PSP Hacked Once More!!

[Cmtz]

Well, this time it's different. WAB a group of hackers has just made it possible to run PSP ripped games off the memory card.

Here it is:

AloneTrio of the group WAB (who coded the World's first PSP Trainer) has now released the WAB MS Launcher Alpha! Basically this utility can be installed using KXploit v1.50 and then used to launch extracted UMD iSO dumps from your PSP Memory Stick root, but as it's an Alpha version NO games have been confirmed as playable. There has NOT been a lot of testing done yet, however, most games will either begin to load the title/intro screen only (ie WipeOut Pure), will hang on "Now Loading" (ie Ridge Racers), or will hang at the "Please Wait" screen (ie Puzzle Bobble). Once again, at this time NO game actually plays via this Alpha version to our knowledge, but this is simply further progress towards that goal. The 'hanging' is likely due to UMD check routines being present, but only time will tell for sure!

I don't get it. If these people say they love the PSP so much why the hell are they hacking it. I like the old school emulation, but this is too much. This could very well end the PSP. I hope they don't go much further.

[The_EniGma]

Well, this time it's different. WAB a group of hackers has just made it possible to run PSP ripped games off the memory card.

Here it is:

AloneTrio of the group WAB (who coded the World's first PSP Trainer) has now released the WAB MS Launcher Alpha! Basically this utility can be installed using KXploit v1.50 and then used to launch extracted UMD iSO dumps from your PSP Memory Stick root, but as it's an Alpha version NO games have been confirmed as playable. There has NOT been a lot of testing done yet, however, most games will either begin to load the title/intro screen only (ie WipeOut Pure), will hang on "Now Loading" (ie Ridge Racers), or will hang at the "Please Wait" screen (ie Puzzle Bobble). Once again, at this time NO game actually plays via this Alpha version to our knowledge, but this is simply further progress towards that goal. The 'hanging' is likely due to UMD check routines being present, but only time will tell for sure!

I don't get it. If these people say they love the PSP so much why the hell are they hacking it. I like the old school emulation, but this is too much. This could very well end the PSP. I hope they don't go much further.

I personally hope they go furthur, it would be great to see ripped games run off memsticks..

Death of PSP? emus only?

Psssh.

[unbroken]

Actually they already went a step further, today:

"Today the World's first PSP Launcher was released for Lumines. We have already confirmed it works on a v1.50 firmware PSP with the Dynarox USA release of Lumines, however, it currently plays without sound. How was this achieved exactly? Well, similar to the WAB MS Launcher you'll need to extract the contents of the Lumines iSO to your Memory Stick's root directly using iSOBuster or a similar application. When doing this, you should end up with a PSP_GAME directory there with all the game files in it, and also a UMD_DATA.BIN file in the MS root. Then simply install the Lumines Launcher by copying the files to your PSP\GAME directory manually or via the previously-released KXpolit v1.50."

[Jibbajaba]

Aren't the ISOs freakin huge? And I agree that this presents a problem for Sony. This will give them more motivation to force firmware upgrades in order to play new games. If the process of ripping UMDs and playing them from the memory stick becomes too user friendly, the PSP could go the way of the Dreamcast.

Chris

[Cmosfm]

The PC Connectability of the system will make this VERY easy and VERY user friendly, now, the size of the ISO files will be the only problem. But if I can buy a 1GB memory card and run all the games I want on it for free...It's a very worthwhile purchase.

Not that I'd do anything like that.

[Damion]

You know what, I love my PSP if I can find a way to do this with my own UMDS. Then I will, but if I don't own it then I won't do it. Not only to save on battery life but to also play games that would force me to do a firmware upgrade. I'll still buy it. But I won't be playing it off a UMD.

[Cmtz]

Psp's iso aren't that big. There's some that are around 360mb so a 2 gb card will hold a couple of games.

[davidbrit2]

And I agree that this presents a problem for Sony. This will give them more motivation to force firmware upgrades in order to play new games.

The funny thing is that this would just make things worse for Sony, because those who don't want the forced firmware update won't buy the game - they'll just wait for a cracked version to be available for download!

Tips for game system developers: if your system's security is such that cracks to run unsigned homebrew code also greatly compromise the integrity of the copy protection, you should probably rethink how badly you really want to lock out homebrew software. Make homebrew easy, and don't lock it back out with firmware updates, and people won't suddenly find themselves with an easy way to bootleg your software.

This is EXACTLY how the PS1 mod chips went down. Every new board revision got a new mod chip to allow import playing, and surprise surprise, bootleg playing was a convenient side effect.

I'm willing to bet that if game systems did away with region protection, and locking out the ability to run unsigned, unencrypted code, piracy would drop dramatically. Make your copy protection really strong with all sorts of encryption, and leave it at that. Then the people that want to buy legit games and run homebrew software don't have to first do something to the console that makes it possible to run pirated software. Furthermore, if this functionality is available standard, you won't have groups so eager to crack the lockout for running homebrew code, which would then also greatly increase the time it would take for any real mainstream piracy options. In other words, be friendly to the people who have the capability to fuck your business model.

And proprietary media sure doesn't hurt.

