, as well as laptop's own webcam, relieving strain on desktop.

Anyway, I'm not sure if any of the above is possible, or how, though I did do some basic research. If I could get some basic or even more complex answers that would be great. Any answers would be great, thank you.

Steve
(if there is another sub-forum to post this, let me know or move it, thanks)