Homebrew [Release] Spiik - Region & language changer

::Phoenix::

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
209
Trophies
1
XP
2,204
Country
Italy
What is Spiik?
Spiik is a Wii U homebrew that enchances the region-free feature of current custom firmwares.
It makes your games believe they are run on a specific console region and system language.

Why do I need it?
There are many games that even with region-free CFWs, freeze if not of the same region of the console. This happens because the game still checks the console region in order to decide what folders and files to load. If of a different region, the game will not find the right folders/files and would freeze.

How do I use it?
Just run the elf in HBL, choose the region and language you want to enforce and press A.
You will be redirected to the Wii U menu.
Every game you run will think the console region and language are the ones you selected.

To disable Spiik, just come back to the HBL/HBLC.

Release
https://github.com/marco-calautti/spiik/releases/latest

Source code
https://github.com/marco-calautti/spiik/

Thanks
All the Wii U hacking community, especially Maschell for his function patcher.

Testing
I tested it with some games, but I would appreciate some feedback, to see all games work.
 
Last edited by ::Phoenix::,

AmandaRose

Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan
Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2015
Messages
10,167
Trophies
1
Location
Glasgow
Website
www.rockstarnorth.com
XP
16,031
Country
United Kingdom
Lmfao as in "spic" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Sorry I had to but I never came across any issues when I ran a PAL region game on my USA console. Good to have nonetheless
Yes spiik is to much like spic which is a really bad word here and in some other countries lol. Hope this works with usa Nes remix collection its the only game I have came across that does not work on a euro wiiu.
 

AmandaRose

Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan
Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2015
Messages
10,167
Trophies
1
Location
Glasgow
Website
www.rockstarnorth.com
XP
16,031
Country
United Kingdom
I confirm NES REMIX PACK USA working on an EUR Wii U after using spiik. @Marko76
Well I will be using your app then lol this will also be good for the American turbo graphx games as they crash on a euro wiiu any time the touch screen is pressed
 
Last edited by AmandaRose,
  • Like
Reactions: asper
D

Deleted User

Guest
Mind explaining how does it work?
It modifies console region and changes language in games, right? Or does it change language everywhere? [sysmenu]
 

::Phoenix::

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
209
Trophies
1
XP
2,204
Country
Italy
Mind explaining how does it work?
It modifies console region and changes language in games, right? Or does it change language everywhere? [sysmenu]

It changes region and language in RAM. The System Menu is excluded by this change, so, whenever you go back to the system menu your original region and language will apply. Some other system apps like SYstem settings might not boot because they are not excluded. In that case is just a matter of turning off your Wii U, or going back to HBL to disable everything, before going system settings.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

It changes region and language in RAM. The System Menu is excluded by this change, so, whenever you go back to the system menu your original region and language will apply. Some other system apps like SYstem settings might not boot because they are not excluded. In that case is just a matter of turning off your Wii U, or going back to HBL to disable everything, before going system settings.

Anyway, nothing is permanent. Changes are applied on the fly.
 
D

Deleted User

Guest
Thanks for explaining that for me.
HIDtoVPAD and Padcon might not work with this since they both run in Wii U's memory.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
1,023
Trophies
1
Location
Stuck in the PowerPC
Website
heyquark.com
XP
3,900
Country
Australia
As far as the functions they hook in RAM are different, there should not be any problem running all of them at the same time.
Just had a quick sqiz at the code and I can basically guarantee you'll have compatibility issues with HID to VPAD. Not really any way around it at this point.
This is because there's a memory range (0x00800000) that HBL loads any application into. The code will stay put until another HBL app is ran (including HBL itself). What most function patching homebrew does is set up callbacks pointing to this range and jump straight to the menu. This works well enough until another application is ran - the original homebrew is overwritten with the new one, but the callbacks still point to places in the old one. You end up with a practically guaranteed crash.
 

::Phoenix::

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
209
Trophies
1
XP
2,204
Country
Italy
Just had a quick sqiz at the code and I can basically guarantee you'll have compatibility issues with HID to VPAD. Not really any way around it at this point.
This is because there's a memory range (0x00800000) that HBL loads any application into. The code will stay put until another HBL app is ran (including HBL itself). What most function patching homebrew does is set up callbacks pointing to this range and jump straight to the menu. This works well enough until another application is ran - the original homebrew is overwritten with the new one, but the callbacks still point to places in the old one. You end up with a practically guaranteed crash.
I thought HBL would dynamically allocate memory for each homebrew, then reserving different memory space for them. Good to know then, thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Subtle Demise
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
1,023
Trophies
1
Location
Stuck in the PowerPC
Website
heyquark.com
XP
3,900
Country
Australia
I thought HBL would dynamically allocate memory for each homebrew, then reserving different memory space for them. Good to know then, thanks!
Nope, it's only built for one app at once so I guess it makes sense; saves having to do ELF relocations. I am working on a framework that does exactly this, but it's not working properly quite yet.
 

::Phoenix::

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
209
Trophies
1
XP
2,204
Country
Italy
Nope, it's only built for one app at once so I guess it makes sense; saves having to do ELF relocations. I am working on a framework that does exactly this, but it's not working properly quite yet.
However, my app does unpatch all functions when hbl is loaded again, so I mostly see spiik being replaced by hid to vpad, but not to crash.

P.s. do you have any clues on my question on wiiubru?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Subtle Demise

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: Sorry for accidentally bending over