Hacking Devolution - Public Release

[Nintendo Maniac]

Is it possible to create the varification files (.dvv) in the folder where the isos are located (means in the same directory like the iso)?
I use devolution via usbloader gx and wiiflow, and devolution is always creating an apps folder in the root of the USB device (which is in general not necessary, but must be placed for the .dvv). This is somehow confusing, especially for users who don't see any content in this folder.

This is especially confusing with the sample loader if Devolution is located on the SD card while ISOs are located on a USB drive in the normal "Games" folder. You'd expect the .DVV files to either be in the "Apps" folder on the SD card or in the "Games" folder on the USB drive, but like you said it instead puts them in an "Apps" folder on the USB drive.

The most confusing part is, if you already had an "Apps" folder on the USB drive but only for other homebrew stuff, you'd never think to look there. (I sure didn't!)

As I see it, the mouse controls were the first step toward being able to use a WiiMote.
The fact that code is in place to use something else as a GameCube controller means the next step is "just" to add all the code to communicate with the WiiMotes (slightly complicated as I understand it) and it should be able to be fairly simply added onto the existing code.

Does mouse control work well, like a PC shooter? I don't own Killer7 so I cannot test for myself. I just hope in the future that we could even use wiimote+nunchuck for the quality split-screen FPS games that the GameCube had but the Wii lacked (NightFire and TimeSplitters to name two). Same goes for sideways-wiimote steering in quality arcade-style racing games, which the Wii also mostly lacked (it had like, four? Mario Kart Wii, Excite Truck & Bots, TrackMania).

 

[fr1m]

Hi, tueidj, thanks a lot for your work. I had bought my Wii 6 month ago and was very disappointed that I can't play GC games on it (new model - there is no ports for GC controllers and memcards). I just want to know: do you still make Devolution?

Things that are already planned:
- Wiimote support

I really want to play GC games. I hope, you realized Wiimote (classic controller) support.

 

[EzekielRage]

without a gamecube drive you cant use devolution. so your model cant use the software anyway.

 

[fr1m]

That the worst new what I hear today.

 

[Maxternal]

That the worst new what I hear today.

If you have someone with a GameCube game you can borrow or even one of those small CD's you could always try sticking it into your drive. If it spits it right back out then you're out of luck.
There are some of the of the Wii's with no GameCube controller plugs BUT DO have a drive that will accept the disks (just leftover drives from before they made the switch I'm guessing.) so if you do happen to have one of those it'll just be a matter of waiting until the WiiMote and classic controller support is added.

For now, they have added some controls with a USB Mouse and Keyboard but that's about it for your kind of Wii for now.

... and don't worry, it IS still in development.

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

Since wiimote controls have not been implemented yet, it is my impression that tueidj is just going to avoid dealing with the newer Wii's without GCN disc support. I mean, it's not like you'd be able to do anything with the game until then.

 

[the_randomizer]

Or, you know, get a Wii that has the Gamecube parts.

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

Or, you know, get a Wii that has the Gamecube parts.

By that logic you may as well use an actual GameCube. The idea of Devolution is to run GCN games in "Wii mode" anyway, so it follows the same philosophy to be able to use it on a "pure" Wii.

Not to mention, it may very well be possible for Devolution to work on the Wii U in "Wii mode". It would be particularly funny if the Wii U's disc drive could even accept a GCN disc for the verification, but I wouldn't hold your breath. We'll find out soon enough in two weeks.

 

[Maxternal]

They need to make something like a disk expander ring that you can just snap a small CD or GameCube disk into and it would make it full sized so a drive like this would accept it.

 

[Maxternal]

Wait, why don't I google things before drawing something myself?

I'd think you could still use something like this to make a new Wii be able to verify a GC game.
(maybe even a Wii U if you could get a disk exploit with AHBPROT)

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

Heck it might even be able to work for ripping. Someone really should try it, I can't imagine those things cost much at all.

EDIT: uhh.... where the heck did you find that? Doing a reverse Google image search resulted in nothing.

