Nintendo making Freeloader redundant?

[srgbilco]

Now that we know PAL Zelda is locked out against Freeloader, and rumour has it that this is due to new Nintendo copy protection, do you think Freeloader will be made redundant? I know a lot of you just don't care about this, but it is a cheap and easy way to play import games for those who, like me, mistakenly bought a PAL console, unbeknownst to the world of crappiness that is PAL.

Do you think Nintendo will implement this into it's next big game, F-Zero GC? Will it make it compulsary for third and second parties to use this, blocking out previously import friendly devcos like Capcom? Will Datel issue new, updated copies of Freeloader to people with old versions, like they did with FL 1.04? Also, what's the history of import accessories like this with Nintendo? If this belongs in Import Q&A or PAL then please move it, but I thoght this is about importing and a discussion, so Import Discussion.

[gtskater]

If Nintendo can implement the measures necessary to make a game unplayable using Freeloader then I imagine they will. It can only be some code that checks something before the game boots-up and presumably wouldn't cost much to implement when they convert the games to PAL.

It'll probably end up being an on going battle between Nintendo and Datel for the next year until Datel give up because of the financial ramifications of having to replace FL discs everytime Nintendo release a new game.

It'll certainly be interesting to see what happens.

[C']

You can bet with some certainty that Datel won't be replacing everyine's discs each time they update Freeloader.

I think they only replaced the v1.04 discs because they got mistakenly distributed when v1.06 should have been sent out instead.

[wazy15]

It seems thayt Nintendo have hit back at Datel with this new software that they have put on discs. Yet, I have to wonder wheather this will occur with US releases too.

[Ed-Epistaxis]

Here's a little story from the Edge forums, from John Pickford :

Basically, back in the days of the NES, a company was making one of those games that is a gigantic puzzle, and when you solve it you win loads of money (you know the ones). They came up with code to prevent a Game Genie being used with the game, and offered the code to Nintendo do distribute to all 3rd parties. Nintendo replied that they weren't allowed to, as it would be seen in the eyes of the law that Nintendo would be blocking the sale of the Game Genie. People who wanted it had to work it out for themselves.

So basically, Nintendo could theoretically only do it for 1st/2nd party titles. Still, Freeloader always looked shaky, but I didn't think it would fall so quickly.

--Ed

[gtskater]

Have Datel not made some kind of promise to consumers that with the disc they can play 'any' import game they want to? Or have they got a disclaimer somewhere saying it 'should' work on the majority?

I honestly don't know which of the above is correct, I've got a NTSC cube so i'm not bothered either way. But if they have said it'll work on any game will they not have trading standards at their neck for misleading the consumer, false advertising or something similar.

Interesting point there about the NES and blocking sales of the Game-Genie. Makes you wonder whether it'd actually happen in court though. Cos really Nintendo aren't blocking sales of the Game-Genie, people can still buy it, whether its useless or not. Maybe if Nintendo said they wouldn't supply retailers with Games/Systems if they also sold Genie it would be different.

With that argument, Nintendo are doing one thing, Datel are doing another. It's not Nintendo's fault if Datel release a product that is useless.

[evilmatt]

So basically, Nintendo could theoretically only do it for 1st/2nd party titles.

So, a good 2/3 or so of titles worth buying then?

[C']

Have Datel not made some kind of promise to consumers that with the disc they can play 'any' import game they want to? Or have they got a disclaimer somewhere saying it 'should' work on the majority?

I honestly don't know which of the above is correct, I've got a NTSC cube so i'm not bothered either way. But if they have said it'll work on any game will they not have trading standards at their neck for misleading the consumer, false advertising or something similar.

Taken from the Freeloader 'manual'

Note: FreeLoader has been tested extensively and we have experienced a 100% success rate with every import title we tried out. However, there may be some import titles in future that do not work with FreeLoader.

Think that covers them from Trading Standards.

[gtskater]

Fair enough C*.

[Jason]

Now that we know PAL Zelda is locked out against Freeloader

But the NTSC version works on a PAL machine flawlessly. There have been a few PAL games which cannot be played on the NTSC machine recently. I think this is more by luck than judgement. Tha's not to say Nintendo will use this to their advantage.

I remember a few people on here (whose names have escaped me) stating that Nintendo had blocked US Zelda from running on PAL machines which turned out to be incorrect.

Guess we will have to wait and see,

[srgbilco]

It's well documented about PAL Zelda not working on an NTSC cube. I know that the US version works on a PAL cube, it's what I'm running right now. Thing is, this whole PAL Zelda malarkey has put me right off pre-ordering Viewtiful Joe and F-Zero, for fear that they won't work and I'd have basically wasted my money.

[stroppa]

as long as viewtiful joe and killer 7 work I'm fine, otherwise, I may need to invest in a jp/us cube.

[Commander Marklar]

Don't live in fear then, buy that regions machine or get a switch... seems like you need that level of compatibility. Freeloader is a great piece of kit but it isn't up to the job of providing a permanent way of playing the games, just like any other bit of 'import-me-doo' kit. If you stick with it, then you'll just have to live with the drawbacks of doing so, sorry!

I thought there was a workaround for PAL Zelda anyhoo, holding down B or something like that? Sure I read something somewhere...

[replicant]

Do people never learn? If you want to play import games buy an import console. Its ironic that people will shell out multiple 20 quids on Freeloaders, but still claim importing is expensive

And as for the Codemasters case it is completely different. It related to Codemasters manufacturing their own cart for the system. That was the problem as Nintendo stated that only they could manufacture carts for the system. The court case stated that Codemasters could manufacture their own carts. Unless 3rd party developers want to pay their license to Nintendo, plus build their own manufacturing plant I think they will be quite happy allowing Nintendo to add code to lock out freeloader. Afterall it is in the 3rd party devcos interst to lock it out.

[John Beaulieu]

if you read through the thread you will see that its people with import consoles having problems running the PAL Zelda - rather than PAL people having problems running NTSC Zelda

camps