BrainSlug Wii: Difference between revisions

Brainslug wii
Brainslug wii
General
Author	Chadderz121
Type	Other Apps
Version	0.1.2
License	Mixed
Last Updated	2014/04/01
Links
	Download
	Website
	Source

Latest revision as of 10:52, 25 February 2023

BrainSlug is a specialized Wii disc loader that allows for the patching of loaded games' functions. Unlike other loaders, BrainSlug utilizes relocatable ELF files as patches, allowing for a more efficient and user-friendly method of adding functionality to Wii games. This is achieved by allowing programmers to write code in C rather than assembly and have BrainSlug take care of linking the code into the game.

The modifications made to the game are called BrainSlug modules. To create these modules, a specific format must be followed, and a template module is provided in the "modules/template" folder. More information on how to get started with module development can be found in the "modules/README" file.

This project is in several parts:

bslug_include - Header files used by BrainSlug modules.
modules - A collection of premade BrainSlug modules.
src - The BrainSlug Wii channel, which actually does the patching.
symbols - Symbol information needed by the channel to perform linking.
test - Regression testing for the Wii channel.

Installation

A pre-packaged version of the channel with the console module (plus a USB gecko debugging module) is available.

Just extract it to the root of your SD card and launch via the Homebrew Channel. No special exploits are used or required, all patching occurs on the PPC core.

It should work on Wii U, though at the moment it relies on the RESET button if things go wrong, which Wii U doesn't have for some reason.

User guide

The BrainSlug channel is still very simple, it lacks any sort of user interface or even configuration file. When it starts, BrainSlug immediately begins loading the disc in the drive. It then searches sd:/bslug/modules for .mod BrainSlug module files. It also searches sd:/bslug/symbols for .xml symbol information.

Using all of this information it patches the game and boots it. If any error messages or warnings occur, you will need to press the RESET button on the Wii before it can be launched or the channel exits.

When searching for either modules or symbols, the channel will search any subdirectories for which the game ID is a prefix. For example the game ID of Mario Kart Wii PAL is RMCP. Therefore if a folder called RMC exists in modules or symbols it will be searched.

The game ID of Zelda: Twilight Princess PAL is RZDP so this would not look in the RMC directory. This allows game specific configurations.

Screenshots

Changelog

v0.1.2

Undo changes to dwc.xml which broke several games.

v0.1.1

Added symbols marking game start and end to modules.
Bumped to library & channel version 0.1.1.
Altered https module to take advantage of new symbols.

v0.1.0

Added IOS_* symbols and header definitions.

v0.01 2014/03/29

Initial Release.
Loads BrainSlug v0.01 modules.
Supports BSLUG_REPLACE, BSLUG_MUST_REPLACE.
Never tested support for BSLUG_EXPORT.
Supports direct symbol search.

External Links

Wii-Homebrew Forum - https://forum.wii-homebrew.com/index.php/Thread/51321-Presenting-The-BrainSlug-Channel/
Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/WiiHacks/comments/5otjo7/use_brainslug_to_play_wii_games_online_after_the/
GitHub - https://github.com/Chadderz121/brainslug-wii

