Hacking The Great Quest for Wiiflow Plugins™ - A call for adventurers!

[Zael]

WII & GAMECUBE BANNERS... HOW TO DISABLE THEM? = Set the Wiiflow audio volume to 0

Wooww! It worked like a cham @Totoi! You saved my day! Thanks a lot!

I think this plugin only works if the games are launched from SD card. You shouldn't need a real keyboard at least to start most of the games.
The 2 commands to load a .k7 should be typed automatically: CLOAD and RUN

In fact, I launch all my plugins from SD card. I tried it also as a standalone emulator and the problem it's the same... it loads the BASIC VG5000 screen but you can't invoque a virtual keyboard, also you can load manually the .k7 games but nothing happens. I'll keep trying with another .k7 files maybe they are not the correct .k7 files expected by the emulator.

@Zael sorry, it's ZR for screenshots. I was not in front of the wii

Thank you again @Tetsuo, this screenshot feature is very usefull to me.

The working ZX spectrum Retroarch core included in this pack, is FUSE not Eightyone.
https://docs.libretro.com/library/fuse/

About the FUSE/FBZX dilemma... I was using FBZX because it was the ZX Spectrum emulator included in the pack I downloaded here on August 2020.

I haven't tried FUSE core yet, but a few days ago I discovered that FBZX was very updated last years. Since 2017 it is in version 15 and it includes an AWESOME feature...

​

... it can RECORD .RZX files!!! RZX files are a sort of "input MAME files", a very light file that play your entire playback and you can replay it not only on FBZX but also on ANY ZX Spectrum emulator with .RZX support (PC, PSP, NDS, etc.)

This "RZX record" feature is common in ZX Spectrum emulators on PC, but I think that this version of FBZX makes the Wii the very first console supporting this incredible feature (I was searching for this on PSP, NDS and many other systems and they only supported "Replay RZX" feature).

Also this FBZX v.15 includes a lot of new features. It's worth to give it a try, trust me.


P.D.: I also try to load Z81 files (.p / .tzx) but this version can't emulate Z81 neither...

 

[Wiimpathy]

In fact, I launch all my plugins from SD card. I tried it also as a standalone emulator and the problem it's the same... it loads the BASIC VG5000 screen but you can't invoque a virtual keyboard, also you can load manually the .k7 games but nothing happens. I'll keep trying with another .k7 files maybe they are not the correct .k7 files expected by the emulator.

No virtual keyboard. However, in the plugin the 2 commands are typed automatically at the basic screen. Don't know what's wrong in your setup. Maybe the files itself. I just re-tried with blitz and l'abeille yesterday, no problem.
Worth a try with a usb keyboard and type CLOAD and RUN to rule out potential rom issue.

 

[Zael]

No virtual keyboard. However, in the plugin the 2 commands are typed automatically at the basic screen. Don't know what's wrong in your setup. Maybe the files itself. I just re-tried with blitz and l'abeille yesterday, no problem.
Worth a try with a usb keyboard and type CLOAD and RUN to rule out potential rom issue.

No way to get it working...



Using dcvg5k.dol in Tetsuo's Plugin Pack or vg5000.dol (both 1.229.888 bytes) from here, results in a fast sound (VG5000 start sound) followed by a corrupted black screen with some pink colours at the bottom. No button response (even Home button) and you must reset Wii manually to get out.




Using boot.dol as plugin (1.229.376 bytes) combined with app/dcvg5k/dcvg5k.elf (4.306.807 bytes) both downloaded from Wiibrew results in emulator start, VG5000 BASIC screen with promt cursor waiting... but nothing happens. No "auto-start CLOAD, RUN" happens. You can load .k7 files from the upper "K7 button", see or change options, etc. with mouse, but you can't start games. I think this is the standalone emulator (but also can't load games even I load it as standalone emu), not the plugin.


Is it possible that .dol plugin is corrupted? Could you share your plugin and folders setup, @Wiimpathy?

Thanks in advantage!


