Nintendo Wii Homebrew Contest 2007

Croakyvoice writes "DCEmu is hosting the worlds first Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Gamecube Homebrew Coding Contest with prizes of $500 on offer for Homebrew and Emulators for the Wii and Gamecube, The hope is that through this contest an exploit will be released that will allow full homebrew on the Nintendo Wii without a Modchip. Gamecube Homebrew is already on the Wii with a host of systems emulated such as Snes, Genesis, Gameboy and Neogeo."

Other solutions

[Midnight Thunder (17205)]

I recently managed to get myself a Wii and from playing around with it, I feel there is a lot of untapped potential. Much of this could be accelerated if they made it easier for individual developers to add new channels. Although the Wii does not have a huge amount of processing power, when compared to a home PC, some of the stuff that I could see being added to it:
    - MP3 Player, accessing music from SD card or a media server such as iTunes. Currently the only MP3 player is part of the slide show.
    - Ability to play MPEG and MPEG4 movies, using codecs other than Motion-JPEG, from SD or a media server
    - Support for Bonjour, for discovering services on you local home network.

I know that the Wii is meant to be a games machine, but once you have explored the weather, news and internet channels you realise it could be so much more. This price also makes it very attractive.

On the game front this kind of competition could foster more imagination, than some game companies are will to provide, especially when it comes to using the controller.

BTW you can play Flash based games with the help of Opera.
 

Developers, developers, developers!

[TodMinuit (1026042)]

Allowing anyone to develop a Wii Channel -- even if it's only restricted access through something like RSS -- would only have a positive effect on the console.

Re:

[Dwedit (232252)]

And Flash is 100 times slower than QBasic.

Re:Other solutions

[Excors (807434)]

As well as Flash, you can do HTML and JavaScript and graphics in <canvas> – I experimented with an FPS engine [lazyilluminati.com] a while ago, and developed it just with desktop versions of Opera and Firefox, and reportedly it actually works on the Wii too. (Recent nightly builds of Safari also support it – it's nice when browser interoperability works.)

It's quite horrifically inefficient doing all this in a web browser rather than C++, but there's still a lot you can manage that's within the bounds of feasibility, if you use some imagination to simplify what you need the technology to do for you.

Incidentally, I like the idea of supporting open standards like <canvas> and <video> [w3.org] rather than proprietary platforms like Flash, particularly given that everyone using the Wii browser has to (indirectly) pay for licensing the Flash player from Adobe.

Re:Other solutions

[_xeno_ (155264)]

As well as Flash, you can do HTML and JavaScript and graphics in <canvas> - I experimented with an FPS engine [lazyilluminati.com] a while ago, and developed it just with desktop versions of Opera and Firefox, and reportedly it actually works on the Wii too.

It doesn't work on the Wii - I just tried.

Even if it did, you wouldn't be able to play it because there's no way to generate keyboard events with the Wii. The only events you do get are mouse motion events and the left mouse button.

The Opera-powered Wii browser is still a very capable browser, but it doesn't quite work for things like that.

Re:

[FleaPlus (6935)]

Even if it did, you wouldn't be able to play it because there's no way to generate keyboard events with the Wii. The only events you do get are mouse motion events and the left mouse button.

Actually, all the buttons on the Wii remote are accessible:

http://www.wiicade.com/api.aspx [wiicade.com]

WiiCade API for testing?

[tepples (727027)]

Actually, all the buttons on the Wii remote are accessible

The WiiCade API works only on SWF pages accessed through wiicade.com. It does not work on games made with JavaScript and <canvas>, so I'd need to get a second job to afford Flash ($700). Nor does it work on SWF pages being tested on a private server on the local domain.

Re:

[Dwedit (232252)]

You can make flash games entirely in actionscript using open source SWF creation tools. Only need flash if you want to have any vector animation which is not part of the code.

