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Nintendo Blocks Homebrew Installation

Posted by kdawson on from the see-how-long-that-lasts dept.

ElementC writes "Sometime yesterday Nintendo uploaded the latest Wii system update. This update quietly patches a few bugs that allowed the installation of both homebrew and warez apps. Currently installed apps such as the Homebrew Channel and the video DVD library, DVDX, are reportedly not affected. Those not installing this update are blocked out of the Wii Shop channel and in the future may be blocked out of certain games. Team Twiizers cracked the last update within about eight hours. They're already on the case. Readers familiar with the architecture of the Wii will find the list of currently discovered changes interesting."

61 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. Homebrew Wii-ns again by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If there's anything we have learned from the homebrews on the PSP, it's that people involved in firmware cracking are a resourceful bunch, always a step ahead of the big companies running around with a trowel and mortar to plug the leaks in the dam. Expect your favorite Wii homebrew to be restored to business as usual within a day or two.

    1. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As a remorseless pedant I feel obliged to observe that by outsmarting the manufacturer after the new firmware comes out, the hackers are surely one or more steps behind the big companies. When the homebrew community anticipates upcoming fixes and pre-emptively beats them, then I'll concede that they are indeed one step ahead.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    2. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Ahh but what if they had anticipated the fix, pre-emptively beat them, and then feigned ignorance for a few days to make the companies think that they had outsmarted the hackers.

      Only to find out that they themselves were victims of a double-cross, but the real joke is that it wasn't even a cross since the hackers were employees that were posing as hackers to lull the homebrew community into installing their code. The result is that the homebrew community has been slowly installing pieces of a much more vast program conceived in the secret vaults underneat the Washington Monument. The true nature of these fixes won't be known until the third high tide past the winter solstice when the tidal forces on the wii controllers motion sensors will signal the code to execute.

      There is more, but you will

      --
      Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
    3. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Aphoxema · · Score: 5, Funny

      You know too much.

      --
      "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
    4. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by idontgno · · Score: 5, Funny

      There is more, but you will

      ...press "Submit" prematurely, leaving the entire /crowd in the agony of suspense?

      Well played, well played.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    5. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Kozz · · Score: 3, Funny

      Are you by chance Sicilian?

      --
      I only post comments when someone on the internet is wrong.
    6. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Shade+of+Pyrrhus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      A Sicilian? On Slashdot? Inconceivable!

    7. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by KillerBob · · Score: 5, Funny

      You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
    8. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Oh, yes, that's exactly what I would hope they would do. A hacking team that had Sony's PSP fixes continuosly outfoxed ahead of time would completely change the game and perhaps encourage manufacturers to let us tinker.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    9. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by marcansoft · · Score: 5, Interesting

      When the homebrew community anticipates upcoming fixes and pre-emptively beats them, then I'll concede that they are indeed one step ahead.

      That's pretty much what happened. We've been sitting on more exploits for ages, and it took us two hours to make one work after the update. Expect public release in, oh, a day or so.

      We're several steps ahead. Their code is too buggy.

    10. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Funny

      You know too much.

      No, he just read the script to National Treasure 3: The Unix Bible

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    11. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by liquidsin · · Score: 4, Funny

      from the way his post ends, i'd say knew too much...

      --
      do not read this line twice.
    12. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by hvm2hvm · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe he just couldn't write more of that. That happens to me when I have an idea and want to post about it but while writing it I start to see that it was pretty dumb so I submit whatever it's in there to get it off my head.
      This post starts to feel like that too. Or maybe it's just

      --
      ics
    13. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Tatsh · · Score: 3, Interesting

      There is a LOT of attention and appreciation for these hackers. I think these hackers love that and that they continue to be successful at cracking open basically a 'virtual safe'. They are cracking things that the companies who make the products want none of. If a company is open to user modifications, that hardly qualifies as 'cracking', as a company like that would probably release specifications, etc.

      For the individual hacker, it is definitely a feeling of 'I have beat them at their own game'. And for both the hacker and the community, it is that and a statement like 'We will continue cracking until you give us what we want'. What people want is subjective. Some strictly would like to see homebrew allowed legally on all consoles. Some would like to be able to use backups as well as legitimate copies of their games. Regardless, a very high number of the users of homebrew, modchips, and other modifications to consoles enjoy being able to play downloaded games without having to pay for them.

