Hacking Mario Kart 8 Mods

[nonamejohn]

Ok. I understand, but what if someone donated a wiiu to you ?

 

[Bug_Checker_]

I don't really want people providing money for me to get a 4.1.0 Wii U. I can get by with team members that have 4.1.0.

Chadderz and MrBean both claim to be Anti-piracy/copyright infringement free.
Do you believe(in your personal opinion) that Chadderz who spent 2 weeks trying to break out of the browser, completed their exploit without the IOSU's/Channels/coreinit/loader elfs that they did not themselves have access to dump on their own?

 

[Chadderz]

Chadderz and MrBean both claim to be Anti-piracy/copyright infringement free.
Do you believe(in your personal opinion) that Chadderz who spent 2 weeks trying to break out of the browser, completed their exploit without the IOSU's/Channels/coreinit/loader elfs that they did not themselves have access to dump on their own?

We absolutely did not have dumps; our exploit was done blind. It's easy enough to find kernel read exploits, which allow us to scout out most things live in the RAM and construct an exploit accordingly, without the need of shady back channel deals for dumps.

 

[Sammi Husky]

I have the skills to help but I am locked out until I either get a WiiU that hasn't been updated or the exploit gets ported to 5.X.X

what the...your everywhere aren't you lol. I never noticed you posted in this thread until now. You say you would like to do something similar, for science. So if you ever need help with something of the sort in the future, do let me know

Well, we've got a huge advantage because the game hasn't fundamentally changed since MKWii, so the layout of the file system is very familiar. The formats themsevles are not too far away either, certainly bfres is heavily based on brres. The byaml format is the only completely new one and its laughably simple, and somewhat self describing (like xml).

As for the file formats from previous gens, bfstm replaces brstm and all that's really changed is the layout of the header (we wrote a tool to convert between the two, works fine on both). The kcl extension hasn't changed but the format has; the new kcl is actually multiple of the old kcl files glued together with a small header linking them. The size of the elements in the fourth section has also changed, but nothing else. YAZ0 is still used unchanged for compression, with the .szs extension. The archive format is different; similar to a u8 archive but now with some sort of file id system (we haven't really looked at it). bflim replaces tpl, quite different but tpl was so simple anyway. Unbelievably, mp4 replaces thp, so the game's videos play quite happily in your favourite media player. ttf now seems to be the font format of choice, though I have seen a few bffnt files kicking about (used to be brfnt; not analysed). We've also seen a bfsar (used to be brsar), but again not yet analysed.

You tease with this so much lol. There is nothing i like more than reverse engineering files and sifting through data...Though, i do have to say that it's fairly promising that most files have stayed intact. Or rather i should say remained mostly recognizable from their previous counterparts. That gives me high hopes for the game modding scene whenever it happens.

 

[Bug_Checker_]

We absolutely did not have dumps; our exploit was done blind. It's easy enough to find kernel read exploits, which allow us to scout out most things live in the RAM and construct an exploit accordingly, without the need of shady back channel deals for dumps.

Yes, game hacks are totally trivial, they were just done to prove a point in a way our followers understand.


I have to say I quite strongly disagree with the idea of ever making a persistent exploit. I personally really didn't like the fact that the Homebrew Channel was persistent on Wii as it greatly increases the risk of bricking to go anywhere near the file system, and worse it's trivially detectable leading to a lot of paranoia about warranties or detection on the vWii for example.As far as I'm concerned, now we have a ppc kernel exploit we can do anything we would want to do with legitimate homebrew, loading an application as if it were a real one. Going any deeper just makes it easier for pirates for the sake of the slight convenience of having a Homebrew button on the menu.

I'm not even particularly fussed about the common key, I've certainly not had access to it or any decrypted binaries (though I know the team behind the browser exploit did). I would much rather sit through the 20 extra seconds it would take to go into the browser and click a bookmark, so I'm certainly not looking for an IOSU exploit.

