WiiBrew:FAQ

These are some currently popular questions in the #wiibrew channel. Remember to read the Channel FAQ before you jump in.

General

Are we using the SDK? Is there an SDK from Nintendo for Wii development? Is it leaked?

No, we are using the open-source, freely available devkitPro and libogc.

Are there any homebrew applications available for the Wii?

Many applications are available at the Homebrew apps page.

Will a Wii System Update brick my hacked Wii?

Probably not, however, you must be careful what hacked programs you run on your Wii as the programs themselves are capable of bricking your Wii.

How do I turn off my Wii if the application does not have an option to turn off, or hangs?

Hold the power button for 5 seconds until the Wii powers down.

What if the next Wii update patches the Twilight Hack?

The System Menu 3.3 Update tried to patch this bug by deleting the Twilight Hack savegame and preventing it from being copied from an SD card into the internal storage. Flaws in the implementation of those checks allowed the Twilight Hack to work around it, but we expect that the next update will do a better job of blocking the Twilight Hack.

Work is underway to find a hack in a new game, but we will not release it until the Twilight Hack stops working.

What if the next Wii update patches the trucha bug?

The System Menu 3.3 Update patched this bug (by including a newer version of IOS30).

How do I program games for the Wii?

I have some basic skills in C++ program but everything here is too advance for me and I don't know where to start. --Chosen One 41 18:31, 6 August 2008 (CEST)

Well obviously you start by downloading devkitPPC and libOGC. The template is very good for understanding how to do the basics. There are some good lessons on GX too. Maybe you could say specifically what you are having trouble with. --vader347 20:19, 6 August 2008 (CEST)

Wii Hacking

What's happening now?

A lot of people are working on fancy Wii homebrew. Lots of work remains to be done.

For example:

• Building a working toolchain environment
• Making a working low-level library to access hardware (CPU/GPU/controllers/USB/Framebuffers and debugging)
• Documenting memory maps
• Discovering usage of registers for (Audio Interface, Serial Interface, Memory Interface, Video Interface)
• Triggering and setting up interrupt handling
• Working on a stable Initial Program Loader
• Reverse engineering IOS and other binary files

The Fish Disc looks really promising

The Fish Disc is able to transfer the bare essentials (savegames, preferences) of one Wii to another. It also allows all personal data to be erased, much like the "Format System Memory" option. It is not useful for most end-users.

How can I boot homebrew on my Wii?

See the Twilight Hack.

What new features are you planning for the next release?

Hopefully, source code.

How did this happen?

The "tweezer" attack was originally used to access the restricted parts of the RAM. This allowed them to access/discover an exploit (as used in the original video)

This Signing bug exploit can be patched "easily" by Nintendo and has as of IOS37. More information on the signing exploit can be found in this blog post by tmbinc.

There are a lot of keys, encryption methods, protection and systems in place. Most of these are not public.

Can I use the Wii Remote in the homebrew applications?

A large number of homebrew support the Wii Remote. See Wiiuse for more information. You need to use a GameCube controller for some homebrew.

Can I use GameCube homebrew on the Wii with a loader?

No, you can't.

Twilight Hack

How does the Twilight Hack work?

An exploit has been found in the Wii game "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Once used it launches custom code. It is similar to the GTA PSP Exploit.

How do I use the Twilight Hack?

The Twilight Hack page has everything you need to know on how to use the exploit.

Is the Twilight Hack affected by the latest update?

Although the hack itself may not be, the June 16th update will check for and, if found, delete the Twilight Hack save game and refuse to recopy it onto the Wii. A newer version of the Twilight Hack was made to defeat this check.

Homebrew channel

Where can I get the homebrew channel?

Right here.

Does the homebrew channel do "X"?

Check on this page.

Can I request a feature for the homebrew channel?

No