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Wii Update 3.3 Defeats Twilight Hack, Freeloader

Posted by timothy on from the wii-wii-wii-all-the-way-home dept.

Richter X writes "The newest update to the Nintendo Wii's Menu, version 3.3, contains code specifically designed to find and kill the popular Twilight Hack used by homebrewers to play unauthorized code on the Wii. The update also prevents the Freeloader software used to play imported games on the Wii. However, it does not seem to affect the Homebrew Channel in Wiis that already have it installed. The updated code is currently being researched in order to find what code has been changed. So far it has been confirmed that Nintendo included specific instructions to target the Twilight Hack. Work is also being done to update the Twilight Hack in order to bypass this new code."

33 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Countdown by LameAssTheMity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wonder how long it will take to get around the newest most securest(tm) DRM EVER?!

    1. Re:Countdown by Chyeld · · Score: 4, Informative

      They've already found the bugs in the new code (which actually specificly looks for the TP hack save, rather than doing something nifty like verfiying saves in general) which will allow them to defeat it. The details aren't public but have been announced in general steps to many of the homebrew sites.

      If I weren't at work behind a filter that thinks homebrew is 'illegal software', I'd post a link to an article or two.

      But you should be able to check www.wiibrew.org... if I remember the URL. Sorry, I have bookmarkitis.

    2. Re:Countdown by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Is it a crack or a fixing of a bug/exploit? Home brew channel still works, mod chips still work, etc.

      Wouldn't complaining about Nintendo fixing a known exploit be like complaining about Microsoft fixing a known hole in XP?

      A known overflow/exploit is found.
      Company fixes known overflow/exploit.
      People outraged that you can't "crack" a box like you used to.

      You know that this might have fixed someone from remotely rooting your Wii?

    3. Re:Countdown by Joe+Snipe · · Score: 4, Informative

      hackmii.com/2008/06/june-16-wii-update/

      I'm guessing 48 hours?

      --
      Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...
    4. Re:Countdown by marcansoft · · Score: 4, Informative

      It took less than 12 hours for a fully working workaround. We haven't released it yet because the code needs a bit of cleanup and half of the team wasn't around when this whole thing happened so we need to make sure we're all on the same page.

      Details in hackmii.com. Short version: the detection code is buggy and can be tricked by exploiting two small bugs. No need to find a new hack, we can just "hack the antihack" and then use the same old hack.

      We're cleaning up code and committing everything to our internal source repos as I write this.

  2. Darn it by electricbern · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew I would regret installing this upgrade, but I can't help myself and not install an upgrade. I have an obsessive-compulsive upgrade installing disorder.

    --
    alias possession='chmod 666 satan && ls /dev > il && tail daemon.log'
    1. Re:Darn it by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2, Funny

      I knew I would regret installing this upgrade, but I can't help myself and not install an upgrade. I have an obsessive-compulsive upgrade installing disorder. What a minute, are you that guy that keeps buying those Star Wars dvds?
      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  3. Re:What about modders? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You should write to Nintendo asking for more documentation...

  4. But the Miis! by fatnickc · · Score: 4, Funny

    But.. but.. the update includes kick-ass-awesome-super-cool functionality too, to make up for the (now comparatively insignificant) loss! I mean, who wouldn't want to move Miis from the Plaza to the Parade? Exactly.

    1. Re:But the Miis! by fatnickc · · Score: 2, Funny

      To quote the message that appeared on my Wii from Nintended about the update, 'This update also ads a new feature to the Mii Channel. You can now move a Mii from the Mii Plaza to the Mii Parade. To do this, ...'. I am in Europe, though, so maybe Nintendo held off giving us this one for a while in case it just blew our minds with its promptness.

  5. Increased Usability by kellyb9 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Doesn't the allowance of "unauthorized code" increase the usability of a particular device? Regardless, I'm getting pretty sick of the trend of buying a physical product and being limited in what I'm allowed to do with it.

    1. Re:Increased Usability by Christianson · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I'm no expert or insider in the game industry at all, but console manufacturers have to be aware that a portion of their current success relative to PC gaming has to do with their platform standardization, the fact that games "just work" on consoles. Upgradeable system software is already a worrisome step away from that golden standard, and homebrew and system hacks are getting back into PC-level of complexity. Which is fine, as long as people recognize any problems they might have are a result of their own messing around, and not a fault of the console manufacturer. That's pretty much what their efforts accomplish, really. Certainly they haven't been able to stamp out homebrew.

