Posts tagged Modchip at Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Posts with tag modchip

Trucha Signer paves the way for game mods

Posted Feb 29th 2008 6:00PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Homebrew

Presented with a new toy to play with, Wii hackers have gone right to work producing a variety of game mods with the recently released Trucha Signer. For those of you out of the loop, the application allows programmers to run augmented games on chipped Wiis -- the gore-enabled Manhunt 2 mod is a good example of the software's possibilities.

So far, a lot of the developments focus on making it easier to play pirated copies of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but there are a few non-piracy-related modifications, too:

Change the credits and increase character speed in Mario Strikers Charged
Play Manhunt 2 in Italian or German
Swap character movesets in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Invincibility mode in Manhunt 2

So, once you're tired of pirating Super Smash Bros. Brawl, make sure to test these out!

Trucha Signer opens new Wii hacking possibilities

Posted Feb 27th 2008 5:00PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Homebrew

The Trucha Signer is the latest tool to hit the Wii hacking scene, enables kids at home to "modify the contents of a Wii ISO and then re-sign it with an electronic signature the Wii will accept." So, does this mean you'll be able to play pirated games without modding your console? No, not at all.

From what we understand, whenever someone alters the code of a Wii game, the resulting product will not match its signature, and the disc will be rejected. Using an undocumented bug, Trucha Signer will resign the code of an adapted ISO (disk image for storing data on a CD-ROM), allowing you to load the disc successfully onto a modded Wii. We're not sure yet what's possible with this new development, but we've already heard a wide range of fantasy scenarios -- downgrading firmware, copying VC games, switching regions, etc.

Already, GBAtemp forumer Mr.O has posted instructions for "enabling gore" in Manhunt 2 (chipped Wii required). Keep in mind that Nintendo can patch this exploit at any time with a firmware update.

[Via GBAtemp]

Play DVDs in your Wii and MiniDVDs in your Wee

Posted Aug 20th 2007 5:55PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Homebrew

Homebrew hackers Team Symbiote have reportedly enabled DVD playback on Wii consoles, a feature that many have been waiting for Nintendo to officially support since the system's release. We can't really recommend using the DVD player, as you'll need to have a modchip installed, voiding your warranty. If that doesn't sound like a big deal to you, consider this: Modchip manufacturer Wiinja has warned its customers that using the application could "cause the [Wii's] lens to deteriorate quickly over time."

Playing MiniDVDs in your Wee, however, should be perfectly safe. Mick L. spotted this piece of electronics and its knock-off logo at a store in Japan earlier today. We wonder if it can stand upright?

Read - Wii Media Player DVD Edition (MFE)
Read - Weeeeeee!!!

ICE seizes modchips in 16 states

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 10:30AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement mobilized today against a major threat: modchips. In "the largest national enforcement action of its kind targeting this type of illegal activity", they executed 32 search warrants of suspected modchip distributors. Nintendo put out a press release, which can be found after the break, in support of the government's actions in support of their massive business. "Nintendo and its developers and publishers lost an estimated $762 million in sales in 2006 due to piracy of its products," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy, presumably counting every known piece of pirated software as a lost full-price sale.

The government (and Nintendo) may see console modding as a black-and-white piracy issue, but it isn't at all. Modchips are primarily designed to enable the use of games imported from other regions, the locking of which on consoles is also used to lock out illegal copies. Turn off region lock, and you cut the audience for mod chips significantly. But even beyond opening up other regions, modchips enable users to extend the utility of their consoles in interesting ways. For an example of modchips being used for awesome, we point at the Xbox Media Center, which allows audio and video media of pretty much any format to be played on a $150 Xbox.

Continue reading ICE seizes modchips in 16 states

Pirates rule the Philippine seas

Posted May 14th 2007 8:00PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News, Imports

After a tour of the country last year, Indian President Abdul Kalam described the Philippines as a "smiling republic." Wherever he went, Kalam was met with smiling faces. Well, you'd be grinning too if you saw how cheap their games are. Thanks to the black market, popular Nintendo Wii titles are priced as low as $5 in some shops. Piracy has become so widespread in the Southeast Asian country, even Sony admits that most of its Playstation software sold in the Philippines are bootlegged copies.

Filipino site GameOPS found that many stores also offer modchip installations. For about $51, you can have your system hacked to play these counterfeit games at the local mall or market. Furthermore, some shops advertise console bundles, selling imported and modded US Wiis with five copied games of your choice for around $450. Similar deals for chipped Xbox 360 systems with 10 pirated titles are actually cheaper at $388.

With such a high level of piracy already in place, Nintendo will have a lot to work against when -- or if -- it decides to finally launch the Wii in the Philippines.

Solderless Wii modchips on the way?

Posted May 7th 2007 4:40PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Mods

If you've been curious about fixing your Wii to dabble with homebrew or play titles from other regions, but don't trust your abilities enough to mess with the console's innards, there might be a solution in the works for you. WiiNewz forum member Takrin recently posted photos of his hardware project in progress, a prototype modchip that requires no soldering to install.

With nothing to attach the modchip to though, how does it stay in place? Takrin suggests "double sided tape on one side" and "foam which presses it to your drive on the other." That doesn't sound like a very stable setup, but we hope to see this development spawn more sophisticated and accessible mods in the future. To be honest, if a monkey can't install it, we probably wouldn't be able to either.