      These products are definitely 'defective by design'. The whole scheme of video game selling has always been to screw over a consumer. Today you cannot return a game if you legitimately dislike it after playing (ridiculous considering some are $50+). You also legally cannot make a backup copy and use that to keep the original safe 5 year olds and optical discs? As if. And when they get ruined, does the company give you a new copy when you send in your old one? Very few do. So 90% of the time you are stuck buying a new copy if you want to stay all legal.

      To the companies involved: give us at least A) homebrew ability (and free development tools and full access to the console (that means you, Sony) for at the least non-commercial use), and B) backup ability (that includes PC games!).

    14. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by Junior+J.+Junior+III · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ahh but what if they had anticipated the fix, pre-emptively beat them, and then feigned ignorance for a few days to make the companies think that they had outsmarted the hackers.

      Clearly, they would have a dizzying intellect.

      --
      You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
    15. Re:Homebrew Wii-ns again by aywwts4 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Twelve hours after this story was posted "from the see-how-long-that-lasts dept".....

      http://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Shop_and_IOS51_installer

      Wii Shop and IOS51 installer
      From WiiBrew
      Jump to: navigation, search

      Wii Shop and IOS51 installer is a very quick modification of PatchMii modified by Muzer that does one thing: It installs the new IOS51 and Wii Shop Channel, without installing the patches to all the other IOSes. This means that as long as you didn't update, you can now install this to use the Wii Shop Channel but keep all the benefits of not having the update.

      Anybody at all could have made this, just everyone is too busy at the moment, so I figured I would make it. It's literally modifying 4 lines of code and commenting out a bunch of stuff. Because of this I didn't bother to include the source in the package, but if anyone wants me to, I'll happily include it.

      This does not have the same effects as updating, so you get the best of both worlds.

      You can do this on any system menu version and it will work fine, keeping the system menu version you have.

      I made the program as two separate dol files, because it's easier and quicker for me that way, if this lasts a while I'll make a version that combines the two files.

      NOTE: TAKE OUT ANY GAMECUBE MEMORY CARDS/CONTROLLERS AND USB DEVICES BEFORE INSTALLING ANYTHING. The first time one person installed the IOS51, and Shop Channel. One person had a Gamecube memory card, and a wireless adapter in the Wii, and it didn't install correctly. But after taking out all Gamecube items, re-installed everything and it worked fine. Axelpaxel was the one that found that USB devices did it too.

      Instructions: Simply load one file, then the other. It does not matter in which order you load them. Use any method.

      Releases by Muzer
      Wii Shop and IOS51 installer v1: version 1
      Wii Shop and IOS51 installer v2: version 2 (This version includes a bugfix)
      Source code: Source

      Releases by tona
      This version will install both IOS51 and the Shop Channel in the same installer and will also patch the signature hash check out of IOS51 for you (fakesign bug).

      --
      Web Developers: Celebrate to our roots! Animated Gifs and Tiled Backgrounds, dont let our history die!
  2. Can't win, just go with it by hansamurai · · Score: 3, Interesting

    8 hours is significant because I believe for that update, Nintendo had something like a three or four month development, testing, release schedule. This is of course not out of the norm for an update that will affect millions of people, but I can't imagine how much money was put into "fixing" the homebrew problem only for it to be cracked again in hours.

    --
    Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
    1. Re:Can't win, just go with it by tepples · · Score: 4, Informative

      8 hours is significant because I believe for that update, Nintendo had something like a three or four month development, testing, release schedule.

      It was actually a half year cycle. Nintendo released IOS37, and it got a few months of production testing. Then Nintendo released IOS30 and IOS31 with the signing bug fix backported from IOS37, and it also got a few months of production testing. Now we're seeing the signing bug fix in every IOS major version.

    2. Re:Can't win, just go with it by v1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The difference is they have a pocketful of known exploits they can use. They only implement one. Months later it's patched out. Then they can just get out their list and see which one they're going to use next. Maybe the update eliminated one of the options, maybe it added a few more that they will discover and add to their list in the next few months. That's the difference - preparedness, turn-around time. They're doing their R&D while they already have a working exploit in place. Then when that one stops working, they've got one waiting in the wing to be polished and rolled out.

