Hacking Configurable USB Loader

[Profezza]

Is there a way to organize the games better?

It would be nice to have them in genre's to go through. Like a folder with the games in them. Otherwise I end up with like 100 to scroll through and find a dozen sports games.

Use the "pref_game" option in config.txt and you can order the games in whatever way you want. The format is:
pref_game= GAME_ID1, GAME_ID2, GAME_ID3, ....
where GAME_IDs are the 4 digit codes for the game. It's not perfect, but you would just need to scroll until you find the genre you want, then pick the game.

Also, favorites allow you to pick out one particular set of games.

After the online db integration, there will be an opportunity for some interesting automatic features like genre sorting/grouping/filtering. If you like the sorts of genres that the masses use, which are usually close enough (unlike music).

 

[Dr. Clipper]

Hmm, I just had an idea that might get all this multi-favorite list stuff working in a nice way.

Perhaps the in-loader favorite and hide game settings could be added to themes. You could still have the global favorites list for favorites that exist in all games, but let each theme have its own additional settings.cfg to allow for themed favorites and hides.

This would appease the genre guys too as it just means having a theme for each genre. Shouldn't be much of a change from the existing code as well, and doesn't have the problem of a ton of additions to the per-game option list like the previous proposals.

If this does get implemented, it might be nice to alter the current theme option to add a special value for "ask" which makes the loader ask which theme to load during startup. This allows those people who want the husband/wife/kid setup to easily choose from their list of themes, as well as gives the genre choice when starting the loader.

Does anybody have a problem with this implementation? To me, it seems to be both the easiest to implement and simplest to maintain.

 

[Jabe]

Hi!

Just some suggestion for next version: include Triiforce nand emulationso that we could browse WiiWare and VirtualConsole games (stored on Hard Disk after extraction with wad2nand) inside Configurable USB Loader.

Is this planned?

 

[kevenz]

is it possible to change the cover size in carousel mode? I tried with covers_size but it doesn't work.

 

[Dr. Clipper]

is it possible to change the cover size in carousel mode? I tried with covers_size but it doesn't work.

Not at the moment, no.

 

[ViciousXUSMC]

If I had to request anything for the next version it would just be a slight increase in alt dol support.

Seems more games are coming out now that need alt .dol file(s) and while it was not a big deal to put a single properly named .dol in the sd card folder with MPT having 4 .dol files you cant use the SD card method.

The loader searches for a single .dol named after the games code. Luckily it works just fine if you use the disk and the "choose .dol" method.

So all I think should be done is the loader if you use the SD Card method should look for a sub folder with the game code instead of just a .dol with the game code and if it finds more than one .dol file in the folder it should prompt you to choose the one you want to use (and the names should not have to be the game code so you can keep the original .dol names)

 

[Wiimm]

Is there a way to organize the games better?

It would be nice to have them in genre's to go through. Like a folder with the games in them. Otherwise I end up with like 100 to scroll through and find a dozen sports games.

Yes, I like something like that too. And this was my concrete idea:
QUOTE(Wiimm @ Aug 22 2009, 07:02 AM) I have an idea. Replace 'Favorites' by 'Classes'
...
(complete post)

So everyone can have multiple favorites and genre classes.

 

[Dr. Clipper]

Yes, I like something like that too. And this was my concrete idea:
...
So everyone can have multiple favorites and genre classes.
Did you see my new concept for that? It seems to give you everything you wanted without all the interface problems your suggestion had.

QUOTE(ViciousXUSMC @ Aug 28 2009, 02:05 PM) If I had to request anything for the next version it would just be a slight increase in alt dol support.

Seems more games are coming out now that need alt .dol file(s) and while it was not a big deal to put a single properly named .dol in the sd card folder with MPT having 4 .dol files you cant use the SD card method.

The loader searches for a single .dol named after the games code. Luckily it works just fine if you use the disk and the "choose .dol" method.

So all I think should be done is the loader if you use the SD Card method should look for a sub folder with the game code instead of just a .dol with the game code and if it finds more than one .dol file in the folder it should prompt you to choose the one you want to use (and the names should not have to be the game code so you can keep the original .dol names)

Why do you even need this? The "disc" alt .dol mode in Configurable works without you requiring to do anything at all to your game (the "disc" is the image on the hard drive that you want to play, not a physical disc). The SD approach requires you to get external files, manage them on the card and so on. It is completely obsoleted by the disc mode. The only reason why you would ever need the SD mode is for when people start making fake .dols (if they ever do). I guess it also might help if some company releases a game with 100 .dol files and you can't remember which one is the right one, but that situation is highly unlikely.