Re:

[CastrTroy (595695)]

I just discovered Red Kawa [redkawa.com]. Which has a combination video/music/whatever server that you can access via the Wii Opera Browser. They also have video converter that converts the videos to flash (flv) so you can watch them in the browser. The video quality isn't that great, but it gets the job done. There's also converters for motion jpeg which I imagine would allow you to play videos from the SD slot, although I haven't had the time to try this out yet. I've tried orb [orb.com] which is another app that does the sa

Cheaper Flash SDK?

[tepples (727027)]

So how do I make Flash games without a $700 devkit? With the DS, I need $500 for a PC, $130 for a DS, and $50 for an R4 and a microSD card. I download the software [devkitpro.org] to CD or microSD at a public library, and then I take it home and install it on my PC. With the Wii, I need $500 for a PC, $250 for a Wii, and either $700 for an Adobe Flash license or $250 for an Adobe Flash Education Edition license and at least $450 for a semester of community college.

Re:

[Midnight Thunder (17205)]

The Flash games are basically those available via web pages. If it can be displayed in a web page, then it can be displayed by Opera on the Wii. For example, the following will work anywhere Flash does.

- http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/games/wii/ [albinoblacksheep.com]
- http://www.wiiplayable.com/ [wiiplayable.com]

I have no idea how much it costs to develop flash content on Windows/Linux/MacOS X, etc, but it isn't anything Nintendo specific.

Re:

[tepples (727027)]

If it can be displayed in a web page, then it can be displayed by Opera on the Wii.

But how does the JavaScript game running in the web page take Control Pad and button press events for itself, as opposed to Opera performing its default function for each button?

I have no idea how much it costs to develop flash content on Windows/Linux/MacOS X, etc, but it isn't anything Nintendo specific.

The hardware and software for developing native homebrew content on Windows for DS are cheaper than Adobe Flash software for developing SWF content on Windows for Windows.

Wii homebrew without a modchip? read again.

[Superken7 (893292)]

From FTA:

This Coding Competition will hopefully ignite a mass of interest for creating homebrew and emulators on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Gamecube.

The article does not encourage homebrew developers to find a new way to run homebrew on the gamecube, far less on the wii itself (in wii-mode). As far as i can tell from the news post, it is just a GC homebrew competition which does not limit the loader to known methods.

It would be far more interesting if someone already 'known' to the homebrew scene would create a bounty for the first person who is able to run homebrew on the wii (in wii mode, that is).
Something similar to what StoneCypher did with the dswifi library, which was done by sgstair(thanks!).

Re:

[BoUgS (1113739)]

It would be far more interesting if someone already 'known' to the homebrew scene would create a bounty for the first person who is able to run homebrew on the wii (in wii mode, that is).

They already have that, and the bounty is currently running. http://www.wiili.org/index.php/Wii_Linux_bounty [wiili.org]

Re:

[Superken7 (893292)]

Unfortunately that is not exactly the kind of thing i was talking about.
That bounty is for getting linux to run (which requires homebrew running, yes, but that should be different goals/projects).

Note that wiili adds a LOT of requisites appart from running homebrew AND booting linux, such as 'Wiimote, keyboard, mouse, dvd drive, sd-card and network support.', (which is not to be taken lightly)
They even add the requisite of not voiding the warranty :P . I think they took a slightly different goal. That

Not even $500 cash

[Joreallean (969424)]

It's not even for real money. It's $300 store credit to some junk store that sells crappy handheld knock offs.

Re:

[the linux geek (799780)]

I don't think anybody who actually has any experience with the GP2X would call it a "crappy knockoff handheld." It's a completely open Linux system with dual ARMs and emulators for many, many past consoles, plus native ports of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, Quake 2, etc...

Re:Not even $500 cash

[Sparr0 (451780)]

Sadly, most people just ignore any console that doesnt have at least a 10% marketshare. Sometimes that is a good thing *cough*ngage*cough*, but other times you get imbeciles posting about great consoles like the GP2x (which i owned, and developed for, until mine was stolen).

What GP2X titles?

[tepples (727027)]

Joreallean wrote:

The problem I see with the Linux community is they spend so much time and energy just trying to get already existing software and technology to run on their systems, that they have little or no time to truly create something new and innovative.