      That's the difference between when the next salvo gets fired. Own the box, wait 4 months, patch. Take another 8 days, owned again. Another 4 month wait for the next patch maybe? You can't possibly say the hackers aren't ahead of the curve here.

      --
      I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    3. Re:Can't win, just go with it by lysergic.acid · · Score: 4, Interesting

      what on earth are you talking about? so some locksmith who spend 2 years to design a lock that a thief cracks in 2 minutes means that the thief spent 2 years and 8 hours to crack the lock? i'm sorry, but your logic is severely wanting.

      crackers don't take credit for the new features that hardware vendors add to firmware updates (if there are any), they're merely credited for bypassing the security/DRM/defective-by-design (pick your favorite) mechanisms the vendor added to prevent users from running homebrew. in the case of PSP, most firmware updates don't add any real value to the PSP. they're merely released to break the forward-compatibility of old/cracked firmwares so that users would have to update to OFW to play newly released games. that's why many people simply continue to run CFW based off of an older firmware version.

      if vendors didn't intentionally cripple their devices in firmware then hackers wouldn't have to crack the firmware to enable homebrew development on these platforms. both the vendor and the homebrew developers' time and resources could be better spent on improving the platform rather than participating in this fruitless arms race. and often it's homebrew developers that add more value to a system through CFW than the official firmware updates that just cripple the system.

      for instance, the M33 CFW for the PSP allowed early adopters who purchased the PSP-1000 (which Sony has apparently turned their backs on) to actually use VoIP (Furikup) on their PSP--a feature that the Sony update only gave to the PSP-2000. and Furikup actually has more robust features than the Skype add-on of Sony's OFW.

      what's silly is someone who obviously has no clue about how homebrew works, or what it is, commenting about homebrew development and the efforts of the hackers who make it possible.

  3. Any actual changes to the Wii Shop Channel? by glindsey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Did the update actually do anything to the Wii Shop Channel (other than making it inaccessible without the update)? Or was that simply a ruse to get everybody to apply an update that is really designed for a totally different purpose?

    1. Re:Any actual changes to the Wii Shop Channel? by Goose42 · · Score: 5, Informative

      It renamed Wii Points to Nintendo Points, and added clearer warnings about what controllers you have to own in order to play a game before you purchase the game.

    2. Re:Any actual changes to the Wii Shop Channel? by Kjella · · Score: 5, Informative

      Did the update actually do anything to the Wii Shop Channel (other than making it inaccessible without the update)? Or was that simply a ruse to get everybody to apply an update that is really designed for a totally different purpose?

      Many systems that work with an online service have a policy that you must have the latest version and if you don't it'll be upgraded first, even those where there's no such ulterior motive to be found. I think it's mostly a case of ease of testing and support, rather than test a huge range of versions all they need to know is that build 23425 of the client works with build 5435 of the server. If someone calls support and have a problem with the service, everything is where you'd expect things to be in the latest version. Of course to them it's not a downside that things like homebrew are blocked either, but I don't think it's the main reason.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  4. Remember when... by SirCowMan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I saw the update message on the Wii this morning, lame. Unauthorized software? Remember the time when software updates added functionality and/or fixed bugs? Rather than trying to limit your use of your own hardware (or is it leased now?) and protect the suppliers own revenue streams. While I haven't (yet) played around with the homebrew channel, and probably won't for a couple months (newborn due shortly!), I'm skipping this 'update' out of disgust.

    --
    !Equality through palindromes semordnilap hguorht ytilauqE!
    1. Re:Remember when... by moderatorrater · · Score: 4, Insightful

      if you want to think about it in terms of limiting the use of the hardware, then they're not doing anything of the sort. The only thing you get out of these fixes are online play and the ability to use their online store, both of which are value added services which require effort on the part of Nintendo to run and maintain. You're welcome to do whatever you want with the hardware, but if you don't use their firmware, you don't get to use their other services. In this case, it seems perfectly reasonable to me.

      We should be complaining about the other locked down hardware that we get, like cell phones, where we're paying for the service and the hardware and get to use neither like we'd like. The Wii could be used almost to its fullest potential without installing a single update, but you can't say that about the iphone.

