Hacking Before buying a wii U, I'd like to know?

[Edwii]

So I've been searching around here and google, and can't really find any overly clear answers to questions I have.

These are probably common questions and have answers in other places, but not for a lack of trying I can't find everything I want to know: thus I request if you don't have mature answers to my questions directly, and just want to flame about these things already being asked, then this thread is not for you, so dont waste your time or mine.

Why I might want a wii U:
I want to use the wii U almost exclusively thru the table pad's screen, mostly to play older games at this point.

What I don't know:
I am not sure if I am under the misconception that I can play every single game I want thru the game pad's screen or not.
1◘ I want to play Virtual console/emulated games remotely thru the game pad's screen, can I?
2◘ I want to be able to play game cube games on thru the game pad, can I?
*Note I have some understanding of "Devolution" What I am not clear on is the business of having to use a wii to read the disks? I still own my gamecube disks, but it seems like a bit of a hassle to use to systems to play game cube games in this way, and I am unclear if i can play them thru the game pad screen? But again I am not exactly sure how this all works.
3◘ I will be buying a used wii U, do I have to worry about any of the possible latest updates in order to hack it?
4◘ Can I play wii games (like say mario galaxy) thru the game pad's screen? Can I play it with out using a wiimote+nunchuck?
5◘ I want to keep things as simple and safe as possible: Can I put all the games I want onto an external storage device and play them off it safely? Can I store them on the wii U's internal storage and play them off it? Is doing everything I am wanting to do reasonably safe?
6◘ After hacking the wii U, will this restrict me from using any of it's functions, like going online/eshop?
7◘ After hacking/exploiting the wii U, is it possible to restore it to default?

I would like to thank every one in advance for any help they are able to offer at this time.

 

[beta4attack]

Yes, you can play all VC titles only on the GamePad on the Wii U mode, but you can't use it on vWii (Wii mode). So, basically, you can't play GameCube or Wii games on the GamePad. Also, only the Wii part of the Wii U us hackable, the Wii U hasn't been hacked.

 

[obcd]

The answer to pretty much all of your questions is "No"
The only part hacked so far on the wiiu is the vwii part.
When the wiiu switches from wiiu to vwii mode, access to some of the extra wiiu hardware is disabled.
The gamepad screen is such additional wiiu hardware. The wiiu is capable of driving 2 screens (like most pc video adapters nowadays)
The video output of one of those is wirelessly sent to the gamepad which shows it on it's display.
At the moment, it's unknown if the secundary video output can be accessed from vwii mode.
Another hurdle is the setup of the wireless video link that might be disabled as well.

The only guys that might know all the details are team FailOverflow. They reversed most of the Wiiu inner workings.

The Vwii part of the Wiiu can be hacked, but some tools still don't work.
bootmii can't be used to backup the vwii nand (as an example), and you need an exploitable game. The mailbomb isn't working on wiiu vwii.

Another annoying thing on the Wiiu is the fact that it will ask to repartition and format an external connected harddisk when it finds a valid MBR sector and partition table. You can disable this by changing the last 2 bytes of the MBR sector, but that means that the harddisk partitions won't be recognised anymore in your pc unless you undo these changes. In fact it wouldn't suprise me that your pc will ask to partition and format the harddisk when it can't find a valid partition table. Besides that, not all homebrew already recognises the harddisk with that modified MBR.

It doesn't mean that it won't be possible in the future. Maybe a wiiu exploit will allow us to use some of the wiiu features in wii mode.
Libogc can't handle multi core cpu's, but an increase of the speed of one core and access to some of the wiiu features like the gamepad screen should be technically possible I guess. I have no idea how vwi compatible the wiiu is when it's running in wiiu mode.
People made the wii gc compatible in wii mode which also was long time assumed impossible.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

At the moment, it's unknown if the secundary video output can be accessed from vwii mode.

It's confirmed possible, fail0verflow showed a picture of the gamepad being used in Wii mode.

 

[obcd]

The only picture I am aware about is the one with the missing block at the bottom.
It's unknown if that was realised in wiiu mode or in wii mode. All they say is that it was sent from a wiiu and not a pc if I remember well.
If you have another picture, could you please provide a link to it? I am just curious for it.
My excuses for derailing the topic a bit with this question.

 

[Ericthegreat]

The only picture I am aware about is the one with the missing block at the bottom.
It's unknown if that was realised in wiiu mode or in wii mode. All they say is that it was sent from a wiiu and not a pc if I remember well.
If you have another picture, could you please provide a link to it? I am just curious for it.
My excuses for derailing the topic a bit with this question.

No your right, then they made the post about how we might get somthing, if someone makes the tri core linux thing happen, MIGHT.

But also there is the wiikey U which, seems to have run into a problem but will release one day eventually maybe.

http://www.wiikey.com/

^^^^ yet another MIGHT maybe one day, as we dont know if they will ever fix their issue.

 

[jayjay123]

Why I might want a wii U:
I want to use the wii U almost exclusively thru the table pad's screen, mostly to play older games at this point.

Wii U virtual console games work nicely on the tablet. Perhaps later you will have access to emulators in Wii U mode but not now.

What I don't know:
I am not sure if I am under the misconception that I can play every single game I want thru the game pad's screen or not.
1◘ I want to play Virtual console/emulated games remotely thru the game pad's screen, can I?
2◘ I want to be able to play game cube games on thru the game pad, can I?

Only those purchased in the Wii U shop online... i.e. virtual console. Wii mode you can install homebrew but the pad doesn't work as a controller or screen there. You use old Wii controls.

3◘ I will be buying a used wii U, do I have to worry about any of the possible latest updates in order to hack it?

I heard there was a new update coming soon (or already out) that did some significant things but I haven't seen it myself.