I saw your quote from earlier in the thread and I lean towards/tend to believe you. I think that's it is great that you've gone on record again about what you had access to for those who skim or join later and skip to the end of the thread. ("READING HARD - TOO MANY WORDS")

I am not encouraging to reveal your only exploit. Team Tweezers/Fail0verFlow would never reveal everything they had. Neither, should you be expected to. You have only had a working exploit for less than 3 weeks. The browser exploit has been around nearly 4 times longer.
I encourage you to sha1 the original exploit code and revised code. So,if in the future the exploit is closed or someone releases something better you may change your mind and reveal how and what you guys did.

Also, do you worry about the saying "2 people can keep a secret --- if 1 of them is dead." My estimate is 1 to 2 handful of people already know how you are doing the exploit because of your own reveal(IRL and not on live stream) and by the people you trusted(if fact you guys came close to revealing it on the live stream when you learned how you were doing the exploit was confirmed by someone). That is not counting Nintendo,every government in the world and some phd candidates trying to write a doctoral thesis. I would be surprised if there were not a talk at 31c3. In fact, you guys may want to think about that(Sprechen Sie Deutsch?). It is the ultimate Live Stream. I'm sure your talk would be accepted.

I am quite surprised that you have not started a thread(yet) with all of your findings about Mario Kart 8. When you live stream you take incredible risks, you should be the ones to release the info but it has to be in a timely manner. tick,tick,tick

 

[Praxis]

Hey, I'm Chadderz, I'm the one on the computer in the video.

It may seem a bit of a leap from game moders to console exploiters, but someone has to gvie it a go! Since we've mastered MKWii I felt MK8 was the logical next step. What I created is an exploit which upgrades permissions from user mode to supervisor mode on the Espresso core, thus allowing us to break down the isolation between the browser and the game and directly change stuff. The livestream was done several hours after I first did this, so hence all we showed were really basic obvious tricks like text mods.

As we stated we're against piracy and against cheating so don't expect us to be releasing any of that, but we do want to see a return of custom content to both MK8 and other Wii U games.

Hi Chadderz,

If you can move us towards custom Smash Bros 4 content so that Project M for Wii U happens, I will love you forever and ever.

Thank you so much for your work.

People interested in "homebrew" games (aka indie) have a great number of good platforms for development. Emulators? Horribly inaccurate emulators (the Wii ones come to mind) are pointless, besides, pretty much any device nowadays seems to be capable of emulation...

What you don't realize is that by revealing any information about what you're doing, and especially considering this concerns game-modding, you're giving bad people hints or outright telling them how to do certain things/where to be looking for vulnerabilities/etc.

Do you know that there is an enormous modding community for Super Smash Bros Brawl and there have been national/international live tournaments of the modded game Project M (a mod of Brawl) with hundreds of attendees in person?

There are a ton of us that play with homebrewed Wii content that isn't pirated and I find your allegations insulting.

 

[the_randomizer]

Hi Chadderz,

If you can move us towards custom Smash Bros 4 content so that Project M for Wii U happens, I will love you forever and ever.

Thank you so much for your work.




Do you know that there is an enormous modding community for Super Smash Bros Brawl and there have been national/international live tournaments of the modded game Project M (a mod of Brawl) with hundreds of attendees in person?

There are a ton of us that play with homebrewed Wii content that isn't pirated and I find your allegations insulting.

I wouldn't listen to him or let what he said get to ya, I too am part of the Brawl hacking community. I mean, sure I haven't done anything like Project M but I've done a fair share of modded characters and music. Baseless, unsubstantiated allegations from people like him only exacerbate the issue. He has no clue what he's speaking of because he hasn't done his homework.

 

[NWPlayer123]

I wouldn't listen to him or let what he said get to ya, I too am part of the Brawl hacking community. I mean, sure I haven't done anything like Project M but I've done a fair share of modded characters and music. Baseless, unsubstantiated allegations from people like him only exacerbate the issue. He has no clue what he's speaking of because he hasn't done his homework.

Well if anything in this thread is true then getting (to a degree) custom content in it won't be that difficult since it'll probably use -roughly- the same format as in MK8, it's probably using their shiny new engine with bf*** files, like with MKW and Brawl. And considering Bean and Chadderz have already gotten this far, it shouldn't be that difficult.