AC wrote:

Also, you're a 100% incorrect

Your evidence? Which titles were created specifically for the GP2X that would make me want to buy a GP2X over a DS with the R4 card?

Re:

[LKM (227954)]

There are actually commercial games created specifically for the GP2X (check out the store), but this is hardly the GP2X's point. Calling it a "knock-off," as Joreallean has done, is about the stupidest, most uninformed thing I've ever heard.

It's a handheld for people who are into the whole homebrew thing and don't want to a) constantly fight Sony with firmware upgrades or b) buy expensive hardware to get homebrew to run on an unsupported handheld like the DS. The GP2X is a fully supported, programmable, Li

Re:

[LKM (227954)]

There are actually commercial games created specifically for the GP2X (check out the store), but this is hardly the GP2X's point.

Then what is the GP2X's point in practice? Emulators?

Yes.

Tetris clones like the one I made?

Yes.

The point is whatever you want it to be.

I use mine to play Neo Geo games on-the-go on a nice, big screen. I also use it to play around with some game ideas. You could use it to watch TV shows. Or as a Walkman replacement. Or as an organizer. Or to show your pals the game you've made. Or to read a book. It's a toy. You use it for whatever the hell you want.

Also, I don't know what it costs to get a GP2X in the USA. I'm from Europe. I know the GP2X was cheaper than a DS plus a DS-X (which I als

Why don't they PROMOTE home game creation?

[Morgaine (4316)]

The marketting divisions of Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony seem to be exceedingly blinkered when it comes to home games production on their consoles. It worked for the Amiga, which because of direct support from Commodore (docs and tools) saw the emergence of a huge and extremely buoyant community with legions of Amiga supporters worldwide. And that's only one example.

There is really no reason for NOT supporting private developers, because every console that is purchased will also lead to commercial games sales as well, it's totally inevitable. Some people have suggested that the manufacturers are afraid of competition from the amateur sector, but that is just totally unsubstantiated. After all, all those years of game development and millions spent in asset production cannot easily be rivalled at home.

While there will always be some people who simply cannot afford commercial games, in general the existence of a successful amateur sector would be *additional* to the success of commercial products, and it wouldn't replace them. The argument that the console manufacturers want their cut from licensing games doesn't stand up either, because they will continue to get their cut from those commercial games. If the sectors are additive, then that income is not reduced.

Of course, if the multi-million dollar games are so crap that people prefer the amateur products instead, then there would indeed be an effect, but that's not likely to happen in the general case. Even if the commercial investments are highly inefficient and tied to games with poor/boring gameplay, they still provide *gloss* at least, and so people will still buy them.

I put it down to the truism that "marketting is clueless", as always. Which is a big pity here.

Re:

[EvilGoodGuy (811015)]

Read up on Microsoft's XNA. I put it down to the truism that "most people don't know what they're posting about," as always. Which is a big pity here.

Re:

[DrEldarion (114072)]

Sony practically encourages homebrew apps on the PS3, what with being able to install Linux on it. Of course, half the things people would install homebrew apps for (media playing / streaming) are already part of the console...

You're restricted from using the graphics processor, which kind of sucks, but other than that you're pretty set. I want to see a PS3 Dwarf Fortress [bay12games.com]. Maybe then a world won't take 10 minutes to generate.

Re:

[gad_zuki! (70830)]

XNA [wikipedia.org]

An Xbox 360 for $894

[tepples (727027)]

XNA

Congratulations. Now an Xbox 360 costs $894: $399 for the console and $99 per year for a five-year XNA Creators Club subscription. It'd be cheaper to buy a Mac Mini and connect it to the TV.

Because Lockjaw competes with Tetris

[tepples (727027)]

The argument that the console manufacturers want their cut from licensing games doesn't stand up either, because they will continue to get their cut from those commercial games. If the sectors are additive, then that income is not reduced.

Unless each copy of Lockjaw [pineight.com] means that Microsoft doesn't get its cut from a copy of Tetris [tetris.com].

