Homebrew Advantages of 3dsx over cia

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Well for one thing you have a limit to how many apps can be on the home menu (300 i think) So if you don't install so many homebrew on home menu, you have more room for eshop stuff or rom back ups and still have acees to homebrew with the loader.

I am surprised no one mentions that as well. There is a reason to keep 3dsx files like the ones mentioned above by everyone else. But seeing as how people with CFW who prefer to install cia all the time maybe for get that there is good and bad side to things. So I am glad someone considered asking this.

Homebrew loader is a bit problematic with is boot rate not being 100% functional either loading it or any homebrew, but it does keep files uninstalled and more room for eshop stuff. Having cia is good cause you can use home menu with cia (for whatever reason), but not with homebrew loader 3dsx. Homebrew 3dsx can be used on every firmware without CFW, or people who don't want CFW so it still a thing.

 

[Urbanshadow]

Homebrew loader is a bit problematic with is boot rate not being 100% functional either loading it or any homebrew, but it does keep files uninstalled and more room for eshop stuff. Having cia is good cause you can use home menu with cia (for whatever reason), but not with homebrew loader 3dsx.

I think this is the main reason why people prefer cia over 3dsx. Just to avoid the chance of a yellow screen when going through *hax. Back in time, when ye olde hax 2.x times a yellow screen in hb_launcher loader meant a reboot, going to menuhax (and gambling a yellow screen) cfw boot and then launching hb_launcher loader (and gambling a second yellow screen). With the worst of luck you could need a second or even a third reboot. That was infuriating, to say the least.

 

[Deleted User]

I think (dont quote me!) that .3dsx files have more ram. I think smea said that on twitter once.
Also, for 3dsx you do not need any kernel exploits. CIA require some sort of kernel hack to launch.

Like smea said 3dsx can use more ram but you can configure your cfw to use that ram.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

I think this is the main reason why people prefer cia over 3dsx. Just to avoid the chance of a yellow screen when going through *hax. Back in time, when ye olde hax 2.x times a yellow screen in hb_launcher loader meant a reboot, going to menuhax (and gambling a yellow screen) cfw boot and then launching hb_launcher loader (and gambling a second yellow screen). With the worst of luck you could need a second or even a third reboot. That was infuriating, to say the least.

Well that true, just perhaps maybe future updates are necessary. I noticed wii homebrew channel had updates for stability enhancement. So perhaps someone can talk to the developer?

 

[Hayleia]

I think this is the main reason why people prefer cia over 3dsx. Just to avoid the chance of a yellow screen when going through *hax. Back in time, when ye olde hax 2.x times a yellow screen in hb_launcher loader meant a reboot, going to menuhax (and gambling a yellow screen) cfw boot and then launching hb_launcher loader (and gambling a second yellow screen). With the worst of luck you could need a second or even a third reboot. That was infuriating, to say the least.

Well some of them (if not most) could have been launched from menuhax instead of booting to your CFW and risking a second yellow screen indeed
But yeah, that's a reason too I guess. I also think that a lot of people don't really see the point in having icons on your 3DS's home menu... but having to launch a secondary menu (and risking a yellow screen) just to launch a game when these games could just have been on the home menu in the first place. That's also why there is that VC edition of blargSNES. To just launch your games from the home menu instead of launching blargSNES's cia (or even worst, blargSNES's 3dsx which requires launching the HBL (and risking a yellow screen)) then scroll and stuff.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Well some of them (if not most) could have been launched from menuhax instead of booting to your CFW and risking a second yellow screen indeed
But yeah, that's a reason too I guess. I also think that a lot of people don't really see the point in having icons on your 3DS's home menu... but having to launch a secondary menu (and risking a yellow screen) just to launch a game when these games could just have been on the home menu in the first place. That's also why there is that VC edition of blargSNES. To just launch your games from the home menu instead of launching blargSNES's cia (or even worst, blargSNES's 3dsx which requires launching the HBL (and risking a yellow screen)) then scroll and stuff.

There is good and bad sides, if you do bother installing cia homebrew, yes is more convenient and functional but limiting your total 300 cia install limit where other more useful can be there and homebrew can be launched from homebrew. That maybe the only good and bad side.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

Exactly this. That's why they say that using a homebrew exploit doesn't have the capacity to brick; it's not messing with the NAND or anything.

Actually that is not entirely true. There is a way to brick the system beyond even repair from hardmod NAND restore, even from arm11 userland. From what I know it has something to do with sending info to the notification LED in some way. I may be wrong, But I've heard this from a couple good sources, though I can't remember who since it's been a while.

 

[Hayleia]

There is good and bad sides, if you do bother installing cia homebrew, yes is more convenient and functional but limiting your total 300 cia install limit where other more useful can be there and homebrew can be launched from homebrew. That maybe the only good and bad side.

Yes, obviously both have good and bad sides (that's why I defended 3dsx a bit on the previous page).
But actually, the "one more menu" thing didn't bother me that much when menuhax was at its summit. Because, well, actually the HBL could show up before the home menu. So I actually played the 3dsx version of Minicraft at that time. Now that it's the contrary yeah, the HBL is one more menu that I'd rather avoid if I can.

And about installation time for cia, the 3dsx doesn't necessarily win either since cias can use QR codes, which doesn't require having FTP stuff running on PC nor getting the SD card out. Though it still makes one step closer to the 300 limit but it's not really more annoying than the 3dsx format.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Yes, obviously both have good and bad sides (that's why I defended 3dsx a bit on the previous page).
But actually, the "one more menu" thing didn't bother me that much when menuhax was at its summit. Because, well, actually the HBL could show up before the home menu. So I actually played the 3dsx version of Minicraft at that time. Now that it's the contrary yeah, the HBL is one more menu that I'd rather avoid if I can.

