Wii Backup Loader Leaked: Homebrew's Days Numbered
A few weeks ago, I heard about this new homebrew application being developed that would boot backups of commercial Nintendo Wii software on an unmodded system. I proceeded to groan, and silently hoped that the whole thing was just some elaborate prank and that we would hear no more about it. My hopes have been dashed and it looks like the application has been prematurely leaked.
Version 0.1 of Wii Backup Loader has made its way onto the internets. Turns out, people are actually finding copies, using it, and it (mostly) works. Usual beta pains apply. The added side effect of this is that the developer of the application has abandoned the project.
2008/09/19 - Congratulations! I don't care about who leaked Backup-Loader but now it's OFFICIALLY an abandoned project. Enjoy it.
I'm just going to say that I think this application was a BAD idea. First of all, there is no legitimate reason for someone to need to use it. It doesn't reduce load times (still uses burned discs), and a need to back-up discs really only apply for people who don't know how to take care of their discs.
Just remember, if Nintendo wanted to get rid of the Twilight Princess Hack and user channels like the Homebrew Channel, they could patch it in a matter of hours with a firmware update. All this is doing is making homebrew a larger target. Before, it was just a nuisance, now it's becoming a potential profit loss. Things like this are the reason that SecuROM exist.
Wii Backup Loader Leaked [gbatemp.net]
[via Engadget]
Asterick
Posted to Video Games on 19 September 2008
· Comments (8)
Other stuff like this: boot loader, homebrew, nintendo wii, piracy
"Things like this are the reason that SecuROM exist."
Actually, the reason that crap exist is because EA wants to be a bunch of bungholes.
Securom only exists to be a burden on legit users because. At least, that's the conclusion that can be drawn because it doesn't work.
Users still have the right to a backup, and unfortunately a way to play those usually need to be hacked.
Regardless, the "waahh, pirates are the reason we suffer" line is getting pretty old. We're suffering because companies like EA are greedy, and don't care about taking care of their customers while taking care of their IP.
Asterick, we have a legal right to back up our software and to be able to play those backups.
Steven: Technically, but the courts don't care if the companies make it impossible to play those backups.
True, but software to play backups is not inherently illegal.
I've always wondered, what is this Twilight Princess hack?
What does it do?
@Nexus: The twilight princess hack is an exploit discovered in the way the game handles the name of Epona. At a certain point in the game, some creative hackers discovered that if they made her name REALLY long, they could put in a stack smash. In short, it let them execute a small block of carefully constructed user-level code on the Wii. They used this to boot an .ELF file (executable/linker format file, common in GCC based platforms). The most common .ELF is a Homebrew Channel installer, which lets you run homebrew games without using TPH.
It's a very nice application. I use it for ScummVM and a handful of other things.
and I figure I would explain my stance on piracy \ copy protection \ etc since my article sounds like I think people are crybabies.
I hate SecuROM and anyone that uses it. It think it is the worst kind of copy protection. It hijacks the system, it runs kernel level code and it embeds itself in places you can't get to.
As far as to "piracy = copy protection". It's true, but not in the way you all think I am insinuating. The people that require copy protection are usually the last people that should be making the decision. Most developers understand that copy protection is more or less just there as a way to say they tried. Things like SecuROM happen when someone in some faceless corporation sees "OH NOZ! TEH HAZ OUR THINGS!" and decides to do something about it, and slap something equivalent to a bike chain. They feel good because they've done something, the copy protection people have another reference on their resume, and the rest of us are left scratching our heads wondering why they even bother.
The problem hits because these people don't listen to reason. You might say "This treats us like thieves"! Most people will gladly pay the retail price of a game, I do it on almost a weekly basis. The fact of the matter is, most corporations assume that if they don't put that there, you would be. It's a cookie jar dilemma.
When I say this sort of thing causes SecuROM, I mean that these things scare the crap out of people like Big N. The TPH was just a nuisance that let people play emulators instead of spending money on the VC. Now they're going to be thinking "The jig is up!" and try to find every possible way to plug this hole before they start losing cash, even though realistically, most people that want to pirate games would just get a mod chip. Just look at the DS. They we're fine with passmes and the supercart setup, but the second the R4 came out and made it easy for the layman to run software they started raiding companies.
This line of reasoning just isn't the truth, I would of bought Spore, I had money in hand, until it was mentioned to me it was crippled by Securom, so I pirated it.
Delete the Securom from the game and I'll still buy it, until then, my cash stays in my pocket, your companies loss.
Stop treating your honest customers like criminals and driving more people to piracy.