P.D.: I'm also testing with a BK emulator for PC, to test valid .bin games and keep testing the "ultra-rare" BK retroarch core for Wii. Fingers are crossed, just in case...

 

[Wiimpathy]

No way to get it working...



Using dcvg5k.dol in Tetsuo's Plugin Pack or vg5000.dol (both 1.229.888 bytes) from here, results in a fast sound (VG5000 start sound) followed by a corrupted black screen with some pink colours at the bottom. No button response (even Home button) and you must reset Wii manually to get out.




Using boot.dol as plugin (1.229.376 bytes) combined with app/dcvg5k/dcvg5k.elf (4.306.807 bytes) both downloaded from Wiibrew results in emulator start, VG5000 BASIC screen with promt cursor waiting... but nothing happens. No "auto-start CLOAD, RUN" happens. You can load .k7 files from the upper "K7 button", see or change options, etc. with mouse, but you can't start games. I think this is the standalone emulator (but also can't load games even I load it as standalone emu), not the plugin.


Is it possible that .dol plugin is corrupted? Could you share your plugin and folders setup, @Wiimpathy?

Thanks in advantage!


P.D.: I'm also testing with a BK emulator for PC, to test valid .bin games and keep testing the "ultra-rare" BK retroarch core for Wii. Fingers are crossed, just in case...

The autoload feature is only available in the vg5000 plugin. You didn't say which game you're trying by the way. I couldn't see many reasons of why it's failing. Other than the games files.
But the corrupted screen is weird an not related. Video settings? There was an issue with another plugin and 50hz.
EDIT
I just tried 50hz no problem. Clueless why it's going wrong for you. Mastershoes also made it working back then so no regional issue... I'll pass on this one.

It'd be better to test the same game in the standalone emulator through Homebrew channel first. Load the k7 in menu and type CLOAD[Enter] then RUN[Enter] if you have a usb keyboard.

The dol isn't corrupted, it wouldn't even start. Pretty sure Tetsuo took the one that was in the masterpiece pack.
Anyway, here's the original link : https://gbatemp.net/threads/wiiflow-an-open-source-gui-usb-loader.204106/page-716#post-4822344

Just to be sure, I saw you're using an old wiiflow version. Are other plugins working correctly in your setup right now?

 

[Zael]

Yiiiijaaa!! I got it work! It seems to be something related with the dvcg5k.ini file that the emu creates in apps/dcvg5k folder when you load a game. I tried to erase that file, then load a game from Wiiflow and...

​

But after load this game, dcvg5k.ini file is generated again, so I tried to load the very same game and the result was...

​

If I open that dcvg5k.ini file it shows this...

dcvg5kini-2 è ø •

​

Erasing that file before gaming VG5000 is the only solution for me by now... but it's fine for me!

Lot of thanks again for your time and your effort with Wiiflow plugins, @Wiimpathy!!

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Here is the updated ZX Spectrum plugin folder
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ittuu88eyu1pfev/ZX_Spectrum.rar/file
Place it in wiiflow/plugins, replacing the old one.
Fbzx-Wii is updated to 15.0 and Retroarch Fuse is the same as before, just in a better organized folder structure.

 

[NayoMays]

Hey @Tetsuo Shima

Fantastic work as always! Thank you for being awesome!

Could we add Wii64 Beta 1.1, Wii64 Beta 1.2, and Wii64 Rice Beta 1.2 as plugins for N64? Wii64 Rice is needed to be able to play Goldeneye 007 multiplayer on my Wii. Now with the new source selection WiiFlow feature we should be able to easily switch between Not64 and Wii64 depending on the game. Thanks!

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Hey @Tetsuo Shima

Fantastic work as always! Thank you for being awesome!

Could we add Wii64 Beta 1.1, Wii64 Beta 1.2, and Wii64 Rice Beta 1.2 as plugins for N64? Wii64 Rice is needed to be able to play Goldeneye 007 multiplayer on my Wii. Now with the new source selection WiiFlow feature we should be able to easily switch between Not64 and Wii64 depending on the game. Thanks!