      So it's not entirely unreasonable for console manufacturers to be taking this attitude. Should you be allowed to do whatever you want with your own hardware? Yes, but the hardware manufacturer has no obligation to make it easy for you.

    2. Re:Increased Usability by NewbieProgrammerMan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      ...I'm getting pretty sick of the trend of buying a physical product and being limited in what I'm allowed to do with it. It would appear that anyone who feels that way is in a minority so small that companies making physical products don't care.
      --
      [b.belong('us') for b in bases if b.owner() == 'you']
    3. Re:Increased Usability by SwordsmanLuke · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I understand (and agree with) your frustration. The reason for this (WRT video game consoles, anyway) is that unlocked hardware is one of the things that contributed to the fall of Atari back in the early 80s. In particular, the Atari 2600 had no barriers preventing people from writing their own cartridges for it. At first, this was a good thing, as it increased the overall value of the 2600. Later in life, however, Atari had managed to piss off many of it's best developers, who then spun off to create Activision. At the same time, plenty of shovelware companies were dumping everything they could onto the market. The result: if you wanted good games, you bought Activision titles. If you wanted cheap games, you bought the shovelware. Atari's own games weren't moving and since the market for new *consoles* was already pretty well saturated (the current upgrade treadmill of console development hadn't been invented yet), the bottom fell out of Atari's profits.

      Of course, shortly thereafter, the NES showed up - and one of it's main features was a hardware lock which prevented unauthorized software from running on it*. This has been the standard ever since.



      *This is, incidentally why you get the annoying gray screen when you try to play dirty NES carts - the contacts aren't making a good enough connection to transmit the unlock code.

      --
      Any plan which depends on a fundamental change in human behavior is doomed from the start.
    4. Re:Increased Usability by Stavr0 · · Score: 4, Funny

      *This is, incidentally why you get the annoying gray screen when you try to play dirty NES carts - the contacts aren't making a good enough connection to transmit the unlock code. Ah yes, the dreaded NES flashing blue screen of death. Just lift pin 4 from the 10NES chip and ground it. That effectively neuters the hardware lock. Shh. Don't tell Nintendo. They might get mad. ;-)
  6. Fuck NoE by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yeah, disable the Freeloader. Can't have Europeans get games for 33% cheaper and months earlier, can you? Everyone, bend over!

    I recall something about the developer promising updated Freeloader versions for free if your version gets obsoleted by the Firmware, anyone know if that's true?

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  7. WTF are you smoking by Moryath · · Score: 2, Insightful

    and why won't you share you stingy bastard?

    A flaw in an internet-aware OS: one thing.

    A flaw that requires someone to load a hacked savegame, and do something specific in a specific game?

    Further, the only difference between the two being that in the second case, the "flaw" is actually the FIX for the broken and stupid nature of the OS?

    Really now. I have right of first sale on my side. I bought *hardware*. If I want to load linux on it, that's my fucking business and Nintendo can go fuck themselves. The worst they can do is void my warranty and refuse to contract with me for servicing if the hardware fails.

    1. Re:WTF are you smoking by digitrev · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Look. These updates are not mandatory. My Wii currently is not connected to the internet and doing just fine. Even when it is, you have to set it up to install updates automatically. You should have known that by hacking a proprietary system that further updates would probably screw over your hack. Just be glad you didn't get bricked. Caveat emptor, my friend.

      --
      Cynical Idealist
    2. Re:WTF are you smoking by KillerBob · · Score: 3, Insightful

      some of the updates are manditory, and they do have the ability to force one through a game... I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart.

      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
    3. Re:WTF are you smoking by vux984 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart.

      You didn't have to play Mario Kart.

    4. Re:WTF are you smoking by Von+Helmet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Parent is correct. I agree that a person buying hardware has the right to do whatever they like with it. However, I'm not sure where people get the idea that a supplier is then obliged to support their non-standard hardware/firmware with regard to games or online services.

    5. Re:WTF are you smoking by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart. You didn't have to play Mario Kart. No, but he couldn't have returned it to the store either, since it had already been opened.
      --
      Track your TV Shows with your iPhone - FREE
    6. Re:WTF are you smoking by vux984 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, but he couldn't have returned it to the store either, since it had already been opened.

      Caveat emptor.

      As far as I'm concerned the moment you hack your console to do homebrew or whatever else, you forfeit the expectation that purchased software released in the future will work or be compatible.

      Next time rent the game before buying it. Or check on the net if there are issues with you 'homebrew' stuff before buying a title.

      Plus, at least with the case of MK:Wii he can sell it easily.... MK:Wii in particular probably sell quickly... its been sold out every time I've tried getting one in the last month.

