Homebrew Region Free Wii Launcher (alt to Freeloader)

[egparadigm]

http://savygamer.blogspot.com/2008/04/homebrew-region-free-wii-launcher.html

Gecko Region Free...

If you are down with the Twilight hack, then the killer ap we've all been waiting for has finally been released. "Gecko Region Free" an .elf file for region free Wii game launching can be downloaded here.

Big thanks to NUke and everyone else who contributed to making this launcher.

Sadly it doesn't work with Super Smash Bros. Brawl as of yet, but hopefully they are working on a new version which will. Maybe Gamecube compatibility further down the line?

From NUke -
"Gecko Region Free was created with the homebrew libogc library. No certs, Tmd, Tik, Keys or other Nintendo copyright material were used or attached in the file, making it a pure homebrew release. No Datel code was used either, so please don't call this a clone etc as this and Freeloader work in completely different ways.

The decryption is done by the hardware, not in software and the correct IOS version of the game booting is selected and used. This is done by reading the information off the DVD using the low level read commands and then passed back to the starlet.

My own apploader was written, and will completely ignore the update partition, no patching is done except a region flag which is required.

This of course only works with Wii games."

It has been confirmed to work with No More Heroes, and the fantastic part of this hack is that it can't be used for piracy.

Sounds good. Anyone able to give it a go?

[SuperBeatBoy]

Is this only for chipped machines? As i have a copy of Naruto that doesn't work with the freeloader.

[egparadigm]

From what I can see on the attached link, I think it's a non-mod hack that you can run from an SD card with Twilight Princess. This is a new hack which uses the same exploit to run any out-of-region games. Coverage isn't total though - they've already reported that Smash Bros doesn't work.

This is just conjecture as I've only skim read it. Anyone know more?

[[nothing]]

..but it doesn't work with Smash Bros Brawl

I'm really sceptical about the whole situation with the Freeloader. I'm too scared to buy one in case they end up locking it out.

I guess i'll just have to wait for Nintendo to get their act together as far as Europe is concened. I wonder how many years that'll take?

[^Katsu]

I think there has been progress with Wii hacking & potential piracy for VC games, so i'd expect a lockdown is on the way asap.
I found a thread elsewhere on the net (homebrew dev/type site) the other day, the link is in the Virtual Console forum here

[elkatas]

I'm really sceptical about the whole situation with the Freeloader. I'm too scared to buy one in case they end up locking it out.

It is locked on the next firmware. Shop Channel update prepared way for next menu update. In the next version, menu checks authenticity of disc, and blocks everything trucha signed, including Freeloader. This is important for Nintendo, because exploit that Freeloader uses allowed anyone to create perfectly bootable Wii discs that don't require modchip. As exploit itself has been public knowledge for months, it is obvious that Datel rushed Freeloader to cash in Brawl-mania.

[MattyD]

I think there has been progress with Wii hacking & potential piracy for VC games, so i'd expect a lockdown is on the way asap.
I found a thread elsewhere on the net (homebrew dev/type site) the other day, the link is in the Virtual Console forum here

I had a look at that thread and according to one poster the last firmware update already has a dormant anti-freeloader component and they're just biding their time until the US / Japanese release to activate it. Sounds like they've got the knives out for Datel TBH.

[egparadigm]

People over on GR reckon that it would be impossible to block this method because it exploits TP... Any Wii techsperts that can confirm/deny?

Certainly the save exploits on from Splinter Cell et al on the Xbox were never patched...

[EvilBoris]

Unless they patch the game in new pressings then no, basically someone has edited a gamesave so that your horse has a ridiculously long name that the Wii can't handle and causes it to crash which allows the code to be snuck in.

[elkatas]

People over on GR reckon that it would be impossible to block this method because it exploits TP... Any Wii techsperts that can confirm/deny?

Probably not true. PSP Lumines exploit used exactly same technique, and it was blocked with firmware update.

[EvilBoris]

Some guy has got a new hack working, this one changes the region of GC games too aswell as the channel

Good Stuff.

[wakka]

Awesome! Finally I can play my Japanese GC games again since Nintendo locked out the GC Freeloader all that time ago \o/

[plopboy]

Excellent news, after wasting money on the new version of freeloader this is indeed welcome news. Now I can play F-Zero without having to set up my cube again .

[mekanor]

Some guy has got a new hack working, this one changes the region of GC games too aswell as the channel

Good Stuff.

nice. is this an update of the gecko one or completely different? this may seem a dodge question but do you know if it works with jp wii/gc games? for some reason i remember reading the gecko one only worked with pal and american games, not ntsc-j. could be lying though...

Is this only for chipped machines? As i have a copy of Naruto that doesn't work with the freeloader.

same here, bit dissapointed the one jp game i got didnt work with freeloader

[EvilBoris]

There is a silent video of it working, but the details for it are sketchy, sounds like the importers dream as it appears to let you physically alter the region of the machine.