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Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:21 pm
by Extrems
An exploit for Super Smash Bros. Melee that loads homebrew software from memory card.

Requirements:
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee (Japanese: 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズDX)
  • A homebrew-enabled, backwards compatible Wii
  • SD card or USB stick
  • GameCube Memory Manager
Instructions:
  1. Check the inner ring on the shiny side of the disc.
  2. Copy the matching save file and a homebrew's to the MCBACKUP folder.
  3. Load GCMM.
  4. (Optional) Backup your memory card.
  5. Restore both save files.
  6. Start the game.
  7. Go to VS. Mode and Name Entry.
FAQ:
  • How do I convert existing homebrew?
    Rename it "boot.dol" and use the supplied dol2gci tool in a command prompt.
  • I have a Memory Card 59 and the SD Card Adapter. Can I load Swiss?
    Yes. Put it as "boot.dol" on the SD card.
  • I have a Memory Card 251 or larger. Can I load Swiss?
    Yes.
Download:
https://files.extremscorner.org/gamecub ... sbm/latest

See also:
  • Game Boy Interface - An alternative to the Game Boy Player Start-up Disc.
  • Swiss - The swiss army knife of GameCube homebrew.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 7:32 pm
by suloku
Great nice to have this if I ever lose my AR disc!
I coded a small dol loader based on FIX94's code that will load autoexec.dol from sdgecko. It takes 11 blocks (compressed), I'll try to get it down to 10, but I don't know if I will be able to. I'll upload later. Probably someone can get it smaller, but I can't do better.

SDloader Slot A&B takes only 6 blocks, but has the problem that with this exploit sd gecko needs to be in slot B and sdloader slot A&B needs to have B button held (a slot B only hack would be great, seems like there was one at a time, but it was lost on the internet, couldn't find it a few years ago and couldn't find it now).

By the way, this exploit works on the wii too!

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 8:28 pm
by Smashbro29
Fun fact with this, the video mode GBI gets to use is dictated by Melee. At least over component.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:25 pm
by emu_kidid
Smashbro29 wrote:Fun fact with this, the video mode GBI gets to use is dictated by Melee. At least over component.
Use Swiss before booting GBI then.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:32 am
by Smashbro29
emu_kidid wrote:
Use Swiss before booting GBI then.
I'll give it a go. How many blocks is swiss?

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:14 am
by emu_kidid
It'd be like 113. But do you have a SD card adapter for the memory card port? I don't currently support loading additional DOL files from the memory card yet.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 10:04 am
by suloku
Here's a simple loader based on FIX94's code that will load autoexec.dol at root of SD card, takes 11 blocks, I couldn't get it to shrink to 10 blocks. Source and gci file are included.

Costis sdloader takes 6 blocks, but will only work with FAT16 and no SDHC card support. At least it fits on a 59 block card (between smash's file and this boot.dol 22 blocks are needed).

ps: I used libfat 1.0.14

UPDATE: since I couldn't shrink it to 10 blocks, I figured I'd use the extra space to add some functionality. Brosexecauto will wait 3 seconds before launching autoexec.dol, in those 3 seconds if a buton is pressed it will launch the corresponding dol file i.e.: press A button --> launch fat:/autoboot/autoexecA.dol (see readme.txt)
Available buttons are: A, B, X, Y, Z, L, R, Dup, Ddown, Dleft, Dright, Start.
If a button is pressed but there's no matching dol in the SD card autoexec.dol will be launched. You can use this to skip the 3 second wait.

UPDATE 2: I've found the slot B only version of sdloader, it only takes 6 blocks (but no sdhc or fat32 support), you can find it here: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=401&start=12

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 3:17 am
by Smashbro29
emu_kidid wrote:It'd be like 113. But do you have a SD card adapter for the memory card port? I don't currently support loading additional DOL files from the memory card yet.
I do not. I am very new to this. Home Bros. is my gateway in.

So far all I really want out of this is GBI ULL in 240p. I noticed Melee dictates the video mode of the homebrew so maybe there's a way to get Melee to load in 240p?

If not, is this acceptable? http://www.ebay.com/itm/SD-Flash-Memory ... 1e9e7d5687

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 5:15 am
by tacosaregood
How do I run dol2gci in a command prompt?

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 1:17 pm
by suloku
Smashbro29 wrote: If not, is this acceptable? http://www.ebay.com/itm/SD-Flash-Memory ... 1e9e7d5687
It will work. I might code a very simple memory card dol loader if I get time, but having an sd card adaptor is the best way to run homebrew. Also, you won't have to rewrite gbi to your memory card with every new version and you will be able to use parameters when booting with swiss latest build.