And about installation time for cia, the 3dsx doesn't necessarily win either since cias can use QR codes, which doesn't require having FTP stuff running on PC nor getting the SD card out. Though it still makes one step closer to the 300 limit but it's not really more annoying than the 3dsx format.

Sure, but it all depends on the person and what they use it for. If they use it for homebrew installing cia then they must also be aware of the limit, but then again, i dont think nintendo intended to actually have someone have more than 32GB sd cards or installing so many cia files cause most eshop content isn't small files.

So as long as everyone knows what they are doing and manage system menu then they should be good like you and me.

 

[Hayleia]

Sure, but it all depends on the person and what they use it for. If they use it for homebrew installing cia then they must also be aware of the limit, but then again, i dont think nintendo intended to actually have someone have more than 32GB sd cards or installing so many cia files cause most eshop content isn't small files.

So as long as everyone knows what they are doing and manage system menu then they should be good like you and me.

Lol yeah, obviously if someone only plays Monster Hunter games and homebrew, they can install all homebrew as cias, but if some hardcore retro fan wants all emulated games, then the 300 limit will come quickly if all these games are in "VC" cia format
And now that menuhax is back on 11.0 by the way, it makes the "one more menu" thing less important. Well, for the time being because I guess it'll be gone again for the next update.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Lol yeah, obviously if someone only plays Monster Hunter games and homebrew, they can install all homebrew as cias, but if some hardcore retro fan wants all emulated games, then the 300 limit will come quickly if all these games are in "VC" cia format
And now that menuhax is back on 11.0 by the way, it makes the "one more menu" thing less important. Well, for the time being because I guess it'll be gone again for the next update.

Let's hope nintendo is done updating 3ds, it had 33 updates so far over the span of 5 years, it may be slowing down and moving on to the next big thing.

I guess if we had 100% functional hbl that maybe cia homebrew will get less attention. But even with homebrew channel on wii, i see there still people like using channel forwarders even though the channel limit is way worst on wii than 3ds and wii u

 

[ksanislo]

Even those with a CFW can see an advantage in the .3dsx format if they are devs: you can test your .3dsx file without sending it yourself with 3dslink. Just launch the HBL on your 3DS, press Y, type "3dslink Undertone.3dsx" and the Undertone.3dsx is automatically transferred and launched without you having to get any SD card out or using any FTP software, as long as your PC and 3DS are on the same WiFi network.
Useful for quick testing. But obviously a cia as a release isn't a bad idea.

Honestly, I've found .cia to be /much/ easier to test with, I just run a web server on the machine that does my compiling, and wrote an app called "AutoLoader" that will download and launch the .cia directly. So "make" and touch the load icon on my 3DS to test the new build. Doing the same with a push for .3dsx is awkward and inconvenient.

 

[YugamiSekai]

What about those apps like SysUpdater. They run on userland but installs things to NAND.

 

[Hayleia]

Honestly, I've found .cia to be /much/ easier to test with, I just run a web server on the machine that does my compiling, and wrote an app called "AutoLoader" that will download and launch the .cia directly. So "make" and touch the load icon on my 3DS to test the new build. Doing the same with a push for .3dsx is awkward and inconvenient.

that's cheating
Yeah, with that kind of setup, it can be more convenient too, but not everyone has that

 

[ksanislo]

that's cheating
Yeah, with that kind of setup, it can be more convenient too, but not everyone has that

But everyone can. Autoloader (and QRWebLoader, which makes configuring autoloader simple) is up on github. And for a web server you can use Apache on Linux/OS X or IIS or whatever else for a Windows web server. Just make sure your build finishes its output somewhere you can reach with a URL and that's all it requires.

 

[Hayleia]

But everyone can. Autoloader (and QRWebLoader, which makes configuring autoloader simple) is up on github. And for a web server you can use Apache on Linux/OS X or IIS or whatever else for a Windows web server. Just make sure your build finishes its output somewhere you can reach with a URL and that's all it requires.

Everyone can except me. I can code Smash Bros on a calculator but never ask me anything server related

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Everyone can except me. I can code Smash Bros on a calculator but never ask me anything server related

How do you code a game like smash bros on calculator?

 

[FenrirWolf]

What about those apps like SysUpdater. They run on userland but installs things to NAND.

They use privilege escalation exploits like memchunkhax to do their thing. If they were simply userland homebrew, then they would work on 11.0 without issues.

 

[Hayleia]

How do you code a game like smash bros on calculator?

1) be bored, summer holidays during high school are perfect for that
2) do something you like, coding and Smash Bros are things I like so guess what's next
With these requirements, nothing stops you. There's nothing like OOP or eve structs? You don't care. Wait, you need a malloc for that and there is none? You code it. Then you don't notice that 3 months are already gone and your thing actually works. Though I never finished it since most people can't play that (not everyone has the right calculator, and in France there are now laws that forbid that calculator so I'm not really motivated anymore...). But yeah, if you want to see what it looks like, you can Google my name and "Smash", you'll find it. Just notice that unlike what most people wrote, it doesn't run on the TI 83, only 83+ and 84s that aren't CSE or CE.
(and this is offtopic so we should probably stop talking about that lol).