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{#seo:
-|title=Wii Homebrew Apps (Other Apps) - GameBrew
-|title_mode=append
-|image=brainslugwii.jpg
-|image_alt=Brainslug wii
-}}
 {{Infobox Wii Homebrews
 |title=Brainslug wii
-|image=brainslugwii.jpg
+|image=brainslugwii2.png
-|description=BrainSlug Wii Game Patching Engine.
+|description=Game Patching Engine.
 |author=Chadderz121
-|lastupdated=2014/03/31
+|lastupdated=2014/04/01
 |type=Other Apps
 |version=0.1.2
 |license=Mixed
-|download=[https://dlhb.gamebrew.org/wiihomebrews/brainslugwii.7z Source Only]
+|download=https://dlhb.gamebrew.org/wiihomebrews/brainslugwii.7z
-|website=https://github.com/Chadderz121/brainslug-wii
+|website=https://forum.wii-homebrew.com/index.php/Thread/51321-Presenting-The-BrainSlug-Channel/
 |source=https://github.com/Chadderz121/brainslug-wii
 }}
@@ Line 24: / Line 18: @@
 This project is in several parts:
 * bslug_include - Header files used by BrainSlug modules.
-* modules       - A collection of premade BrainSlug modules.
+* modules - A collection of premade BrainSlug modules.
-* src           - The BrainSlug Wii channel, which actually does the patching.
+* src - The BrainSlug Wii channel, which actually does the patching.
-* symbols       - Symbol information needed by the channel to perform linking.
+* symbols - Symbol information needed by the channel to perform linking.
-* test          - Regression testing for the Wii channel.
+* test - Regression testing for the Wii channel.
-==How To Install==
+==Installation==
-To install BrainSlug for development of modules you must first have a copy of
+A [https://forum.wii-homebrew.com/index.php/Thread/51321-Presenting-The-BrainSlug-Channel/ pre-packaged version] of the channel with the console module (plus a USB gecko debugging module) is available.
-devkitPro, specifically with devkitPPC included:
-    http://sourceforge.net/projects/devkitpro/
-In the root directory of the BrainSlug repository, run the following commands:
+Just extract it to the root of your SD card and launch via the Homebrew Channel. No special exploits are used or required, all patching occurs on the PPC core.
-    make clean && make -C modules clean
-    make install
-It may be necessary to run the last command with administrative privileges.
-This installs the necessary headers into a bslug subdirectory within devkitPro.
+It should work on Wii U, though at the moment it relies on the RESET button if things go wrong, which Wii U doesn't have for some reason.
-Now BrainSlug modules can be compiled. See modules/README for more information
-about BrainSlug module development.
-To uninstall run:
+==User guide==
-    make uninstall
+The BrainSlug channel is still very simple, it lacks any sort of user interface or even configuration file. When it starts, BrainSlug immediately begins loading the disc in the drive. It then searches sd:/bslug/modules for .mod BrainSlug module files. It also searches sd:/bslug/symbols for .xml symbol information.
-==Usage==
+Using all of this information it patches the game and boots it. If any error messages or warnings occur, you will need to press the RESET button on the Wii before it can be launched or the channel exits.
-BrainSlug is a specialised Wii disc loader which is designed to allow the loaded
-game to be patched. BrainSlug is designed to make the process of adding
-functionality to Wii games much easier and more enjoyable for all.
-The BrainSlug channel is still very simple, it lacks any sort of user interface
+When searching for either modules or symbols, the channel will search any subdirectories for which the game ID is a prefix. For example the game ID of Mario Kart Wii PAL is RMCP. Therefore if a folder called RMC exists in modules or symbols it will be searched.
-or even configuration file. When it starts, BrainSlug immediately begins loading
-the disc in the drive. It then searches sd:/bslug/modules for .mod BrainSlug
-module files. It also searches sd:/bslug/symbols for .xml symbol information.
-Using all of this information it patches the game and boots it. If any error
-messages or warnings occur, you will need to press the RESET button on the Wii
-before it can be launched or the channel exits.
-When searching for either modules or symbols, the channel will search any
+The game ID of Zelda: Twilight Princess PAL is RZDP so this would not look in the RMC directory. This allows game specific configurations.
-subdirectories for which the game ID is a prefix. For example the game ID of
-Mario Kart Wii PAL is RMCP. Therefore if a folder called RMC exists in modules
+==Screenshots==
-or symbols it will be searched. The game ID of Zelda: Twilight Princess PAL is
+https://dlhb.gamebrew.org/wiihomebrews/brainslugwii2.png
-RZDP so this would not look in the RMC directory. This allows game specific
-configurations.
+https://dlhb.gamebrew.org/wiihomebrews/brainslugwii3.png
 ==Changelog==
@@ Line 78: / Line 55: @@
 '''v0.1.0'''
 * Added IOS_* symbols and header definitions.
+'''v0.01 2014/03/29'''
+* Initial Release.
+* Loads BrainSlug v0.01 modules.
+* Supports BSLUG_REPLACE, BSLUG_MUST_REPLACE.
+* Never tested support for BSLUG_EXPORT.
+* Supports direct symbol search.
+==External Links==
+* Wii-Homebrew Forum - https://forum.wii-homebrew.com/index.php/Thread/51321-Presenting-The-BrainSlug-Channel/
+* Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/WiiHacks/comments/5otjo7/use_brainslug_to_play_wii_games_online_after_the/
+* GitHub - https://github.com/Chadderz121/brainslug-wii