 

[Maxternal]

I'm finding images in forums. Some of the URL's even say "amazon" in them but I can't seem to find one for sale anywhere either. I've been looking for a pricetag on one.

Spoiler: More pics

They're calling it an "adapter ring"

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

Well, I found one, but it's listed as "unavailable"
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PD89WI

I personally found more results by searching for '3 inch cd adapter' or '3 inch dvd adapter'


EDIT: found one that's supposedly in stock by VenMill - listed from cheapest to most expensive:
http://www.venmill.com/3-Inch-Disc-Adapter_p_1751.html
http://store.cdtagandstorage.com/3inchadapter.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZL9434

Note that in the VenMill Amazon link that GameCube discs are even mentioned in the description (though only referring to disc repair). It's my understanding that VenMill makes some sort of disc repair device, so they've made an adapter for their own product that may just happen to work with others.

 

[EzekielRage]

I HIGHLY doubt that a wii can read gamecube format discs. AFAIK the Wii uses completely different file formats than the GC. It's not just the size. It's the data format. If that's not the same, nothing will happen.

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

I HIGHLY doubt that a wii can read gamecube format discs. AFAIK the Wii uses completely different file formats than the GC. It's not just the size. It's the data format. If that's not the same, nothing will happen.

This wikipedia article makes it sound like the discs are actually of the same data format though:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_optical_disc

 

[Disorarara]

The Wii and GC actually do share very similar data formats which is why some GC iso tools can work with Wii games, not completely the same but very similar.

Regarding whether or not snapping a GC disc into an adapter ring will trick the Wii into not spitting it out, I think the Wii software just detects the game is a Gamecube game and spits it back out. It probably doesn't have anything to do with the disc size

 

[Nintendo Maniac]

So basically, we really won't know if GCN discs work with that VenMill adapter until somebody tries it. Of course, that in itself is kind of pointless until we get wiimote support.

On the other hand, if it DOES work, maybe tueidj would focus more on wiimote support if he isn't already. Of course, tueidj hasn't even posted in nearly three weeks, so who knows?


Off topic: I wonder if Wii Homebrew in general could be made to support the Wii U Pro controller. I mean, you'd think it'd use the same bluetooth protocol as the wiimotes considering the Wii U supports both.

 

[McHaggis]

The Wii and GC actually do share very similar data formats which is why some GC iso tools can work with Wii games, not completely the same but very similar.

Regarding whether or not snapping a GC disc into an adapter ring will trick the Wii into not spitting it out, I think the Wii software just detects the game is a Gamecube game and spits it back out. It probably doesn't have anything to do with the disc size

If it were the software spitting out the disc, there wouldn't be some newer Wii consoles without GC compatibility that don't spit out the discs. If you get a new Wii with an old drive, the disc stays in, indicating that it's the newer drive's firmware that (r)ejects the disc.

It would be interesting if someone could get hold of one of those adapter rings and test it. I've seen them at market stalls for business card-style discs, but never for 3-inch discs.

 

[fr1m]

If you have someone with a GameCube game you can borrow or even one of those small CD's you could always try sticking it into your drive. If it spits it right back out then you're out of luck.
There are some of the of the Wii's with no GameCube controller plugs BUT DO have a drive that will accept the disks (just leftover drives from before they made the switch I'm guessing.) so if you do happen to have one of those it'll just be a matter of waiting until the WiiMote and classic controller support is added.

For now, they have added some controls with a USB Mouse and Keyboard but that's about it for your kind of Wii for now.

... and don't worry, it IS still in development.

So, I dont have any friends with GameCube or Wii, because Nintendo isnt popular in Russia. Can I check that somehow else?

 

[Maxternal]

So, I dont have any friends with GameCube or Wii, because Nintendo isnt popular in Russia. Can I check that somehow else?

Not sure about Russia but they do sell mini cd-r disks that are the same size and dvd-ram disks for some cameras. You could look for one of those and try it out that way.