Are they working for you? I never managed to add any other wii64 version, because they didn't work as plugins.
If they're working for you, could you send them to me? I'll be happy to add them in my next upcoming update.

 

[Ripster]

Hm, I don't know what went wrong now, but one of the linked plugins for DOSbox just stopped to connect now for some reason. Everytime I have to play that game and get the box cover to show up, I have to reload cache.. might be a easy fix but for now I cannot just figure it out.


[BUTTON_1]
autoboot=
cat_page=1
category=0
hidden=no
image=pc.png
image_s=pc.png
magic=5343564D,44554B45,444E4356,444E4443,444E4E57,51305730,51315250,48455832,484f4445,56434D6D,45585537,4752494D,4749414e,53555041,574f4c46,534f4644,4a415a5a,5459524e,4f48434c,41425553,414c4252,44424f58,50425248,46425A68
source=plugin
title=PC DOS/Windows


[PLUGIN]
arguments={device}:/{path}/|{name}
bannersound=
consolecoverid=
covercolor=000000
coverfolder=DOS
displayname=PC THEME HOSPITAL
dolfile=apps/CorsixTH/boot.dol
filetypes=.game
magic=46425A68
romdir=wiiflow/plugins/CorsixTH
rompartition=1

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Hm, I don't know what went wrong now, but one of the linked plugins for DOSbox just stopped to connect now for some reason. Everytime I have to play that game and get the box cover to show up, I have to reload cache.. might be a easy fix but for now I cannot just figure it out.


[BUTTON_1]
autoboot=
cat_page=1
category=0
hidden=no
image=pc.png
image_s=pc.png
magic=5343564D,44554B45,444E4356,444E4443,444E4E57,51305730,51315250,48455832,484f4445,56434D6D,45585537,4752494D,4749414e,53555041,574f4c46,534f4644,4a415a5a,5459524e,4f48434c,41425553,414c4252,44424f58,50425248,46425A68
source=plugin
title=PC DOS/Windows


[PLUGIN]
arguments={device}:/{path}/|{name}
bannersound=
consolecoverid=
covercolor=000000
coverfolder=DOS
displayname=PC THEME HOSPITAL
dolfile=apps/CorsixTH/boot.dol
filetypes=.game
magic=46425A68
romdir=wiiflow/plugins/CorsixTH
rompartition=1

The magic number you're using is already assigned in platform.ini to ZX Spectrum.
I've never added the Theme Hospital source port yet, so if you want to use it you should have to create a new magic number for it. Try with 5448484f.
Add this line to your platform.ini under the [PLUGINS] section:
5448484f=DOS
Then remove 46425A68 from your DOS button in source menu
Then add 5448484f in your theme hospital plugin .ini.

 

[Ripster]

The magic number you're using is already assigned in platform.ini to ZX Spectrum.
I've never added the Theme Hospital source port yet, so if you want to use it you should have to create a new magic number for it. Try with 5448484f.
Add this line to your platform.ini under the [PLUGINS] section:
5448484f=DOS
Then remove 46425A68 from your DOS button in source menu
Then add 5448484f in your theme hospital plugin .ini.

Strange, it just wont work. Does that magic number work? The plugin.ini for Theme Hospital lookslike this. I have no idea why there is a ZX Spectrum magic number for it to begin with.. I did change it to 5448484f and added it to the platform.ini and the Source of DOSbox as you mentioned aswell. I feel such dumb right now, this should be easy.


[PLUGIN]
arguments={device}:/{path}/|{name}
bannersound=
consolecoverid=
covercolor=000000
coverfolder=PC
displayname=PC THEME HOSPITAL
dolfile=apps/CorsixTH/Theme Hospital.dol
filetypes=.dol
magic=46425A68
romdir=apps/CorsixTH

EDIT: WORKS NOW
Ofcourse I had to Link source buttons to plugin (again). I knew I had this issue before aswell. I always forget about that. Thanks for the new magic number tho!

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Strange, it just wont work. Does that magic number work? The plugin.ini for Theme Hospital lookslike this. I have no idea why there is a ZX Spectrum magic number for it to begin with.. I did change it to 5448484f and added it to the platform.ini and the Source of DOSbox as you mentioned aswell. I feel such dumb right now, this should be easy.


