Wii Update 3.3 Defeats Twilight Hack, Freeloader

Richter X writes "The newest update to the Nintendo Wii's Menu, version 3.3, contains code specifically designed to find and kill the popular Twilight Hack used by homebrewers to play unauthorized code on the Wii. The update also prevents the Freeloader software used to play imported games on the Wii. However, it does not seem to affect the Homebrew Channel in Wiis that already have it installed. The updated code is currently being researched in order to find what code has been changed. So far it has been confirmed that Nintendo included specific instructions to target the Twilight Hack. Work is also being done to update the Twilight Hack in order to bypass this new code."

Countdown

[LameAssTheMity (998266)]

I wonder how long it will take to get around the newest most securest(tm) DRM EVER?!

Re:Countdown

[Chyeld (713439)]

They've already found the bugs in the new code (which actually specificly looks for the TP hack save, rather than doing something nifty like verfiying saves in general) which will allow them to defeat it. The details aren't public but have been announced in general steps to many of the homebrew sites.

If I weren't at work behind a filter that thinks homebrew is 'illegal software', I'd post a link to an article or two.

But you should be able to check www.wiibrew.org... if I remember the URL. Sorry, I have bookmarkitis.

Re:Countdown

[0100010001010011 (652467)]

Is it a crack or a fixing of a bug/exploit? Home brew channel still works, mod chips still work, etc.

Wouldn't complaining about Nintendo fixing a known exploit be like complaining about Microsoft fixing a known hole in XP?

A known overflow/exploit is found.
Company fixes known overflow/exploit.
People outraged that you can't "crack" a box like you used to.

You know that this might have fixed someone from remotely rooting your Wii?

WTF are you smoking

[Moryath (553296)]

and why won't you share you stingy bastard?

A flaw in an internet-aware OS: one thing.

A flaw that requires someone to load a hacked savegame, and do something specific in a specific game?

Further, the only difference between the two being that in the second case, the "flaw" is actually the FIX for the broken and stupid nature of the OS?

Really now. I have right of first sale on my side. I bought *hardware*. If I want to load linux on it, that's my fucking business and Nintendo can go fuck themselves. The worst

Re:WTF are you smoking

[digitrev (989335)]

Look. These updates are not mandatory. My Wii currently is not connected to the internet and doing just fine. Even when it is, you have to set it up to install updates automatically. You should have known that by hacking a proprietary system that further updates would probably screw over your hack. Just be glad you didn't get bricked. Caveat emptor, my friend.

Re:WTF are you smoking

[KillerBob (217953)]

some of the updates are manditory, and they do have the ability to force one through a game... I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart.

Re:WTF are you smoking

[vux984 (928602)]

I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart.

You didn't have to play Mario Kart.

Re:WTF are you smoking

[Von Helmet (727753)]

Parent is correct. I agree that a person buying hardware has the right to do whatever they like with it. However, I'm not sure where people get the idea that a supplier is then obliged to support their non-standard hardware/firmware with regard to games or online services.

Nothing in the previous OS

[Moryath (553296)]

would have prevented Mario Kart from running except for a little "check for OS version X" flag.

It was Nintendo's way of trying to force updates.

I call foul.

Re:

[BarryJacobsen (526926)]

I had to install an update to my console the first time I played Mario Kart. You didn't have to play Mario Kart.

No, but he couldn't have returned it to the store either, since it had already been opened.

Re:WTF are you smoking

[vux984 (928602)]

No, but he couldn't have returned it to the store either, since it had already been opened.

Caveat emptor.

As far as I'm concerned the moment you hack your console to do homebrew or whatever else, you forfeit the expectation that purchased software released in the future will work or be compatible.

Next time rent the game before buying it. Or check on the net if there are issues with you 'homebrew' stuff before buying a title.

Plus, at least with the case of MK:Wii he can sell it easily.... MK:Wii in particular probably sell quickly... its been sold out every time I've tried getting one in the last month.

Re:WTF are you smoking

[ADRA (37398)]

Yeah, well, maybe I'll rip out the DVD and replace it with some super l33t faster reading one and I'll just expect it to work with all future Wii games.

Oh, that's right. The second I do something not specifically authorized by Nintendo, I'm off the support chain and left to rot. I may feel raw about it, but ultimately its my responsibility for introducing the unintended process.

Re:Countdown

[Joe Snipe (224958)]

hackmii.com/2008/06/june-16-wii-update/

I'm guessing 48 hours?

Re:Countdown

[marcansoft (727665)]

It took less than 12 hours for a fully working workaround. We haven't released it yet because the code needs a bit of cleanup and half of the team wasn't around when this whole thing happened so we need to make sure we're all on the same page.

