Wii Region hack status, AnyRegion Changer / Gecko OS / GC Booter / Starfall

[Shinebi]

I see, it's as the exploits on the Xbox with a modded save, yes...
So, does it work fine, the DVD player?
(The Zelda game should be the Wii TP version I presume, not the GC version?)

EDIT: K, can manage now, I'll look around, thanks chaps!

[charlesr]

The DVD player was a bit jerky and rubbish on my Wii. No idea why.

[sj33]

A temporary fix is available at the usual places. It doesn't update you to 3.4 per say, but installs the updated IOS50 (and patches for fakesign bug), as well as updating the Mii Channel (the new version has keyboard support and other stuff).

Hardly necessary, especially with a modified update surely under way, but this may help calm fears that new games might not work.

[sj33]

Sorry for the double post, but it's been discovered that the 3.4 System Menu supports auto-updates i.e updating without user consent. There is also a change in the ToS to reflect this.

It's always been recommended to disable the Standby connection anyway because it's been said to kill consoles (because the console stays 'on' with no fans running), but you can disable WiiConnect24 completely unless required. This does not seem to effect homebrew internet connection, which presumably doesn't connect using WiiConnect24.

[Cornflakes]

Just a quick notice: Twilight Hack v0.1-beta2 was released today, and it is only usefull for people who have already system version 3.4x installed and want to install the homebrew channel now, i.e. to install geckos for import games. After a new boot up of the system, the save file will be automatically deleted, feature of the latest firmware.

[Link83]

Hi everyone,
Im totally new to Wii Homebrew and curently have a standard PAL Wii with firmware 3.3E. I actually deliberately stayed on 3.2E as last time I read up on Homebrew I read that the 3.3E firmware blocked the twilight hack, but I think that has been sorted now? I hope it has as unfortunately I had to send my Wii in for repair and Nintendo kindly updated it to 3.3E for me

So my question is - is there anything special I need to do to install the homebrew channel on 3.3E firmware? I only want it to enable region free playback of Gamecube and Wii games.

Also, are is there any homebrew which would have worked on 3.2E, but wont work on 3.3E? (Just wondered what I might of lost)

I was tempted to update to 3.4E for the increased SD read/write speeds, but if it locks me out of using most homebrew I wont bother - plus im not keen on the whole 'updating without permission' thing. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance

[sj33]

You're lucky, 3.3's are perfectly fine for homebrew, it just needed a new version of the Twilight Hack. I'm not sure I'm allowed to link to things here, but basically you use the twilight hack to install the Homebrew Channel. The Homebrew Channel will appear on the system menu, and will run any homebrew that is on your SD card. The homebrew application 'Gecko OS' will play any region Wii and GameCube games, and can also force NTSC/PAL60/PAL50.

Although you can run the twlight hack on 3.4 now too, it is highly recommended to stay on 3.3 because 3.4 does break some stuff. Gecko can ignore the forced updates that are on some games, and if any problems arise in the future where games require X update, you can expect a quick fix of sorts.

The messege is to never update, disable the Wii internet standby connection, and don't worry about future games not working - fixes will come when required (to install updated IOS versions etc.).

[KIT786]

Is there a work around out for the shop channel that lets you connect to other region shops? As importaku stated in the other thread the old way stopped working and i was hoping to get Volfied.

[C']

I'm reading through this thread with some conusion but I'd really like to sort out my Wii for region free gaming.

I do have a launch day PAL Wii that probably hasn't had a firmware update in a few months due to lack of use. I also have a PAL launch copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and a 2GB SD card so from what I gather I have the requisite tools to sort this out.

However, reading through the thread I'm not exactly sure exactly what I will get once this is done. Do I simply end up changing my system region so when I want to play, for example a JP GC game, my system is changed to JPN and whilst in that state no PAL games will work or is it true region free status where once the program is installed I can play any region software without further changes needed.

Also, does having this running impact on my ability to access and purchase from the Wii Shop?

[sj33]

No nothing like that. It basically adds an extra channel to the system menu called the Homebrew Channel. With this, you can run any homebrew from SD card - including a program called Gecko which allows you to run Wii and GameCube imports. It can also bypass forced updates on games.

The messege is not to update, because it may break the Homebrew Channel, but if an update is required to access the Wii Store (for example), then fixes will appear (this has already happened on occasion).

[charlesr]

Think of GeckoOS like Freeloader. You go into the homebrew channel, select Gecko and then load the game as normal and Gecko sorts out region for you.

You can change the entire console region if you want to, or even force the entire thing to be region free, but Gecko is the option most people use.

[smouty]

Don't change your region unless you know what you are doing as you can brick it.
Just use GeckoOS for region free from the HBC.

[C']

Thanks for answers. That was my big concern as I didn't want to start messing about with things that could potentially brick the console.

Is installing the homebrew channel relatively straightforward?

[sj33]

It's literally a hacked Zelda save, which installs a new channel. Simple as! It great because there's no modification to the software on your console, so it's entirely risk-free.

[C']

So I download the hacked save, put it on the SD card, copy over to the Wii, load Twilight Princess and the load the save from within the game?