Can you try this boot.gci? https://www.dropbox.com/s/02ejt2d2ew9z6 ... t.gci?dl=0
Takes 44 blocks, it is my gbi launcher with the latest gbi (only normal version, to save blocks). I never really tested it with the gb player, but as long as booting goes it works. Let's see if with it you can change the video mode. If you want the version with gbi, gbi_ul and gbi_ull here it is (62 blocks needed): https://www.dropbox.com/s/3tud1twijxk0z ... t.gci?dl=0
tacosaregood wrote:How do I run dol2gci in a command prompt?
Read this: http://www.hacking-tutorial.com/tips-an ... cgl4R.dpbs

After you understand the basics, run: "dol2gci.exe thefileyouwant.dol thefileyouwant.gci"
Remember to name your dol file boot.dol, renaming it after using dol2gci won't change the name the file will have once in the memory card.

Alternatively, paste this on a txt, change its file extension to .bat, put it in the same directory as dol2gci and drag and drop a dol file to it, a gci file will be created in the same directory.

Code: Select all

dol2gci.exe %1 %~n1.gci

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 9:42 pm
by Smashbro29
suloku wrote:
It will work. I might code a very simple memory card dol loader if I get time, but having an sd card adaptor is the best way to run homebrew. Also, you won't have to rewrite gbi to your memory card with every new version and you will be able to use parameters when booting with swiss latest build.

Can you try this boot.gci? https://www.dropbox.com/s/02ejt2d2ew9z6 ... t.gci?dl=0
Takes 44 blocks, it is my gbi launcher with the latest gbi (only normal version, to save blocks). I never really tested it with the gb player, but as long as booting goes it works. Let's see if with it you can change the video mode. If you want the version with gbi, gbi_ul and gbi_ull here it is (62 blocks needed): https://www.dropbox.com/s/3tud1twijxk0z ... t.gci?dl=0
My card only has 59 blocks, I might just get the SD reader. Is there a better one than the one I linked or are they all the same thing in different packaging?

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 12:44 am
by Theguesst
Exploit works great, have no qualms. However I have some feedback on the speedrunning oriented GBI. Emulator works great, but there seems to be a frame of lag attached to any action. Also the sound occasionally glitches out and then shortly after cuts out until the console is powered off. Looking forward to proper emulation so I can do gbc speedruns on your interface.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 1:09 am
by Extrems
Theguesst wrote:Emulator works great
There isn't any emulation involved.
Theguesst wrote:but there seems to be a frame of lag attached to any action.
It's impossible for it to be worse than the Start-up Disc.
Theguesst wrote:Also the sound occasionally glitches out and then shortly after cuts out until the console is powered off.
I've never seen this happen, and this is the first I hear of it.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 3:31 am
by tacosaregood
suloku wrote: Read this: http://www.hacking-tutorial.com/tips-an ... cgl4R.dpbs

After you understand the basics, run: "dol2gci.exe thefileyouwant.dol thefileyouwant.gci"
Remember to name your dol file boot.dol, renaming it after using dol2gci won't change the name the file will have once in the memory card.

Alternatively, paste this on a txt, change its file extension to .bat, put it in the same directory as dol2gci and drag and drop a dol file to it, a gci file will be created in the same directory.

Code: Select all

dol2gci.exe %1 %~n1.gci
Thanks this helped a lot.

Edit: Ran into another problem. When I try to copy the save file to my memory card using GCMM it just says "Reading from FAT device" and goes to a blank black screen. Any idea whats going on?

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:29 am
by suloku
Theguest, you should keep any gbi related to the gbi thread. GBI isn't an emulator, the gb player is a real gba, lag xomes from using the gamecube as video and input sources. Have you tried the ull veraion though? (I know I asked a question just now, but move to the gbi thread).
Smashbro29 wrote: My card only has 59 blocks, I might just get the SD reader. Is there a better one than the one I linked or are they all the same thing in different packaging?
As far as I know the only that might be different is the official nintendo one, but still works the same.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:40 am
by MockyLock
'llo here
So I tried the Home Bros. hack, in association with suloku's app. Really handy ! Congrats guys !
suloku, may i ask you something ?
Could it be possible to display something while the 3-secondes-black-screen waiting for an input ? Some kind of .txt file or equivalent, that we could create/update by ourselves, displaying what are related to each button ? Or is it impossible due to technical possibilities ?
Thank you !