 

[Wiimm]

Yes, I like something like that too. And this was my concrete idea:
...
So everyone can have multiple favorites and genre classes.

Did you see my new concept for that? It seems to give you everything you wanted without all the interface problems your suggestion had.

I have seen it after my previous post and I'm thinking about it.
My first and fast mind: I don't like change only at startup. I believe in cycling through 'classes' (or whatever) by pressing '2' is more feasible.
(I post it in this moment only because you asked me)

 

[Dr. Clipper]

I have seen it after my previous post and I'm thinking about it.
My first and fast mind: I don't like change only at startup. I believe in cycling through 'classes' (or whatever) by pressing '2' is more feasible.
(I post it in this moment only because you asked me)

But you aren't limited to start up. You can also go to the global menu and change your theme afterwards, just like we can now. I'm basically combining your multiple classes with the themes we already have, so not only would you get a different set of games, but you give the loader a different look for each user.

 

[milcoi]

There are many genres:

Single en Multiplayer ,Action Adventure ,Adventure ,Fighting ,First Person Shooters ,Massive Multiplayer ,Platform ,Sport ,Racing ,Real Time Strategy ,Role Playing Games ,Simulation ,Survival Horror ,Third Person Shooter ,Turn Based Strategy

It would be simple to use a Theme for each. When using a overlay with for example the Genre top right in your screen. But for each Genre you still need a new Theme dir. When it is possible to select and make a option in the Theme.txt or Config you don't need all the dir's:

Genre = Action
bg_overlay_action.png
bg_overlay_action_wide.png
pref_game= GAME_ID1, GAME_ID2, GAME_ID3, ....

Genre = Shooter
bg_overlay_shooter.png
bg_overlay_shooter_wide.png
pref_game= GAME_ID1, GAME_ID2, GAME_ID3, ....

Then offcource an option in the option"menu" to select your Genre (like the way you choose your theme's)
- Select your theme
- select your genre (this will look inside the theme.txt for Genre, when selected than the overlay will become visible and the games you put under this genre)

 

[zektor]

Why do you even need this? The "disc" alt .dol mode in Configurable works without you requiring to do anything at all to your game (the "disc" is the image on the hard drive that you want to play, not a physical disc). The SD approach requires you to get external files, manage them on the card and so on. It is completely obsoleted by the disc mode. The only reason why you would ever need the SD mode is for when people start making fake .dols (if they ever do). I guess it also might help if some company releases a game with 100 .dol files and you can't remember which one is the right one, but that situation is highly unlikely.

Very well worded. I was thinking precisely this but was simply too lazy to explain it at the time of read

It is obsolete at the moment. Until people start creating custom dol files that do something desirable, the alt dol on SD method is just plain useless.

 

[Dr. Clipper]

It would be simple to use a Theme for each. When using a overlay with for example the Genre top right in your screen. But for each Genre you still need a new Theme dir. When it is possible to select and make a option in the Theme.txt or Config you don't need all the dir's:

Then offcource an option in the option"menu" to select your Genre (like the way you choose your theme's)
- Select your theme
- select your genre (this will look inside the theme.txt for Genre, when selected than the overlay will become visible and the games you put under this genre)

You do realise the difficulty you would have in modifying your theme.txt to add or remove a genre if you used that method, right? Or if you saw somebody's theme and wanted to replace one of your existing genres with it (you'd have to rename their files, add the text to the appropriate location in your theme.txt, and so on). Plus, it doesn't support the in-loader favorite and hide options that well. Much harder than managing separate directories.

The beauty of having genres via theme means theme creators can create the genre themes, and you just select the ones you want and drop them into the appropriate directories. It makes it incredibly easy to, say, drop in a different Sports theme by just copying the theme files into the Sports directory and you're done. Plus, there are no additional options necessary in theme.txt or config.txt (except the augmentation of theme to accept the keyword 'ask'), which will make oggzee happy.

 

[zombymario]

I have a problem with usb-loader cfg V32. I have a lot of games (I think 27 games) and when I wanna go to the GUI (so u can see al games) it give a error and it load very quick back to the HBC. But sometimes when i wait for 5 sec. and I then I go to the GUI it gives not an error! So I get an error if I go to the GUI very quickly. Maybe I must try the new version? O, btw when i boot a game he works so I don't have a problem with playing games. Only when I go to fast to the GUI.