    2. Re:Remember when... by Duradin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I don't see it as limiting the use of your own hardware.

      It's limiting the use of your modified hardware with Nintendo's servers and software. Just because you have the ability to take hardware out of spec does not mean the original manufacturer *has* to continue to interact with your modded hardware.

      If the homebrew and various activities of questionable legality offer more value to you than Nintendo's services why even bother with Nintendo updates? Unless you want to eat your cake and have it too by expecting Nintendo to do the extra work necessary to make sure their services play nicely with your out of spec hardware and, more importantly, that your out of spec hardware plays nicely with their services.

      Now if the Wii, or any console, was touted as a general purpose computer, restricting its use would be dirty pool. Though when you purchase a console, you know you are buying a device made for a specific purpose. Perhaps you can change it to do other things, but it is rather silly and selfish to expect the manufacturer to welcome this now foreign hardware with open arms.

      For some extra disclosure, I run a cycloDS setup on my DS Lite. I got tired of having GBA carts protrude from the case. Not having to carry all the carts along (using roms made from my own carts only) is a big bonus. Now if there came a along a patch that would break compatibility with the cycloDS, I wouldn't install it, unless whatever the patch was for was worth giving up the flash carts OR purchasing a new DS to run the new firmware and whatever game or feature that needed the patch. I am totally aware of the fact that while the DS has the capability to be more of a general purpose platform that is not the way Nintendo intended it to be used and that in using such a way that it is not Nintendo's responsibility to keep their goods compatible with my modified system.

    3. Re:Remember when... by marcansoft · · Score: 2, Informative

      They patched *bugs*. Which we happened to use to run homebrew.

      There has never been a way of running homebrew except via bugs.

    4. Re:Remember when... by tepples · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Now if the Wii, or any console, was touted as a general purpose computer, restricting its use would be dirty pool.

      The failure is that since the 8-bit microcomputers of the 1980s, there really hasn't been a general purpose computer that's marketed by its manufacturer for use with a television.

    5. Re:Remember when... by khellendros1984 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How about new games that require updates to the newest firmware? The ones that auto-update the system the first time that you stick the disk in? Sometimes, core functionality of the system requires a forced update.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  5. Re:Wiimote by RaceProUK · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yes, as Sony will soon update their firmware to allow community developed apps to be sold... Wait, I'm thinking of Microsoft.

    --
    No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
  6. Homebrew channel - worth it? by Mr_Silver · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Serious question, is it really worth installing the Homebrew channel if you don't plan to do any development and don't have any intention of buying a classic controller?

    I took a look at what was offered about 2 months ago and nothing that was developed really made me want to rush out and install the channel. Don't get me wrong, people are doing great things, but I just ended up saying "meh" and went about playing Super Mario Galaxy.

    If I want emulators I can get that on the PSP now and the control system is better suited for the task. If I want DVD playback, then I already have a great Philips box which does DivX too.

    So ... is there something absolutely fantastic which I'm missing out on?

    --
    Avantslash - View Slashdot cleanly on your mobile phone.
    1. Re:Homebrew channel - worth it? by krakelohm · · Score: 3, Funny

      Damn, who pissed in your Cheerios?

      --
      You are all a bunch of idots.
    2. Re:Homebrew channel - worth it? by arotenbe · · Score: 2, Funny

      So ... is there something absolutely fantastic which I'm missing out on?

      Well, you can install Ocarina and spam infinite blue shells in MarioKart Wii wifi...

      --
      Tomato wedge sperm darts that are Republican.
    3. Re:Homebrew channel - worth it? by Theoboley · · Score: 3, Informative

      That was me. I did it.

      --
      Stupidity only gets you so far, then you've gotta try
    4. Re:Homebrew channel - worth it? by FictionPimp · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Is format shifting a form of piracy? I bought a whole ton of nintendo and super nintendo games and I still own them. If I could rip the roms from them what is wrong with using the homebrew to play those roms via an emulator?

    5. Re:Homebrew channel - worth it? by Carnildo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Is format shifting a form of piracy? I bought a whole ton of nintendo and super nintendo games and I still own them. If I could rip the roms from them what is wrong with using the homebrew to play those roms via an emulator?

