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First Mod Chip For GameCube
Cuber writes "The first modification chip for Nintendo's GameCube console has been announced. It will allow users to boot homebrew applications, loaders and BIOS'. Until now hackers where using an exploit in the game Phantasy Star Online and a broadband adapter to be able to load homebrew software like GC-Linux over a network connection but now they'll be able to run code directly from flash memory.
The mod chip will require to solder only 4 wires and while the device comes empty it's not impossible to think 3rd party loaders will come that allow you to boot copied games."
there a shitpile of mod chips for X-Box, PS-2, etc.....
Because xbox was extremely easy to hack being based on x86. Playstation 2 hacking came quick because of demand (look at sales of PS2 vs. GC)
I cannot wait until the next gen of consoles to see who gets the homebrew hay-day.
Because Gamecube uses their own disc format, no one can copy the games because consumer level burners aren't available.
Therefore if no one can copy the games there is no real market to have them. Having said that shouldn't the price of games be going down due to lack of piracy?
The main problem is usefullness. The Gamecube dosn't have a harddrive or DVD/CD-ROM drive. So there isn't really a simple way to download games and play them on it.
Face it, no one is modding an xbox or ps2 to run linux, 99% of mod chips are being used to play games without buying them. Running linux is just an extra feature.
God, root, what is the difference?
I do, and alot of people I know do; There are many excellent titles available for the GC and it's classification in certain circles as a console for kiddies is unwarrented and frankly incorrect. The majority of people I know who own Gamecubes are 20somethings, partly because as an agegroup we remember the haydays of Sega and Nintendo and partly because we're not drawn to the perception of having a console for 'mature' gamers with 'mature' games; we realise the marketing as such is infact aimed at 13-16 year old boys primerilly. Violence does not make a mature game, silly amounts of needless gore does not make a mature game...
There's mischief and malarkies but no queers or yids or darkies within this bastard's carnival, this vicious cabaret.
Phantasy Star Online downloads a piece of executable code from Sega's server every time you run it. The PSOLoad program pretends to be Sega's server. I'll take an educated guess that the bug was that PSO didn't check any sort of digital signature on the code.
Normally if I saw something like this, I'd say let the lawsuits begin! Nintendo is infamous for its fierce protection of its properties. But in this case I don't expect to see that anytime soon. Why? Because of the funky mini dvd format the GC uses, practically speaking, only homebrew software is going to take advantage of the mod chip. So Nintendo will be hard pressed to argue that the mod chip was created to facilitate piracy. By the time anyone comes up with a way to make pirate game GC disks cheap and easy, the GC 2 will be out and no one will care any more.
That said, I'm sure there's some factory in China pumping out pirate copies of GC games like crazy. But that certainly is not in response to the release of this mod chip.
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
Easy: Hacker types aren't into the GameCube, its targeted at kids.
There's nothing kiddy about the CPU and RAM. Unless your talking about people making modchips to pirate games, then the target audience (which you got mostly wrong) doesnt make a shitting differnce.
My guess? Well the PS2 came out first, so thats an obvious, then the xbox is basically a PC, so that was easy, but also a fun challenge to get past MS's protections. Also, as you said, Nintendo uses proprietary formats.
I think there is wisdom in your comedy..
The Xbox, Dreamcast and PS2 have had all their games traded on P2P, usenet, and through other channels. The guys in chinese towns who sell pirated DVDs can't do anything with GC discs, so they aren't able to go to the PC and make copies.
The Gamecube has not suffered from any of these problems, and since the SPA says piracy costs companies/consumers billions every year, then why has the lack of piracy on the GC not caused them to sell their products for less?
Whoah there sparky, I'd say Xbox Media Centre is a pretty big feature.
Of couse people often use it to play copied media so the point is kinda redundant.
The point still stands though Xbox Media Centre is truely the killer app for the Xbox.