    7. Re:WTF are you smoking by ADRA · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah, well, maybe I'll rip out the DVD and replace it with some super l33t faster reading one and I'll just expect it to work with all future Wii games.

      Oh, that's right. The second I do something not specifically authorized by Nintendo, I'm off the support chain and left to rot. I may feel raw about it, but ultimately its my responsibility for introducing the unintended process.

      --
      Bye!
    8. Re:WTF are you smoking by KillerBob · · Score: 2, Insightful

      As far as I'm concerned the moment you hack your console to do homebrew or whatever else, you forfeit the expectation that purchased software released in the future will work or be compatible.


      Oh, I agree with you fully. I haven't hacked my Wii, and I have no intention of doing so. I have an HTPC and a laptop computer for stuff like that, and have absolutely no reason to void the warranty on my console. I bought the console for specifically that reason: so I can buy games for years to come and have no worries about whether it'll work, or whether I'll have to spend hundreds of dollars every 2 years to keep it up to date. The fact that the Wii was cheaper than a new computer in the first place was just a pleasant bonus.
      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
  8. Piracy by Gogo0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Mind that this *likely* has less to do with homebrew and more to do with the ability to pirate virtual console titles, which is trivial to do at this point.

    That said, there is some cool stuff being done with the virtual console files (wads). You can inject normal roms into the wad file and play games that nintendo hasnt yet released (or never will) on the virtual console. That said, its a lot easier to simply play the roms in an emulator on the homebrew channel...

    Personally, I dont condone the VC piracy, but nintendo wont allow me to purchase and play Dracula X: Rondo of Blood on the VC (because i have a USA wii and the game was only released on the JPN VC), so i 'had' (yes, i can live without it) to grab the wad, region-free it, and install it on my USA wii to play.

    Lastly, there are already workarounds that have been found, though not yet released. Apparently this fix against the twilight hack was so specific in its implementation it will only break this *exact* exploit. It still isnt a good idea to update you wii right now, but this is more interesting a development (that this was the primary reason for the patch) than a show-stopper.

  9. Too busy playing to care by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Am I the only person here who doesn't really care about this? I mean, let's ignore pirated games and actually playing (gasp!) the games released for the console. In terms of homebrew games, the Wiimote has had fairly fully-featured modules on most major operating systems for quite some time, so one could, in theory, write games on said operating systems using the Wii's most notable feature (inventive accelerometer-based controls with IR tracking). With far more processing power and storage space, too, and a much wider distribution for...

    Oh, wait, I forgot, I'm doing it wrong again. I forgot that the sole use of any video game console is to endlessly play Chrono Trigger on an on-console emulator l33tly hacked on it until the next emulator-console is released. Silly me.

  10. At least it's not bricked... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Normally I'm against companies attempting to limit what I do with my hardware, but here I don't really see the problem. It's not like Nintendo completely bricked my Wii when I used the Twilight Hack after updating.

    And to the "they force the patches in the games" people, quit your bitching. You don't have to download the patch. You are welcome to use your hardware as you please, now your bitching that you can't use a piece of software on an unsupported platform.

    If it means that much to you get a second one to just play on. Unless you really think Nintendo is obligated to support our hacks. I don't think they are, in fact, I'm overjoyed that I don't now have a completely useless bricked piece of hardware since i updated.

  11. Nothing in the previous OS by Moryath · · Score: 2, Interesting

    would have prevented Mario Kart from running except for a little "check for OS version X" flag.

    It was Nintendo's way of trying to force updates.

    I call foul.

  12. Who would install the update... by kevind23 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...when right in the update notice text Nintendo says it will destroy "invalid" save files, referring indirectly to the TP chainloader?

  13. PSP firmware cat-and-mouse by tepples · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I found it terribly amusing that you just describe my perception of the PSP vs the Wii (the PSP being the modifiable, parent co. does not give a fuck device.) If Sony Computer Entertainment doesn't give a secks about people modifying their PSP systems, then what was the cat and mouse game through PSP firmware versions 1.51 through 3.51 supposed to represent?
  14. General guideline by StarKruzr · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Control of a consumer device should belong to the end-user, not to the corporation that produced it.

    --

    +++ATH0
    1. Re:General guideline by SaDan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You have control over the device, 100%. After purchasing the Wii, you never ever have to put a game in, or connect it to the internet.

      If someone wanted to hack on the Wii, but also play games, I think it would make sense to purchase two units.

      Nintendo is going to do updates to a Wii to add functionality or fix issues when new games are released, there's no way around that.