      To the best of my knowlege, there is nothing wrong, legally or morally, with format-shifting games you already own. In order to be strictly legal, you need to do the ROM-dumping yourself rather than downloading ROM images someone else has already dumped. Running an emulator is totally legal -- this was tested in court back in the early 90s when the first console emulators came out.

      --
      "They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
  7. Re:Account blocking? by harrkev · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Honesty, why bother? I have not seen any Wii homebrew stuff compelling enough to risk bricking my Wii. I am not an expert on this, but here is my take: you can add the following applications:

    * Pirated stuff (WiiWare, virtual console, Wii game copies). I am not into piracy at all. I believe in paying for the stuff that I use. Not interested

    * Mame. This is interesting. Still "borderline" piracy, but I can at least understand this. Still, I am not that much into old games when there are so many good new ones out.

    * DVD Player. Wow, I can avoid spending $30 on a dedicated DVD player, AND get more wear and tear on the DVD drive motor. Plus, with the Wii fan running, dust accumulation on the heat sinks will be accelerated. The risk of bricking is just a bonus.

    I have not really heard of any "must-have" homebrew games for the Wii.

    Now, hacking a DS does seem cool. Some people have made some nice DS music synthesis software. Then again, I am still waiting for the DS-10 to be released. That is on my "must buy" list to sit beside my Korg Kaossilator.

    --
    "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
  8. Re:At this point, why? by TheCycoONE · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Your comment suggests there may not be any utilitarian reason to hack the Wii, and there may not be much; but the question suggests you don't understand hackers and hacker culture very well. More often than not, it's not to gain any utilitarian advantage, but for the pure fun of doing something unintended or frowned upon by the original manufacture of the device. It's the same reason numerous universities have traditions where (particularly engineering) students place objects in unusual places.

  9. Re:Account blocking? by tepples · · Score: 5, Informative

    DVD Player. Wow, I can avoid spending $30 on a dedicated DVD player, AND get more wear and tear on the DVD drive motor.

    I think the draw of playing DVD-Video and DivX video on the Wii was supposed to be the fact that a DVD player takes shelf space (especially in Japan and other locales with overpriced real estate), and you need an extra set of five cables going into your switch box.

  10. TV system doesn't match; rating systems by tepples · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I live in Australia and many games (especially Nintendo and Capcom titles) take weeks, if not months longer to reach here after their US release.

    I can think of two reasons:

    For one thing, game consoles are typically used with large displays called "TVs". TVs in New Zealand and Australia run slower than North American TVs. A lot of games' physics are based on a time quantum based on that of the TV's vertical retrace, and developers need to retune the physics, retest all the levels to compensate for this.

    Some video games include depictions of violence or sex that the community deems unsuitable for small children. The standards and practices differ from country to country, and rating boards in each country classify each game based on local standards. It takes time to remove depictions that would result in a refusal to classify a game.

    1. Re:TV system doesn't match; rating systems by jassa · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yet somehow other publishers manage to overcome these issues and have near-simultaneous worldwide releases! Amazing!

      Most televisions in Australia and New Zealand support both NTSC and PAL signals, and HD televisions (which are becoming more and more common) use 720p/1080i/1080p which are standard HD resolutions worldwide.

      As for classification problems, the removal of content for reclassification purposes is not nearly as common as you might believe. Maybe one in a hundred games actually have to be edited after the initial classification submission.

    2. Re:TV system doesn't match; rating systems by jo_ham · · Score: 3, Informative

      Every TV since the rise of consoles, pretty much, has been capable of running NTSC signals, or even PAL signals using a 60Hz refresh rate.

      You'd be hard pressed to find a TV that had ports on it for attaching a console that couldn't flip between different systems at will based on the input signal.

      The distribution rights tend to be the thing that really slows down the release of games, videos and music in a region - it's almost never a technical problem any more.

    3. Re:TV system doesn't match; rating systems by jo_ham · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I was talking about in Europe, Aus and any other region of the world where NTSC isn't the primary TV system.

      Every single European TV I have seen that has RCA ports on it since the mid 90s or earlier has been able to function with at least PAL and NTSC signals. More modern ones can handle anything you can throw at them.