[Via MaxConsole]

Nintendo of Europe reminds all that mod chips and Wii don't mix

Posted Apr 24th 2007 2:35PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: News, Mods

In a friendly reminder of how to steer clear of prison, Nintendo issued a warning to everyone in the UK, via it's Nintendo of Europe website, concerning their latest console and illegal mod chips. Apparently, they aren't suited for one another and unless you're the kind of person who enjoys living in small spaces, along with a regimented day, then you might want to avoid that option. We'd have to agree with just about the whole warning; the Wii console is already plagued with too much piracy as it is, at home and abroad.

Wii piracy in China is serious business

Posted Apr 3rd 2007 1:45PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: News

And we're not being sarcastic at all.

Apparently, when the Wii was introduced into the market in Shanghai, it retailed for a price of 3,000 Yuan, which comes to about $388 USD (we could be wrong, apparently there are different types of Yuan over there). Shortly after that, the consoles started showing up with modchips built into them and Japanese consoles imported into the region dropped their price to 2,100 Yuan, which is about $271 USD. Even worse, pirated games could be found VERY cheap over there, only costing 10 Yuan, or little over $1 USD.

The price for a console over there has shot back up to 3,000 Yuan again, which is likely due to the demand for the system being skyrocketed by the cheap solutions the piracy scene offers over there. This, of course, will definitely attract Nintendo's attention, hopefully causing the company to take action. But really, what action can they take?

See also: Wii circuitry changed to thwart modchips?

Wii circuitry changed to thwart modchips?

Posted Mar 27th 2007 11:30AM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News, Homebrew

Reports are coming in from Taiwan and Germany that Nintendo has updated the Wii's motherboard with its latest shipments of the console. According to MaxConsole, one of the solder points has been removed from the altered board, shutting out quicksolder modification chips like WiiKey. Other similar tools that don't use the missing solder point should not be affected.

DigiTimes suggests that these changes to the circuit layout were made with the sole intent of preventing piracy by blocking these warranty-voiding installations. If that's the case however, why did Nintendo only take steps to block just the WiiKey, a modchip that was released only several weeks ago?

There were similar concerns in the past about Mario Kart DS updating the Nintendo DS' firmware as an anti-piracy measure, but it was quickly discovered that the handheld was only saving its WiFi settings. It seems far more likely that Nintendo has had the Wii's revised motherboard planned for months, and that locking out any modification methods was an unintended result.

Name	Date
SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1	July 15
Strong Bad's Game for Attractive People	July TBA
Rock Band Track Pack Vol. 1	July 15
We Love Golf	July 15
Wii Fanboy goes to E3	July 15-17
Order Up!	July 22
LEGO Batman	Sept. TBA
Star Wars: Force Unleashed	Sept. 16
Game Reviews (WiiWare and Retail)

Title	More like this
Sakurai: I had to cut characters from Brawl	News
Rumor: Activision making peripheral for next Tony Hawk	Rumors
Dream titles for the Wii?	Wii Warm Up
Revolutionary: WRX Stage 1	Revolutionary
Balance Board video	Video
Born for Wii: Castlevania	Born for Wii
Poll: Castlevania coulda, woulda, shoulda...	Wii Fanboy Poll
All Features »

Codemasters not planning on adding trophies to GRID Tired of sneaking alone? Check out the new MGO mode Aquanaut's Holiday, previously Aqua, confirmed as site opens	Gnomes or Dwarves: Which would be better to attach to a bottle rocket? WoW Insider Show goes live tomorrow [1.Local]: Comment fireworks and fizzles
Design a GRiD livery for the game's upcoming DLC Dungeon crawler goodness: New Sacred 2 footage Video Marketplace Weekly: new fireworks edition	Red Steel costs little green WRUP: Rockin' out with Aerosmith edition We're all shook up from Wario Land videos
Delay: Shuffle Dungeon WRUP: Cuts like the very first time edition DSVision's virtual store lacks virtual goods	Surprise, Surprise: PSP is #1 in Japan again 'Devil May Cry series' listed on Capcom PSP release calendar Woodward theme arrives on PC Store
Big Downloads: June 28 - July 4, 2008 (Diablo Edition) Grow towards the sun with Phyta Experience the Virtual Silence	Kansas City Chiefs Should Officially Retire Jersey of Hero Joe Delaney Just in Case You'd Like Visual Proof That Joey Chestnut Really Loves Hot Dogs Ricardo Almeida-Patrick Cote Winner Could Get Anderson Silva in November

Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Trucha Signer paves the way for game mods

Trucha Signer opens new Wii hacking possibilities

Play DVDs in your Wii and MiniDVDs in your Wee

ICE seizes modchips in 16 states

Pirates rule the Philippine seas

Solderless Wii modchips on the way?

Nintendo of Europe reminds all that mod chips and Wii don't mix

Wii piracy in China is serious business

Wii circuitry changed to thwart modchips?

Events Calendar

Hot Topics

RESOURCES

RSS NEWSFEEDS

Sponsored Links

Featured Galleries

Most Commented On (14 days)

Recent Comments

Weblogs, Inc. Network