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG (946591)]

The marketting divisions of Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony seem to be exceedingly blinkered when it comes to home games production on their consoles. It worked for the Amiga, which because of direct support from Commodore (docs and tools) saw the emergence of a huge and extremely buoyant community with legions of Amiga supporters worldwide. And that's only one example.

There's a subtle difference between the Amiga and the game consoles. The Amiga itself was sold to make money, whereas game consoles sell games

Mythical Wii dev kits

[Purity Of Essence (1007601)]

Where are the inexpensive dev kits you promised last year, Nintendo? Sony and Microsoft are actually supporting homebrew, Nintendo is dragging their feet. I hope I can look forward to interesting and exciting news at E3 with regard to homebrew, dev kits, and VC originals ... but I'm not holding my breath. Please live up to your promises, Nintendo, don't turn this into another GameCube broadband adapter.

Re:

[edwdig (47888)]

Nintendo promised cheaper dev kits to licensed developers. They never said anything about the general public.

Re:

[Sparr0 (451780)]

I recall reading, and it was almost certainly pure rumor, that the entire process of licensing and acquiring a dev kit would cost as little as $2000. Right here on slashdot, actually, and I replied that I would go for that price in a heartbeat. It wasn't official, but it was a popular rumor.

Re:

[EggyToast (858951)]

The problem is that you would have to be a serious coder AND be serious about developing a game that people would want to pay for (even if it's cheap). The thing that always depresses me about homebrew is that it's literally overflowing with emulators and ROMs. If 5% of the homebrew population makes a stink about making it easier for people to load homebrew, and the other 95% is only interested in playing old SNES games, why would a company make the cost of entry any cheaper?

Most of the games I see for

Re:

[tepples (727027)]

While interesting, it seems that most gamers who want to code a game would rather just code it for a desktop OS.

Xbox 360, Wii, and PLAYSTATION 3, on the other hand, can support four gamepads per TV. Desktop PCs are limited to two gamepads per system due to the smaller physical size of the display. Set-top PCs appear to be so rare that no studio bothers customizing its games for them. So which system should an amateur code a four-player game for?

Incorporation + office space

[tepples (727027)]

I recall reading, and it was almost certainly pure rumor, that the entire process of licensing and acquiring a dev kit would cost as little as $2000.

Including the cost of forming an LLC and leasing office space? Warioworld.com states that Nintendo doesn't deal with sole proprietorships, nor does it deal with businesses run out of a home office.

Re:

[by Anonymous Coward]

Yup. It's something I've looked into myself. The $2k isn't a big deal but as an indy mobile game developer who just works out of a home office, it's kind of a no-go. The Wii shop channel would be an awesome platform for independant/small game devs to try their hand at a few small, $5 Wii games, nevermind the potential from purely hobbyist homebrew devs. Sure, there probably wouldn't be heaps of great new awesome content but a few gems are bound to turn up and many more "fun time wasters" or even the odd

Re:Mythical Wii dev kits

[reybrujo (177253)]

Oh, they are availabe here [warioworld.com], and should be under USD 2000 (according to some old gaming articles), but apparently you need solid plan and backing [warioworld.com] to get them :-(

Creating Wii Games

[enkafan (604078)]

Microsoft has the semi-right idea with letting people use the XNA stuff to create games for the 360. Sure it is pretty locked down, but it is still is doable and well documented. The real hard part is that coming up with the idea for a 360 game is HARD, not to mention people expect "next-gen" graphics and sound for 360 games which is almost impossible without a large team. On the other hand, anyone who picks up a Wii controller immediately can come up with 10-50 ideas along the line of a Wii Sports or other

Why homebrew?

[falcon5768 (629591)]

Full developer tools cost 2000 dollars for the Wii, same cost of a decent computer system.

Part of the whole homebrewing philosophy stems from the high cost of development of some of these systems (case in point PS3 dev box is 10,000 dollars)

But if you REALLY want to create some good games for the Wii, and maybe even sell them via the Virtual Console for 5-10 bucks, then 2k for a developer kit aint that bad at all.