      I have a wide selection of Region 1 and Region 2 DVDs and an unlocked DVD player and I've never come across a TV that I can't play those US DVDs on (and the DVD player doesn't change the disc to PAL, it outputs in NTSC when a region 1 disc is played).

      Maybe US TVs are all NTSC only, but here in Europe, they are all multi format.

    4. Re:TV system doesn't match; rating systems by TBoon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      From what I've heard the reason is that consumer TV's mostly are designed in either USA or Japan, both NTSC/60hz regions. Those NTSC designs are then modified to handle PAL/50hz signals, without discarding compability.

      The nice thing about it was that PAL TVs could handle "everything". The downside was that the "modified NTSC" solution didn't display PAL signals as well as a native PAL design would have been capable of.

      No idea is it is actually the real reason, but it made sense at the time... (As in the 10-20 years before flat panels took over)

  11. Blocking owners? by Drakin020 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Those not installing this update are blocked out of the Wii Shop channel and in the future may be blocked out of certain games.

    Uh, so let's say Jimmy purchases a Wii, takes it home with his new game and tries to play but it won't let him because the Wii has yet to be updated.

    Are you saying that now Wii owners are required to have Internet access in order to update the console to let them play games?

    --
    The greatest revenge in life is massive success.
    1. Re:Blocking owners? by krakelohm · · Score: 3, Informative

      I believe games that require an update will come with the update on the game DVD as well. Mario Galaxy was this way.

      --
      You are all a bunch of idots.
    2. Re:Blocking owners? by jassa · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Interesting fact: Although the game discs force you to update, the games themselves often don't actually require the update. I don't endorse game piracy, but I did investigate the piracy scene while waiting for Smash Bros. Brawl to be released in Australia and was surprised to discover the pirated version had the update stripped out of the iso, and could still be played with no problems.

      Apparently this was also true for every other game that had previously come bundled with an update.

  12. Re:Wiimote by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2, Funny

    Stick that wiimote in your assholes, faggot WEE owners!

    You should have got a Playstation 3, the TRUE winner :P

    What's the point of the anal wiimote installation? To simulate the expense of buying one? Looking for a lil sympathy?

    --

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

  13. Sid Meier's Pirates! by tepples · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So if you use the homebrew firmware on the Wii, you can raid ships on the high seas?

    Exactly. If you crack your Wii for homebrew and install an NES emulator, you can play an infringing copy of the NES version of Sid Meier's Pirates! (1991). Just make sure to use Twilight Hack to install the DVD driver and the Homebrew Channel before you put on the new IOS.

  14. When will they update Flash and Opera? by edmicman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When will they update their Flash player? I paid 5 bucks to have big screen streaming web p-, er, videos, and all that seems to work is YouTube. WTF?

  15. sad... by motang · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I had to take off all my homebrew apps just to do the update...it's a cat and mouse game.

  16. Uhm.... by Moryath · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's essentially what happens.

    The PSP hackers (Dark Alex in particular) pretty much know every trick Sony has in their arsenal. The only unknown is which particular bit Sony is going to try in each time (what the particular decompression keys will be for example). Making a new PSP custom firmware for these guys is really pretty straightforward; they unpack the firmware, doublecheck their CFW code against the new code, doublecheck any newly-appearing functions, and release the patched version that pretty much patches the same bullcrap stuff that's just been in each official firmware release since 2.00.

    It's the companies that are reacting - they "patch" for the repairs the "hackers" have made to restore proper function to their Defective-By-Design products. With this latest bit, I fully expect we're going to start to see PSP-style custom firmware installations for the Wii that begin to open the platform up more fully and allow it greater flexibility to be used to its fullest capability.

    1. Re:Uhm.... by Sockatume · · Score: 2

      That certainly explains a lot about the marvellous state of the PSP homebrew scene.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    2. Re:Uhm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The marvelous thing about the PSP homebrew scene is that the homebrew people have found a way to hack the battery using software so that it makes the original PSP and the PSP Slim boot off the memory stick, so in essence, the only thing Sony can do about it is release new hardware. The PSP is cracked wide open. Sony recently tried to lock custom firmware users out of their new PlayStation Store app on the PSP, and a workaround was discovered within hours. A no-hassle workaround was released just a few days ago. Sony is pretty much powerless to stop homebrew on the PSP now.