Details in hackmii.com. Short version: the detection code is buggy and can be tricked by exploiting two small bugs. No need to find a new hack, we can just "hack the antihack" and then use the same old hack.

We're cleaning up code and committing everything to our internal source repos as I write this.

Darn it

[electricbern (1222632)]

I knew I would regret installing this upgrade, but I can't help myself and not install an upgrade. I have an obsessive-compulsive upgrade installing disorder.

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG (946591)]

I knew I would regret installing this upgrade, but I can't help myself and not install an upgrade. I have an obsessive-compulsive upgrade installing disorder.

What a minute, are you that guy that keeps buying those Star Wars dvds?

But the Miis!

[fatnickc (1259582)]

But.. but.. the update includes kick-ass-awesome-super-cool functionality too, to make up for the (now comparatively insignificant) loss! I mean, who wouldn't want to move Miis from the Plaza to the Parade? Exactly.

Increased Usability

[kellyb9 (954229)]

Doesn't the allowance of "unauthorized code" increase the usability of a particular device? Regardless, I'm getting pretty sick of the trend of buying a physical product and being limited in what I'm allowed to do with it.

Re:Increased Usability

[NewbieProgrammerMan (558327)]

...I'm getting pretty sick of the trend of buying a physical product and being limited in what I'm allowed to do with it.

It would appear that anyone who feels that way is in a minority so small that companies making physical products don't care.

Re:

[SwordsmanLuke (1083699)]

I understand (and agree with) your frustration. The reason for this (WRT video game consoles, anyway) is that unlocked hardware is one of the things that contributed to the fall of Atari back in the early 80s. In particular, the Atari 2600 had no barriers preventing people from writing their own cartridges for it. At first, this was a good thing, as it increased the overall value of the 2600. Later in life, however, Atari had managed to piss off many of it's best developers, who then spun off to create

Re:Increased Usability

[Stavr0 (35032)]

*This is, incidentally why you get the annoying gray screen when you try to play dirty NES carts - the contacts aren't making a good enough connection to transmit the unlock code.

Ah yes, the dreaded NES flashing blue screen of death. Just lift pin 4 from the 10NES chip and ground it. That effectively neuters the hardware lock. Shh. Don't tell Nintendo. They might get mad. ;-)

Piracy

[Gogo0 (877020)]

Mind that this *likely* has less to do with homebrew and more to do with the ability to pirate virtual console titles, which is trivial to do at this point.

That said, there is some cool stuff being done with the virtual console files (wads). You can inject normal roms into the wad file and play games that nintendo hasnt yet released (or never will) on the virtual console. That said, its a lot easier to simply play the roms in an emulator on the homebrew channel...

Personally, I dont condone the VC piracy, but nintendo wont allow me to purchase and play Dracula X: Rondo of Blood on the VC (because i have a USA wii and the game was only released on the JPN VC), so i 'had' (yes, i can live without it) to grab the wad, region-free it, and install it on my USA wii to play.

Lastly, there are already workarounds that have been found, though not yet released. Apparently this fix against the twilight hack was so specific in its implementation it will only break this *exact* exploit. It still isnt a good idea to update you wii right now, but this is more interesting a development (that this was the primary reason for the patch) than a show-stopper.

Too busy playing to care

[by Anonymous Coward]

Am I the only person here who doesn't really care about this? I mean, let's ignore pirated games and actually playing (gasp!) the games released for the console. In terms of homebrew games, the Wiimote has had fairly fully-featured modules on most major operating systems for quite some time, so one could, in theory, write games on said operating systems using the Wii's most notable feature (inventive accelerometer-based controls with IR tracking). With far more processing power and storage space, too, and a much wider distribution for...

Oh, wait, I forgot, I'm doing it wrong again. I forgot that the sole use of any video game console is to endlessly play Chrono Trigger on an on-console emulator l33tly hacked on it until the next emulator-console is released. Silly me.

At least it's not bricked...

[by Anonymous Coward]

Normally I'm against companies attempting to limit what I do with my hardware, but here I don't really see the problem. It's not like Nintendo completely bricked my Wii when I used the Twilight Hack after updating.

And to the "they force the patches in the games" people, quit your bitching. You don't have to download the patch. You are welcome to use your hardware as you please, now your bitching that you can't use a piece of software on an unsupported platform.

If it means that much to you get a second one to just play on. Unless you really think Nintendo is obligated to support our hacks. I don't think they are, in fact, I'm overjoyed that I don't now have a completely useless bricked piece of hardware since i updated.

Re:

[by Anonymous Coward]

You should write to Nintendo asking for more documentation...