 

[milcoi]

It would be simple to use a Theme for each. When using a overlay with for example the Genre top right in your screen. But for each Genre you still need a new Theme dir. When it is possible to select and make a option in the Theme.txt or Config you don't need all the dir's:

Then offcource an option in the option"menu" to select your Genre (like the way you choose your theme's)
- Select your theme
- select your genre (this will look inside the theme.txt for Genre, when selected than the overlay will become visible and the games you put under this genre)

You do realise the difficulty you would have in modifying your theme.txt to add or remove a genre if you used that method, right? Or if you saw somebody's theme and wanted to replace one of your existing genres with it (you'd have to rename their files, add the text to the appropriate location in your theme.txt, and so on). Plus, it doesn't support the in-loader favorite and hide options that well. Much harder than managing separate directories.

The beauty of having genres via theme means theme creators can create the genre themes, and you just select the ones you want and drop them into the appropriate directories. It makes it incredibly easy to, say, drop in a different Sports theme by just copying the theme files into the Sports directory and you're done. Plus, there are no additional options necessary in theme.txt or config.txt (except the augmentation of theme to accept the keyword 'ask'), which will make oggzee happy.

You are right... So for each Genre a different dir.

 

[Dr. Clipper]

I have a problem with usb-loader cfg V32. I have a lot of games (I think 27 games) and when I wanna go to the GUI (so u can see al games) it give a error and it load very quick back to the HBC. But sometimes when i wait for 5 sec. and I then I go to the GUI it gives not an error! So I get an error if I go to the GUI very quickly. Maybe I must try the new version? O, btw when i boot a game he works so I don't have a problem with playing games. Only when I go to fast to the GUI.

Yes, try the latest version (v41) . The loader has had many, many improvements since v32. Favourites, online updates, coverflow GUI modes, alternative .dol... to name a few.

 

[zombymario]

I have a problem with usb-loader cfg V32. I have a lot of games (I think 27 games) and when I wanna go to the GUI (so u can see al games) it give a error and it load very quick back to the HBC. But sometimes when i wait for 5 sec. and I then I go to the GUI it gives not an error! So I get an error if I go to the GUI very quickly. Maybe I must try the new version? O, btw when i boot a game he works so I don't have a problem with playing games. Only when I go to fast to the GUI.

Yes, try the latest version (v41) . The loader has had many, many improvements since v32. Favourites, online updates, coverflow GUI modes, alternative .dol... to name a few.

Oke, I will try it. But now I'm on school now.

EDIT: Oke, I have the new version but if I want to download a cover it gives a HTTP error. HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found. Can some1 help me?

 

[usptactical]

I have a problem with usb-loader cfg V32. I have a lot of games (I think 27 games) and when I wanna go to the GUI (so u can see al games) it give a error and it load very quick back to the HBC. But sometimes when i wait for 5 sec. and I then I go to the GUI it gives not an error! So I get an error if I go to the GUI very quickly. Maybe I must try the new version? O, btw when i boot a game he works so I don't have a problem with playing games. Only when I go to fast to the GUI.

Yes, try the latest version (v41) . The loader has had many, many improvements since v32. Favourites, online updates, coverflow GUI modes, alternative .dol... to name a few.

Oke, I will try it. But now I'm on school now.

EDIT: Oke, I have the new version but if I want to download a cover it gives a HTTP error. HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found. Can some1 help me?

Yes, it will say that if it can't find the cover on the current cover site. If it can't find the cover at all then it just may not exist on any of the sites. Does the 2D or fake 3D cover for that game show up in grid or console mode (or 2D or full cover in coverflow mode)? Which game is it? Also make sure your config.txt doesn't have any cover urls listed. URLs have changed a bit since cfg v32.

 

[kzch]

The USBLoaderCFG_Forwarder-UCXF.wad dated July-8-2009 is showing up as a "?" icon in the Wii options->Data Management>Channels screen. It cannot be moved/copied/deleted from this screen. The only way to delete it is from the wad manager with the original wad install file.

Could someone confirm that this is a bug or if I did something wrong?

My system is 4.1U.

 

[Jabe]

Dr. Clipper can you answer my question? If you have any idea.

I like this idea of sorting out games by genre too.
Instead of having to set it by ourself, it should be based on some website classification such as:
http://wii.ign.com/index/games.html
Having some theme by genre could be great too but the less the user do to sort it out, the better.