[PLUGIN]
arguments={device}:/{path}/|{name}
bannersound=
consolecoverid=
covercolor=000000
coverfolder=PC
displayname=PC THEME HOSPITAL
dolfile=apps/CorsixTH/Theme Hospital.dol
filetypes=.dol
magic=46425A68
romdir=apps/CorsixTH

EDIT: WORKS NOW
Ofcourse I had to Link source buttons to plugin (again). I knew I had this issue before aswell. I always forget about that. Thanks for the new magic number tho!

Glad you sorted it out. Out of curiosity.. is this game any good? I couldn't find the time to test it, but I've read bad things about bugs on wiibrew, so I left it out. Do you think it is worth to add it to the pack?

 

[Ripster]

Glad you sorted it out. Out of curiosity.. is this game any good? I couldn't find the time to test it, but I've read bad things about bugs on wiibrew, so I left it out. Do you think it is worth to add it to the pack?

I Tried the first level without any errors at all. The pointer doesent get stuck either. The voices sounds Good and It runs smooth as well. It's definitely worth to add in!

 

[Ripster]

@Tetsuo Shima You don't have plugins for WiiDoom, WiiHexen, WiiHeretic and WiiStrife don't you? I'm planning to get them in for my collection and I can only see a Doom and a Hexen II one. Is there any Magicnumbers that I can use for them if I want to add the plugins manually?

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

@Ripster I didn't include those plugins because they don't work with wiiflow.
Sadly, their autor has no interest in modding them to use the arguments for autobooting the games, so I think we can forget to use them with Wiiflow.

 

[Ripster]

@Ripster I didn't include those plugins because they don't work with wiiflow.
Sadly, their autor has no interest in modding them to use the arguments for autobooting the games, so I think we can forget to use them with Wiiflow.

That's sad. They runs very well after all. So, even if they are not autobooting, can I still add them like QRevPAK-plugin? (Having to chose what game to launch after starting the game) That doesent matter for me, as long as I can reach them on Wiiflow. I will Need 4 working Magicnumbers then.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Of course you can. It's quicker to launch them in Wiiflow from the Homebrew sourceflow, with no worries about magic numbers.
But if you really want to do it, here's how to create magic numbers:
1) choose 4 capital letters for that plugin. It can be everything you want, but it's better if they identify the plugin in some way (e.g. WIDM for WiiDoom).
2) Use an ASCII to HEX converter, I use this one: https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/ascii-to-hex.html
3) Type your 4 letters in the text area, and in Output delimiter string choose 'none'. Click on 'Convert'.
4) Verify that this newly created magic number is unique in platform.ini: open platform.ini, press ctrl+F and paste your new magic number in the search field. If it's not found in platform.ini it means it's good to use.
5) Add this magic number to platform.ini, under the [PLUGINS] section. The platform name can be DOS, in this way it will use the same coverflow and database for PC games.
e.g.
5749444d=DOS

 

[pcjco]

@Tetsuo Shima , in the "Wiiflow Plugins Pack - rev5", the folder apps\abinst (AlienBreed installer) can not be re-used for installation as-is because it must be a copy of an already installed application. There are some left files in apps\abinst\working which make a re-installation not complete. In the pack, you should put the original "clean" content of the original Wiiab zip instead.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

@pcjco Thanks for reporting this. So many things to do and I never tried to install it a second time. I will fix it in the next update

 

[pcjco]

@Tetsuo Shima In the HEXAECO configuration files [LCD TV].rar there are missing .cfg files that are referenced in some of the RA-HEXAECO plugins:

• intellivision.cfg (from Intellivision_RA-HEXAECO.ini)
• gbc.cfg (from gambatte_GBC_RA-HEXAECO.ini)
  
• fba_neogeo_vm.cfg (from neogeo_vm_RA-HEXAECO.ini)
• fba_cps3.cfg (from FBA_CPS3_RA-HEXAECO.ini)