Tutorial
Updated
Use a PS3 / PS4 Controller with homebrew apps (Fakemote)
This assumes you have the Fakemote cIOS already installed on your Wii - see here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release...rom-the-input-of-usb-game-controllers.601771/ - thank you @xerpi Fakemote (FM) is a cIOS install that allows you to use up to 2 DS3/DS4 controllers connected via USB to your Wii. With it you can use loaders such as Wiiflow to boot your Wii backup titles into a cIOS which then makes them useable with FM and hence controllable with DS3/DS4 controllers. However, Wiiflow does not allow us to boot a homebrew into a cIOS, so what can we do?
Here are two methods to get homebrew apps running with Fakemote and thus usable with DS3/DS3 controllers.
While either method is by no means guaranteed to successfully run your homebrew with FM, I have personally found method 2 more successful, but method 2 is easier to test out.
My setup: original wii, Wiiflow lite v5.5.4.1, cIOS247[58]-d2x-v11-beta1-FM051-[v65535] - the following has not been tested for vwii on a Wii U.
While there are some occasional glitches of the controller not connecting at start, (or sometimes disconnecting if left idle, I have experienced generally positive results.
Here are two methods to get homebrew apps running with Fakemote and thus usable with DS3/DS3 controllers.
While either method is by no means guaranteed to successfully run your homebrew with FM, I have personally found method 2 more successful, but method 2 is easier to test out.
My setup: original wii, Wiiflow lite v5.5.4.1, cIOS247[58]-d2x-v11-beta1-FM051-[v65535] - the following has not been tested for vwii on a Wii U.
I have personally found that WiiSX and Not64 work under this method (they also work with method 2).
1. If you don't have it, install MMM as an app on your Wii https://gbatemp.net/download/multi-mod-manager.13015/
2. . Plug-in your DS3/DS4 controller(s) via USB to you Wii and boot it up.
2. Run MMM and make sure "Load another IOS" is set to the custom cIOS of your FM install (247 in my case). For future use, you can also make sure that MMM loads this cIOS by default by updating the MMM config file on the root of the SD if so desired.
3. Select the "App Manager" option. You should see a list of your homebrews. Select a homebrew you wish to test with your DS3/DS4 controllers. Try it a few times to rule out failed connections. If you are unsuccessful then try method 2.
Note: Fakemote allows you to switch between wiimote+nunchuck mode (default) and Wii classic controller mode by pressing [L] and [l3] together. Remember this as your homebrew app may be easier to control with classic mode.
MMM great tool by @Wiiwu
1. If you don't have it, install MMM as an app on your Wii https://gbatemp.net/download/multi-mod-manager.13015/
2. . Plug-in your DS3/DS4 controller(s) via USB to you Wii and boot it up.
2. Run MMM and make sure "Load another IOS" is set to the custom cIOS of your FM install (247 in my case). For future use, you can also make sure that MMM loads this cIOS by default by updating the MMM config file on the root of the SD if so desired.
3. Select the "App Manager" option. You should see a list of your homebrews. Select a homebrew you wish to test with your DS3/DS4 controllers. Try it a few times to rule out failed connections. If you are unsuccessful then try method 2.
Note: Fakemote allows you to switch between wiimote+nunchuck mode (default) and Wii classic controller mode by pressing [L] and [l3] together. Remember this as your homebrew app may be easier to control with classic mode.
MMM great tool by @Wiiwu
I have personally found that WiiSX, Not64, Retroarch, Genplus-GX work under this method.
This makes use of a channel forwarder for your system menu that loads your homebrew app and is usable with Fakemote .
BRICK disclaimer - the following involves WAD editing and could render your console useless! - Ensure you have installed PriiLoader and backed up your NAND to be used as your escape hatch!