[unbroken]

Aren't the ISOs freakin huge? And I agree that this presents a problem for Sony. This will give them more motivation to force firmware upgrades in order to play new games. If the process of ripping UMDs and playing them from the memory stick becomes too user friendly, the PSP could go the way of the Dreamcast.

Chris

Theoretically, if get they get the iso loader to fully work off the memory card, they could by pass the firmware upgrades which is one of the main reasons the dev's are even working on the loader.

[zektor]

The Lumines loader does indeed work, except for sound. I am far from excited about this however. I want to see the PSP do well and I really am looking forward to purchasing new titles and starting a nice collection. I am much more enthusiastic about the homebrew/emulation scene when it comes to this system, since it has been thriving. It can possibly be the ultimate handheld ever created. Today I played Ridge Racer, then "Herzog Zwei", and finally "Military Madness". Now, that is bliss!

[Oobgarm]

In other words, be friendly to the people who have the capability to fuck your business model.

Yer smart.

I've kinda always wondered that myself. Take some of the 'mystique' and 'edginess' of the bootleg scene and it won't be as big. Things might not seem different right away, but I think there would be a visual difference down the road.

As for bootlegging PSP games, I find it repulsive. Why cause problems for a system that's just starting to shine with homebrew software?

[Chuplayer]

This is going to kill the PSP. PSP prices will drop like a lead balloon. *does Mr. Burns fingers and voice thing* Excellent.

Y helo thar cheap portable emulating goodness.

[halbert]

This is bad.

Very, very bad.

[The_EniGma]

Guess no one has heard of backing up orconvience

As for pirating games id ontg ive a shit, ill try buy it otherwisei ll pirate it, although alot of the piratesi have i end up buying a real copy because i like it

[esquire]

Well, from a the standpoint of a person who had no intention of buying a PSP (due to pricing, and lack of IMO "must have games"), I think this is cool. I may just buy one now to see what all the hubbub is all about and try a few games.

As for the analogy to the DC, I see no comparison. How can you say that but at the same time ignore the readily available piracy mods for the PS1. That system did just fine. I don't wan't to threadjack this post as the demise of DC has been discussed many times before. I am just saying I wouldn't be quick to say the PSP will die, let alone for this reason.

[Jive3D]

The exact same situation has befallen the Nintendo DS scene. While emulation is barely existant on the DS - almost every released game has seen a rom dump, and after buying a little bit of extra hardware, DS roms are fully playable on a DS.

As far as the PSP game loader - if they don't figure out the sound issue, then this is neat, but useless news - Lumines integrates the sound into the experience and I would never bother to play something w/out the sound - I couldn't imagine playing Wipeout Pure without sound (it's not like the NES days where I could rock out to Weird Al while playing Rushin' Attack).

This is really interesting though - being able to play rom dumps off the mem card will definately lead to people cracking the new games and allowing them to be played from the card without the need of the user to upgrade the firmware. But if the games are online enabled, then I'm sure that you'll have to upgrade your firmware in order to get online with the game.

I'll admit that I do have a few games that are 'not legitimate versions' - but if a game is really good, I'm going to buy it. Also, that's the only reason that I would buy a PSP game to begin with - if it is really good. Regardless I'm still going to buy the games that I would have bought to begin with and I might play the games that I would have never considered to buy via the mem card to check 'em out.

I do agree that this is a problem for Sony - the the max mem card capacity of 2 gig being larger than the max capacity of a UMD it goes without thought that games can be tossed on a mem card without a hitch.

I don't really know which way I stand on the issue, but I will agree that this is a huge problem for Sony. And I agree as well that stuff like this is happening FAR too soon within the system's life. but then again, with piracy like this, how much of the marketshare could they actually lose? like 8%? I think that Sony's bigger problem was hiding all that cash that was recently discovered.

[ddockery]

Whle this is very different from the PSOne comparison (no modchip is required) I don't see it really hurting PSP sales. It is NOT a user friendly process, and your typical gaming moron probably doesn't even know about the homebrew scene. If you've looked at the message boards, even with nice step-by-step procedures written out, there are tons of mororns that can't get it to work. I'm talking about the homebrew stuff, as I haven't even tried the ripped Lumines stuff, and probably won't. Sure, some people will pirate games bvecause they can, but I don't see this making a huge difference in software sales unless it gets a lot easier. Hopefully it won't.

[Cmtz]

I'm sure it'll get alot easier. I think it will get to the point where you get the psp iso (rom) and place it on the game folder and your ready to play.

[Chuplayer]

I have to disagree that pirating PSP games won't take off. I think it'll take off like nothing else pirate. With the GBA and DS, you have to buy special hardware from special stores. With the PSP, all you have to do is get yourself a memory stick from a normal store. That alone is enough reason for me. I'm sure it's enough reason for many other people, too. It's way more accessible than the special hardware required for the Nintendo handhelds. The memory stick won't be cheap, but it'll pay for itself time and time again.

And all those people who say "pirating PSP and using emulators isn't an easy process so it won't take off," fuck that noise. So what if you have to do a couple awkward things to get it to work? If it's comparatively dirt cheap, it'll have to be really really really complex before anybody's going to give up on it.