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:21 am
by Smashbro29
suloku wrote:As far as I know the only that might be different is the official nintendo one, but still works the same.
Nintendo made their own official SD Memory Card for Gamecube? Or do you mean actual memory cards with no SD card slot?

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:32 am
by novenary
Nintendo sold SD adapters in Japan for Animal Crossing.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 3:20 pm
by suloku
MockyLock wrote:'llo here
So I tried the Home Bros. hack, in association with suloku's app. Really handy ! Congrats guys !
suloku, may i ask you something ?
Could it be possible to display something while the 3-secondes-black-screen waiting for an input ? Some kind of .txt file or equivalent, that we could create/update by ourselves, displaying what are related to each button ? Or is it impossible due to technical possibilities ?
Thank you !
It is certainly possible, but the idea is to keep it as small as possible since it is in the memory card and there's people with only the 59 block card.
Swiss can boot dols from sd card (and with boot parameters for apps like gbi), but I guess you are thinking on a more customizable boot screen, I'll look into that, I guess you could always use the 11 block version to launch from sd card a more fancy version with configuration and display, etc

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 3:20 pm
by Smashbro29
Streetwalker wrote:Nintendo sold SD adapters in Japan for Animal Crossing.
Woah that's so cool. Sorry for going off topic.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:04 pm
by MockyLock
suloku wrote:
MockyLock wrote:'llo here
So I tried the Home Bros. hack, in association with suloku's app. Really handy ! Congrats guys !
suloku, may i ask you something ?
Could it be possible to display something while the 3-secondes-black-screen waiting for an input ? Some kind of .txt file or equivalent, that we could create/update by ourselves, displaying what are related to each button ? Or is it impossible due to technical possibilities ?
Thank you !
It is certainly possible, but the idea is to keep it as small as possible since it is in the memory card and there's people with only the 59 block card.
Swiss can boot dols from sd card (and with boot parameters for apps like gbi), but I guess you are thinking on a more customizable boot screen, I'll look into that, I guess you could always use the 11 block version to launch from sd card a more fancy version with configuration and display, etc
Thank you for your answer.
Yeah, i think about a very simple screen (no picture, no background, only text over black screen) that would describe what is linked to the button with autoexecA.dol, etc.
Even a .txt file that we would have to create and fill "by hand" ourselves.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 6:34 am
by Smashbro29
Theguesst wrote:Exploit works great, have no qualms. However I have some feedback on the speedrunning oriented GBI. Emulator works great, but there seems to be a frame of lag attached to any action. Also the sound occasionally glitches out and then shortly after cuts out until the console is powered off. Looking forward to proper emulation so I can do gbc speedruns on your interface.
A. I don't think it's "speedrun oriented" so much as "correctly done" oriented.
B. None of this is emulation.
C. I think the dev said the input lag is basically nothing.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:57 am
by suloku
I've improved my sd loader to support configuration file, custom titles for the dols instead of paths and a background image, if you want a homebrew boot screen, this might be a good option.

Image version takes 21 blocks.
Congif file but only text takes 13 blocks.
Of course one could put it as autoexec.dol, use the simple 11 block booter and forget about occupying mc space with this.

Here's a sample:
Image
note: the first line of text doesn't (or should not) show on tv's, this is a dolphin screenshot. EDIT: maybe it's because I'm pal and it dows show on ntsc?
note 2: timer is a configurable countdown.

There's an option to disable all text (except the message that thells no sdgecko was found) so one can use just a background image, customized however you like to label the buttons or whatever.

Also, I finished a simple mc dol loader, takes 9 blocks, for people who want multiple homebrew and don't have an sd gecko. I'll post a thread with all this on the sofware section later.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:09 pm
by Extrems
Smashbro29 wrote:A. I don't think it's "speedrun oriented" so much as "correctly done" oriented.
The three versions partly exists because SDA rules disallow turbo controllers.

The standard version is usable in speedrunning if your community doesn't care.

Re: Home Bros.

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 2:29 pm
by Smashbro29
Extrems wrote:
Smashbro29 wrote:A. I don't think it's "speedrun oriented" so much as "correctly done" oriented.
The three versions partly exists because SDA rules disallow turbo controllers.

The standard version is usable in speedrunning if your community doesn't care.
Really? Oh my mistake. I just thought people liked accuracy just to have it.