I think you guys are failing to understand exactly *why* we can't have a multiple game loader yet.
The original flash carts never had a restriction as to what could and couldn't be run.* It wasn't until DSi that Nintendo decided to lock the boot-sector for software, so the early slot-1 flash carts just wrote bits of code that could launch games. Think of it like its own ROM (in fact, it IS... if you look at something like AKAIO on the AceKard or the menu for Supercards/etc, you'll notice a boot.nds or similar on there)
*DS games themselves were encrypted, but there was no sort of lockout in place on the system to prevent unauthorized software from being run. Essentially the slot-1 flash carts had software that would decrypt them on the fly.
Once the DSi came out, it took flash cart makers a while to figure out a way to run their hacks on it, which is why the AceKard 2i was the biggest deal at the time (I remember having a slot-1 Supercard and having to wait for AK2i to come out)
What that did was take a signed DS game, and exploited the save file into crashing the system and needing a recovery file (similar to how the Stack Smash stuff worked on the Wii). The game they found loaded its save instantly, so you didn't ever see the menu at all, it just flashed the screen black for a couple seconds and then the AceKard menu showed up with your list of .nds files.
To date, every DS flash cart operates this same way. Which is why they all show up as retail game cartridges - that's how they have to, in order to be able to boot on the DSi or 3DS since Nintendo started putting in hash checking. The boot sector of those flash cards would be identical to the boot sector of a retail game - literally the only difference is that the have a hacked save file which allows it to load the menu.
Look at the CycloDS iEvolution. The only DSi-enhanced game at the time that was exploitable was My Healthy Cooking Coach. However, with that game, the save did not load until after the title screen, which is why every time you ran that cart you'd see the Ubisoft logos and then eventually it would flicker and the flash cart menu showed up. That's also why Nintendo was able to block the CycloDSi fairly early on, because there was only one game being used. (In fact, every time there are flash carts blocked for DSi/3DS now, the way they update is to change what game the card shows up as... you ever notice that? There were a fairly large number of regular DS titles with exploitable save systems)
Now, you may also recall that the DS and DSi used un-encrypted saves (at least for cartridges... DSiWare was different). They tried changing HOW the saves were stored with newer titles, starting with Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver (most likely due to those cartridges having an IR sensor, so the save area was moved), but the saves themselves remained unencrypted. Why did the 3DS switch to encrypted saves? I think you can guess the answer to that. Even with the current Gateway exploit, the saves are encrypted.
So, in order to run any sort of unsigned code, the following would have to happen first:
1. Save format on 3DS games cracked (this has happened for older games, but nothing after that)
2. A game would have to be discovered which loads its save in a fashion that allows stack smashing
Then, and ONLY then, will it be possible to run homebrew (and subsequently, multiple-game loaders) in 3DS mode.
What the Gateway does currently is actually quite clever. It spoofs its cart to show up as whatever signed game you choose (which is why you can't run homebrew)... however since the cartridge itself lacks some of the security features in place on retail 3DS cartridges (these are not part of the ROM, it's a separate chip), they need to use "gateway mode" to bypass the anti-piracy checking. Currently that's ALL it does, it does NOT bypass the need for running official signed code on the system.
Hopefully this will stop these threads, because seriously, I get tired of seeing them. I want 3DS homebrew and multi-ROM loaders as much as the next guy, but it's just physically not possible until the two things above have happened first - regardless of what Gateway team may be telling you.
Disclaimer: my facts might be slightly off, but I'm pretty certain about the general process. Feel free to correct any of my points if they're wrong.
The original flash carts never had a restriction as to what could and couldn't be run.* It wasn't until DSi that Nintendo decided to lock the boot-sector for software, so the early slot-1 flash carts just wrote bits of code that could launch games. Think of it like its own ROM (in fact, it IS... if you look at something like AKAIO on the AceKard or the menu for Supercards/etc, you'll notice a boot.nds or similar on there)
*DS games themselves were encrypted, but there was no sort of lockout in place on the system to prevent unauthorized software from being run. Essentially the slot-1 flash carts had software that would decrypt them on the fly.
Once the DSi came out, it took flash cart makers a while to figure out a way to run their hacks on it, which is why the AceKard 2i was the biggest deal at the time (I remember having a slot-1 Supercard and having to wait for AK2i to come out)
What that did was take a signed DS game, and exploited the save file into crashing the system and needing a recovery file (similar to how the Stack Smash stuff worked on the Wii). The game they found loaded its save instantly, so you didn't ever see the menu at all, it just flashed the screen black for a couple seconds and then the AceKard menu showed up with your list of .nds files.
To date, every DS flash cart operates this same way. Which is why they all show up as retail game cartridges - that's how they have to, in order to be able to boot on the DSi or 3DS since Nintendo started putting in hash checking. The boot sector of those flash cards would be identical to the boot sector of a retail game - literally the only difference is that the have a hacked save file which allows it to load the menu.
Look at the CycloDS iEvolution. The only DSi-enhanced game at the time that was exploitable was My Healthy Cooking Coach. However, with that game, the save did not load until after the title screen, which is why every time you ran that cart you'd see the Ubisoft logos and then eventually it would flicker and the flash cart menu showed up. That's also why Nintendo was able to block the CycloDSi fairly early on, because there was only one game being used. (In fact, every time there are flash carts blocked for DSi/3DS now, the way they update is to change what game the card shows up as... you ever notice that? There were a fairly large number of regular DS titles with exploitable save systems)
Now, you may also recall that the DS and DSi used un-encrypted saves (at least for cartridges... DSiWare was different). They tried changing HOW the saves were stored with newer titles, starting with Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver (most likely due to those cartridges having an IR sensor, so the save area was moved), but the saves themselves remained unencrypted. Why did the 3DS switch to encrypted saves? I think you can guess the answer to that. Even with the current Gateway exploit, the saves are encrypted.
So, in order to run any sort of unsigned code, the following would have to happen first:
1. Save format on 3DS games cracked (this has happened for older games, but nothing after that)
2. A game would have to be discovered which loads its save in a fashion that allows stack smashing
Then, and ONLY then, will it be possible to run homebrew (and subsequently, multiple-game loaders) in 3DS mode.
What the Gateway does currently is actually quite clever. It spoofs its cart to show up as whatever signed game you choose (which is why you can't run homebrew)... however since the cartridge itself lacks some of the security features in place on retail 3DS cartridges (these are not part of the ROM, it's a separate chip), they need to use "gateway mode" to bypass the anti-piracy checking. Currently that's ALL it does, it does NOT bypass the need for running official signed code on the system.
Hopefully this will stop these threads, because seriously, I get tired of seeing them. I want 3DS homebrew and multi-ROM loaders as much as the next guy, but it's just physically not possible until the two things above have happened first - regardless of what Gateway team may be telling you.
Disclaimer: my facts might be slightly off, but I'm pretty certain about the general process. Feel free to correct any of my points if they're wrong.