PC tools required:
CustomizeMii - great tool by @Leathl
ModMii - where would we be without it! thank you @XFlak
"Why create a channel forwarder for my emulator/homebrew - there are already loads of pre-made ones out there!? " - It seems that not all channel forwarders are created equally and we wish to remain consistent as someone trying a pre-made forwarder channel could be mistaken into thinking that thier homebrew app does not work with Fakemote when in fact it does! However, we can salvage parts of your forwarder channel so we are not starting from scratch. Having said that, your existing forwarder channel might already be compatible with FM. To try it out, obtain your channel's .WAD file and open in CustomizeMii, go to options and change the start-up IOS to that of your FM cIOS (247 in my case). Hit the "Create WAD" button and save your new WAD - copy it to your wii, e.g via sd card, install it using your favourite WAD manager - plug in your DS3/DS4 controller via USB, launch your freshly installed channel through the system menu and test it a few times. If it works then great (also see the wiiflow section at the end of this guide).
If that did not work for you then please read on:
1. Find any pre-made channel forwarder WAD that "works" with Fakemote, to be used as your "Base" WAD (as described above). For example, just use this one - it works - https://gbatemp.net/threads/another-genplus-gx-forwarder.624815/#post-10049919
2. Run ModMii to create a small program (.dol) for the forwarding function to forward to your particular homwebrew /emulator app. Load ModMii and follow these menu options - A, F, 1, 1B, [enter path to your homebrew], A, M, [name your dol file], then go to downloads option "D". Save the .dol file - it will be required shortly. - (Sidenote - option 1B for v12 works - option 1 for v14 did not work for me).
3. Run CustomizeMiii, and under source WAD, load in your base WAD.
4. Go to the option tab, and under "new dol", select the .dol you created with ModMii.
5. Go to options tab and update the title ID (unique identifier) e.g. for WiiSx emulator I entered "WPSX" just to stay in keeping with https://www.gametdb.com/Wii/WPSX. (Don't give it a title ID that conflicts with one of your existing channels).
6. Under the options tab, change the start-up to the cIOS where your Fakemote was installed (e.g. I installed mine to slot 247).
7. Go to the title tab and give your channel forwarder a name.
8. This next step is about the looks! (the channel banner, animation and sound). The design of your BASE WAD will likely not match what your intended target homebrew app is. You can use CustomizeMii to give it the desired look. One easy way is to locate a WAD you like the look of, let's call it your "cosmetic" WAD. Go to the source tab, in customizeMii. Under the drop-down options for "banner", "icon" and "sound" path, navigate to your cosmetic WAD for each of these.
Sidenote: some pre-made WADs have large audio files that can slow the loading of the channel causing it to glitch in the system menu when channel scrolling. To overcome this CustomizeMii also allows you to load in a new sound file under the options tab, so you could upload a smaller audio.
9. Hit the "Create WAD" option and save your new WAD - copy it to your wii, e.g via sd card.
10. Install your new WAD to the Wii system using your favourite WAD manager.
11. Plug-in your DS3/DS4 controller(s) via USB, launch your new channel via the system menu and try it out!
Note: Fakemote allows you to switch between wiimote+nunchuck mode (default) and Wii classic controller mode by pressing [L] and [l3] together. Remember this as your homebrew app may be easier to control with classic mode.
Wiiflow - my preferred option for usage
You can also launch your newly created forwarder channel under Wiiflow.
The channel can be found along with your other channels under the "Real Nand" section.
This makes use of a channel forwarder for your system menu that loads your homebrew app and is usable with Fakemote .
BRICK disclaimer - the following involves WAD editing and could render your console useless! - Ensure you have installed PriiLoader and backed up your NAND to be used as your escape hatch!