  17. Upgrade the Internet channel flash player already by Jabbrwokk · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I agree it's good to have everyone running the same update for service and support purposes, but this update really doesn't seem to do anything important.

    Instead of wasting time developing an update to block a handful of people from hacking their Wiis, why doesn't Nintendo put their time and development cycles into upgrading the freaking Internet channel flash player already. It's over a year and a half out of date and more and more flash videos are unplayable on the Wii as websites upgrade to the newest version. At least Youtube still works (mostly).

    I know I can just go use my computer, but it's fun to watch Internet videos on my couch (and streaming TV shows) instead of having everyone huddle around the computer monitor.

  18. Re:Nice Update by KaiUno · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh come on. You're aware of the backup loader that's circulating, right? Folks are playing games illegally via a software mod. Only thing you need is Twilight Princess to get the stuff to work. First version was a bit slow, but there's a highly anticipated followup which is being tested righ now that plays virtually every game at regular speeds. You moan about Nintendo trying to stop this? Believe me, slashdot is talking about homebrew when in actuality it's all about being able to play backups. Without the hassle of getting a chip soldered in.

  19. What brand of dumper? by tepples · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If I could rip the roms from [my NES and Super NES Game Paks] what is wrong with using the homebrew to play those roms via an emulator?

    In countries with case law analogous to Sony v. Universal and RIAA v. Diamond, nothing. But what brand of NES and Super NES cart dumper do you recommend? (The Internet doesn't count, per UMG v. MP3.com.)

  20. Um, Nintendo ?? wtf? by Piranhaa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You currently need this update to access the Wii Shop Channel. from http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_System_Updates

    Umm.. So what Nintendo is basically saying is "Well, if you don't upgrade you can keep pirating but we REFUSE to let you pay for us for anything" Whoever thought that up should be fired. By doing this update, I'm sure that they're actually losing revenue from people that will not update. Of course, only until the patch gets a workaround again.

  21. Re:Define "linux" real fast by Tatsh · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I completely disagree. Sony could just give access for non-commercial use. All Sony has tried to do with PS2/PS3 Linux is prevent decent game development, making Linux for the consoles nearly useless. Instead of making the licence state 'not for commercial development' and suing anyone who does not follow, they block access to basically the 'most important' parts of their systems, the graphics processors. Why bother installing Linux then? Would not it be cool to run some of those free OpenGL games (such as Neverball) on the PS3's amazing graphics card? I think so. Sony strongly disagrees. And I also think it would be a lot of fun to put these consoles to their limits without having to be a signed developer. They surpass most PCs in terms of power and cost a lot less.

    It's not that it's not 'real Linux'. It is just that is extremely limited Linux in terms of the machine it is being run on. It is virtualised Linux regardless because it has a hypervisor (which prevents dumping of Blu-Ray discs with dd, and like said before, blocks access to several SPEs and the graphics card).

    Maybe the whole industry should stop selling consoles at a loss and relying upon games to bring in money. This is a model that is surely not going to last. Nintendo is making profit when they sell a Wii. Yeah, it certainly is limited in comparison to its counterparts, but Nintendo will not rely upon a model that really has barely worked for both MS and Sony.

  22. At least Nintendo were up front about it... by Doug52392 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    When I turned on my Wii yesterday, I had a message from Nintendo describing the updates, and specifically stating that this update will block homebrew programs. Although I was disappointed to see them block homebrew content, at least they specifically said that they were patching it, rather than not telling users, like Sony, or banning your Xbox/Xbox 360 from Xbox Live forever, like Microsoft...

  23. Re:Account blocking? by master811 · · Score: 2, Informative

    * DVD Player. Wow, I can avoid spending $30 on a dedicated DVD player, AND get more wear and tear on the DVD drive motor. Plus, with the Wii fan running, dust accumulation on the heat sinks will be accelerated. The risk of bricking is just a bonus.

    Stop with this myth about the DVD drive in the Wii getting overused if you use it as one - it is a Myth and only a myth. The DVD drive used would be exactly the same as any other DVD drive in anyother DVD player or computer. There is no reason that Nintendo would use a special drive that would fail earlier - they would just use off-the shelf drives (more or less).