4◘ Can I play wii games (like say mario galaxy) thru the game pad's screen? Can I play it with out using a wiimote+nunchuck?

No, only Wii U games work on the Wii U controller. Super Mario 3D worlds is one... http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20..._its_3d_mario_title_isnt_super_mario_galaxy_3

5◘ I want to keep things as simple and safe as possible: Can I put all the games I want onto an external storage device and play them off it safely? Can I store them on the wii U's internal storage and play them off it? Is doing everything I am wanting to do reasonably safe?

If you plan to use HDD for Wii U games, it will be exclusively formatted for Wii U. For Wii, you can setup USB loaders etc currently. It's early days so while it works today, Wii U may have update that disables it in future - then the hacking process has to adapt... nothing new - same as before. Honestly? If you want less hassle? Just use external drive for Wii U and get your games from online shop or retail store - problem solved. Hacking is for those who don't mind bricking or losing their warranty.

6◘ After hacking the wii U, will this restrict me from using any of it's functions, like going online/eshop?

Nope - all fine, except you're not going to be able to hack the Wii U, only vWii (regular Wii mode) for homebrew at this stage AFAIK.

These are the ones I have answers for

 

[blaisedinsd]

It's confirmed possible, fail0verflow showed a picture of the gamepad being used in Wii mode.

Didn't know this but it is not surprising.

I really think it was a huge opportunity missed for Nintendo. They absolutely should allow vWii to be fully playable on the gamepad and have the gamepads buttons work as a classic controller (the gamepad already has it's own sensor bar built in). IMO it would add huge value to the system (and cost them very little to implement I believe) and probably convince many Wii owners to get the console just for this feature. Instead Nintendo is short sighted and wants to charge extra for Gamepad functionality such as forcing re buys of virtual console titles.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Didn't know this but it is not surprising.

I really think it was a huge opportunity missed for Nintendo. They absolutely should allow vWii to be fully playable on the gamepad and have the gamepads buttons work as a classic controller (the gamepad already has it's own sensor bar built in). IMO it would add huge value to the system (and cost them very little to implement I believe) and probably convince many Wii owners to get the console just for this feature. Instead Nintendo is short sighted and wants to charge extra for Gamepad functionality such as forcing re buys of virtual console titles.

It has a sensor bar? What makes you think that? I've never heard that before.

 

[blaisedinsd]

It has a sensor bar? What makes you think that? I've never heard that before.

I have a Wii U, the gamepad has a sensor bar. In BLOPS2 you can play the game in Off TV mode with a wiimote and nunchuck. When you do this it cuts power to the normal sensor bar and turns on the game pad sensor bar (so as not to confuse your pointer).

Look at your game pad, right in the middle of the sensor bar is where the camera is. BLOPS2 is the only game I know that supports it currently....but how cool would it be to play your entire Wii Library in off tv mode....seems like it would make a great marketing angle to me.

 

[blaisedinsd]

To the original poster:

While you can play Virtual console on the gamepad it is important to note that Wii U Virtual Console is very limited compared to the Wii Virtual Console. The two exist separately and independently and the Wii VC can not be played on the gamepad, only on the TV. That means no piracy on the gamepad as well, only purchases.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I have a Wii U, the gamepad has a sensor bar. In BLOPS2 you can play the game in Off TV mode with a wiimote and nunchuck. When you do this it cuts power to the normal sensor bar and turns on the game pad sensor bar (so as not to confuse your pointer).

Look at your game pad, right in the middle of the sensor bar is where the camera is. BLOPS2 is the only game I know that supports it currently....but how cool would it be to play your entire Wii Library in off tv mode....seems like it would make a great marketing angle to me.

Hm I guess I've heard about it before. Just forgot since there never seemed to be anything that actually made use of it (or supported it at all)
Seems kind of silly and inconvenient to use the gamepad with a wiimote though so I can understand that not many games use it. But it would still be nice to have Wii mode support for the gamepad, both homebrew and retail games, just to be able to play Wii games without using the TV (and play them in other rooms)

 

[YoshiKart]

Look at your game pad, right in the middle of the sensor bar is where the camera is. BLOPS2 is the only game I know that supports it currently....but how cool would it be to play your entire Wii Library in off tv mode....seems like it would make a great marketing angle to me.

Afaik, Blops2 and Pikmin 3 support this.

 

[Edwii]

This little thread has been super helpful to me, and I think there have been a lot of questions answered that a lot of people have been and still will be looking for. I'd like to suggest some one use all the info hear to create an point form sticky so every one has easy access to this stuff.

Rant: I wish I didnt love Nintendo games so much growing up, and still to this day. Nintendo's policies drive me nuts, I've owned super mario world since 1991 on snes, and have bought it again and again for so many nintendo systems now, it's such a scam. Steam/PC gets it, buy it from us once, then play it on anything compatible forever. It really gets me down that nintendo seems so out of touch with the consumer, like everything I want to do with the wii U's hardware I pretty much can't do, and still cant do (yet) unless its hacked and pirated.

Conclusion: I've opted to not buy a wii U at this time (maybe ever), unless 1. a marical happens and Nintendo gets it's sh** together, or 2. it get's hacked wide open that i can do the things I want it to do.
Moral of this story: I'm going to spend my $300 far better and buy a Nvidia Shield, between it's PC Streaming abilities and the use of emulators, having it and a good pc rig is like having a wii U on steroids and can do everything I want it to do. It's just sad that it still forces me to do things in a shady way instead of strait up. (also sad that it costs a lot more to do what I want)

Thanks again every one for your help, I hope others find it as helpful as I have.

 

[TheChield]

Smiling for every thread on this forum
Thought that Marcan was overestimated the power of kiddies..
Know I know it's real....