PC tools required:
CustomizeMii - great tool by @Leathl
ModMii - where would we be without it! thank you @XFlak
"Why create a channel forwarder for my emulator/homebrew - there are already loads of pre-made ones out there!? " - It seems that not all channel forwarders are created equally and we wish to remain consistent as someone trying a pre-made forwarder channel could be mistaken into thinking that thier homebrew app does not work with Fakemote when in fact it does! However, we can salvage parts of your forwarder channel so we are not starting from scratch. Having said that, your existing forwarder channel might already be compatible with FM. To try it out, obtain your channel's .WAD file and open in CustomizeMii, go to options and change the start-up IOS to that of your FM cIOS (247 in my case). Hit the "Create WAD" button and save your new WAD - copy it to your wii, e.g via sd card, install it using your favourite WAD manager - plug in your DS3/DS4 controller via USB, launch your freshly installed channel through the system menu and test it a few times. If it works then great (also see the wiiflow section at the end of this guide).
If that did not work for you then please read on:
1. Find any pre-made channel forwarder WAD that "works" with Fakemote, to be used as your "Base" WAD (as described above). For example, just use this one - it works - https://gbatemp.net/threads/another-genplus-gx-forwarder.624815/#post-10049919
2. Run ModMii to create a small program (.dol) for the forwarding function to forward to your particular homwebrew /emulator app. Load ModMii and follow these menu options - A, F, 1, 1B, [enter path to your homebrew], A, M, [name your dol file], then go to downloads option "D". Save the .dol file - it will be required shortly. - (Sidenote - option 1B for v12 works - option 1 for v14 did not work for me).
3. Run CustomizeMiii, and under source WAD, load in your base WAD.
4. Go to the option tab, and under "new dol", select the .dol you created with ModMii.
5. Go to options tab and update the title ID (unique identifier) e.g. for WiiSx emulator I entered "WPSX" just to stay in keeping with https://www.gametdb.com/Wii/WPSX. (Don't give it a title ID that conflicts with one of your existing channels).
6. Under the options tab, change the start-up to the cIOS where your Fakemote was installed (e.g. I installed mine to slot 247).
7. Go to the title tab and give your channel forwarder a name.
8. This next step is about the looks! (the channel banner, animation and sound). The design of your BASE WAD will likely not match what your intended target homebrew app is. You can use CustomizeMii to give it the desired look. One easy way is to locate a WAD you like the look of, let's call it your "cosmetic" WAD. Go to the source tab, in customizeMii. Under the drop-down options for "banner", "icon" and "sound" path, navigate to your cosmetic WAD for each of these.
Sidenote: some pre-made WADs have large audio files that can slow the loading of the channel causing it to glitch in the system menu when channel scrolling. To overcome this CustomizeMii also allows you to load in a new sound file under the options tab, so you could upload a smaller audio.
9. Hit the "Create WAD" option and save your new WAD - copy it to your wii, e.g via sd card.
10. Install your new WAD to the Wii system using your favourite WAD manager.
11. Plug-in your DS3/DS4 controller(s) via USB, launch your new channel via the system menu and try it out!
Note: Fakemote allows you to switch between wiimote+nunchuck mode (default) and Wii classic controller mode by pressing [L] and [l3] together. Remember this as your homebrew app may be easier to control with classic mode.
Wiiflow - my preferred option for usage
You can also launch your newly created forwarder channel under Wiiflow.
The channel can be found along with your other channels under the "Real Nand" section.
- Under the settings for your forwarder channel, ensure that the cIOS is set to where your FM cIOS is installed (e.g 247 in my case).
- I experience better compatibility if I also set the wiiflow start-up cIOS to my FM cIOS, under the general wiiflow settings.
- Interesting sidenote - if you use wiiflow in this way, to launch your custom forwarder channel then you don't actually need to change the original WAD's start-up IOS to that of your FM cIOS slot. It seem the loader, wiiflow, overrides the IOS in which the channel is booted.
- If wiiflow allowed us to set a cIOS startup for homebrew plugins, as it does for wii software and channels, then the above steps may not be necessary.
While there are some occasional glitches of the controller not connecting at start, (or sometimes disconnecting if left idle, I have experienced generally positive results.
Last edited by templar701,