 

[naxil]

Please release this cheat loader

 

[ALPHAMARIOX]

Well if anything in this thread is true then getting (to a degree) custom content in it won't be that difficult since it'll probably use -roughly- the same format as in MK8, it's probably using their shiny new engine with bf*** files, like with MKW and Brawl. And considering Bean and Chadderz have already gotten this far, it shouldn't be that difficult.

Someone else will probably start up on modding SSB4. As far as I know, Chadderz will keep working on MK8, although they had a similar file structure with Brawl and MKWii. Brawlbox worked on files that were present in other games as well, which made it very versatile. I have no doubts that there'll be other games that have a similar file structure to MK8.

 

[FusionGamer]

Please release this cheat loader

This isn't a cheat loader. This is a modification loader.
That's why we should really have a system like the CTGP Channel where people like you won't ruin the game. It would also be a lot easier just to drag and drop files to a SD rather than having to create a WAMP server just for mods.

Huntereb
You like his post? I didn't realize you wanted to ruin a good game as well!

 

[Ryanrocks462]

This isn't a cheat loader. This is a modification loader.
That's why we should really have a system like the CTGP Channel where people like you won't ruin the game. It would also be a lot easier just to drag and drop files to a SD rather than having to create a WAMP server just for mods.

Huntereb
You like his post? I didn't realize you wanted to ruin a good game as well!

hey calm down a little bit he didn't know this was a Mod loader and maybe he was referring to not cheating 'online' its like piracy there really is nothing wrong with it and i sure hope someone else finds a kernel exploit soon so they can release it ^^

 

[Huntereb]

Huntereb
You like his post? I didn't realize you wanted to ruin a good game as well!

Me wanty cheats.

 

[Ryanrocks462]

Me wanty cheats.

me to ^^

 

[FusionGamer]

hey calm down a little bit he didn't know this was a Mod loader and maybe he was referring to not cheating 'online' its like piracy there really is nothing wrong with it and i sure hope someone else finds a kernel exploit soon so they can release it ^^

Still, I don't want cheat codes. If someone makes them for offline, there's nothing stopping assholes from taking them online and ruining a good game.

Nothing wrong with piracy? LOL. I'll just pirate any paid app you create, seeing as how your OK with piracy

I too however, hope a kernel exploit is found and released

 

[Ryanrocks462]

Still, I don't want cheat codes. If someone makes them for offline, there's nothing stopping assholes from taking them online and ruining a good game.

Nothing wrong with piracy? LOL. I'll just pirate any paid app you create, seeing as how your OK with piracy

I too however, hope a kernel exploit is found and released

lol i already pirate every app i know a lot of people disagree with it but tbh i am just a piracy whore ...getting off topic haha and ya true i mean either way cheating is gonna happen either way online unfortunately

 

[mutinize]

Nothing wrong with piracy? LOL. I'll just pirate any paid app you create, seeing as how your OK with piracy

I don't think you know how piracy works. It's only a loss when it was a potential sale to begin with.

 

[naxil]

How this cheat mode works? With the "leaked" web broswer hack? Or use unreleased hack? Some coder think this mod is simple (not for me..). For sure cheating on game like mk8 can ruin the challenge! But. Wiiu with total control. Is a real good and cheap peace of hw. Softmod and homebrew can turn a wiiu in a good peace of hw under the hdtv. The pad can open a new frontier on homebrew. The pad is dicovered in all way (libdrc) .

 

[google]

I don't think you know how piracy works. It's only a loss when it was a potential sale to begin with.

^ This one gets it...
A proper, all-access hack/mod would be awesome for homebrew, since there are ODDs just around the corner that will (almost) only facilitate piracy.

Imho, it would be a good thing if it was like the SMC-hack on the 360, where you couldn't get on the regular Live (eventually) and all the mods was kept on lan or other servers (X-link Kai)

The WiiU pad has sooooo much potential when it comes to homebrew, can't wait to see more

 

[maharito]

This all gives me a sliver of hope for future Smash Bros. 4 mods. I never really played the Brawl mods, but it was quite impressive what all could be done as the years rolled by. May the passion for the hack never die.