Re:Why homebrew?

[Kent Simon (760127)]

Interesting idea, but in practice this is impossible. I wanted to develop for the Wii, so I emailed and inquired about the process of getting a Dev Kit. After reading my email, it was forwarded to the VC dept, because I hadn't had any AAA titles published. At the VC dept level, the email was sat on and I haven't heard from them again. Turns out you have to have a brick and mortar company to be able to develop for the Wii. Not a company you run out of your house, and certainly not a hobbyist developer. This is a major oversight by nintendo, as third party support really matters this time around. And I would love to develop for it.

P.S. Unmodded all of my moderated posts so that I could say that.

Re:

[Midnight Thunder (17205)]

How long did you have to wait for the wii to come out?

Until you get lucky ;) Seriously, I have been going to various stores, every once in a while, asking them when their next batch is due. Most either don't know and tell you, that you have to call almost every day to find out and then they are usually sold in a couple of hours. The other day I went to buy a home phone, didn't find the one I wanted and asked on the off chance if they if they knew when the next batch of Wiis was due. Guy told me they actuall

Re:

[hcpxvi (773888)]

How long did you have to wait for the wii to come out?

Until you get lucky ;) Seriously, I have been going to various stores, every once in a while, asking them when their next batch is due.

If you are in the UK, then GAME make you do this. Those of us who have better things to do than hang around video game stores would be well-advised to try GameStation, who will take a deposit and phone you up when your name reaches the top of the list.

The Wii is a thoroughly well-designed and enjoyable toy. I'

Get one now!

[gilesjuk (604902)]

Game and Gamestation have stocks, my local Asda has them. I ordered mine on Amazon UK or else I would have got one from Asda today.

Re:

[CastrTroy (595695)]

I did the same thing. I didn't quite go to the store every day, but I made sure to check every time I was near a store (about once a week). I managed to pick one up a few weeks ago. It's definitely not something you can walk into a store and buy on any day, but they are out there, and believe me, it's worth it. The Wii is awesome.

Re:

[CastrTroy (595695)]

I'm in Ottawa. There is still a major shortage of Wiis here. And Accessories too. When I got my Wii, I picked up Wiiplay with the controller (although they had just controllers in stock), but was unable to get a second nunchuck. The store clerks reaction was something like, "I swear we had them in stock 5 minutes ago". It was easy enough to find the second nunchuck at Walmart the next day. I completely believe you that there's 10+ machines sitting on the shelves though. I think that some places just

Re:how long

[by Anonymous Coward]

Sorry, no store in the world has "at least 10 Wiis all the time". So you're clearly a liar. But just to be sure, I checked. Not a single Best Buy in Alberta has a Wii in stock right now. The online stock locator showed zero, but I called the Edmonton North store to double check. He told me no one in the province had any either, and checked his own stock locator. I then checked Future Shop online, even though they're owned by Best Buy, and still nothing. Please give me a store in Edmonton that has a Wii in stock that I can call to verify.

Re:

[TodMinuit (1026042)]

By who? Nintendo isn't sponsoring the contest. It's unofficial.

Re:

[Superken7 (893292)]

By who?

From the article:

Prize Details

[--banner from gp2xstore.com--]

1st Prize) $300 to spend at GP2X Store

2nd Prize) $150 to spend at GP2X Store

3rd Prize) $50 to spend at GP2X Store

I give you 3 tries :-)

Hah, yeah right!

[gerf (532474)]

I'm sure they're going to try to help people emulate Mario Kart on their Wii instead of buying it for $5.

Remember, they're still a for profit company.

Re:

[heinousjay (683506)]

Come on, don't act naive. "Homebrew" is code for pirating and emulating old games, and "backups" is code for pirating new games. Now you have your education.

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[Pxtl (151020)]

Don't be silly. The scene began on the Dreamcast, and at the time, Homebrew specifically referred to home-made *games* not emulators. There are lots of good home-made games that are 100% legit for consoles.