Archaemic posted this release:


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via Archaemic ...

Romain's has released a new version of his app called Flash0++.

Heres whats new:

* Interface graphic ENTIRELY remade.
* More jerks (blinks, maybe? Babelfish is no help sometimes) in the menus
* The menu is now in images.
* New icon0 and pic1 by Eaigle

Flash0++ requires Custom Firmware 3.xx OE in order to run.

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via pspgen ...

[From:Gamepro]

What's going on with Sony's online plans? GamePro speaks with Susan Nourai, the senior director of the PlayStation Network, for a peak at what's to come for PSP and PS3 owners.

For starters, what is your role at SCEA?

SCEA created a new organization focused solely on our PlayStation Network business. The goal for this team is to create a center of excellence for online services and digital entertainment delivery. My role is to drive and oversee SCEA's network business strategy, operations, content strategy and marketing across all of our PSN services including the PS Store, playstation.com and PlayStation Home.

The PlayStation Network takes a somewhat different form than other gaming networks. How does this architecture reflect Sony's philosophies about online?

We look at PSN as an emergent entertainment network. Our goal is to take a consumer-centric approach in both user experience, and just as important, to provide the type of content that consumers expect from PlayStation. This is evident in the types of games we offer on the PlayStation Store, like Flow, and the upcoming Calling All Cars and Little Big Planet.

Read more here: http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=108929 ...

New from Mr Modchips UK is the WORLDS FIRST MULTI CONSOLE MODCHIP:



DIGG THIS NEWS AND GET IT DIGG MAINPAGED



InFeCtuS is the first versatile modchip ever released in the market, created to work with many different consoles. InFeCtuS will give you access to so many features that it's impossible to describe them all today, some are still in development and more will come in the future.

This modchip was developed with an OPEN concept, uses CORE reprogrammable, a 512kb flash on board and an USB interface for the PC communication.
The hardware has a very HIGH QUALITY component design:

The core of INFECTUS is the new ACTEL ProASIC3 FAMILY, the new family after the famous APA075 used in the past in many PS2 projects.
A 512Kb parallel flash SSTSF040, with a high transfer rate and performance.
A REAL USB2.0 processor. This high quality component can manage the communication between ACTEL and PC (mini usb connector).
All of the devices PLD/FLASH/USB parts are 100% reprogrammable via USB communication.
The project is produced in Europe with the last technology of BSDL testing.

Because InFeCtuS is so versatile, here is a small selection of its features with currently available games consoles.

XBOX360 SUPPORT:
FIRST IN THE WORLD, GIVE YOU COMPLETE ACCESS TO "NAND FLASH BIOS" OF X360. With "X360 FLASHER" you can read and write the internal NAND BIOS FLASH of all X360 - NEW! (03/04/07)
Allows to gain total access over the XBOX360 flash driver, so that you can read and write the internal flash of any X360 DVD READER in the market.
Everything can be managed with a very simple and user friendly PC software.
FLASH ID real-time patching, your xbox360 cannot understand if there is any flash running other than the original one.
GLOBE MODCHIP 360 100% emulation including ON / OFF LED
NME 1.2 firmware emulation (at work 80% finished). Allow you to install the chip with few wires like NME.
Recovery of Bricked drivers X360 (software can search the key of bad flashing drivers, if you have backup firmware allow you to flash it again)

PS3 SUPPORT:
The first work to be done is to allow our users to flash directly the PS3 BIOS by USB. So no more problem with firmware, you can install everything you want, when you want. All the complications due to firmware versions that cannot be downgraded will not bother you anymore.
This solution will be released in the next 4 weeks!
Another new feature that we want to add is a REAL TIME patching of the firmware part that you want to be emulated from the chip. Being the 512Kb flash not enough to store a real dual firmware, we'll have to wait for the first hacked firmware to understand if a "real-time" patching will be possible. In case we won't be able to find more ideas, a new version of Infectus with a memory expansion bay will be released.

PS2 SUPPORT:
Complete O2 MODCHIP emulation 100% with all functionalities (www.o2mod.com) - Included for FREE
REMEMBER THAT O2 MOD ONE OF FEW MODCHIPS IN THE MARKET WITH "DNAS PATCH" AVAILABLE!!! DNAS PATCH IS NECESSARY TO HAVEN'T PROBLEMS IN ONLINE GAMING

WII SUPPORT:
Of course this is a free "bonus" in this mod because, we know, most of You wouldn't install such a big and expensive chip on a WII, but being it free... it's a good chance!

WIIKEY / WIIFREE EMULATION: (under development - 80% ready). This feature will allow you to play just everything you want on your WII.


SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT:
The possibility to manage the features using an easy software is one of the BIG advantages of the Infectus solution!

WIZARD help for the users: you will simply follow software's instruction step by step, everyone would be able to install and manage the INFECTUS MOD.
When you will be ready to install INFECTUS on a DVD DRIVE 078 XBOX360 FIRMWARE, the software will assist you with a 100% automated extraction of the key and the patch of new firmware.
WIZARD configuration based on XML for an automatic update of last firmware.
X360 FIRMWARE checksum, the software will tell you if you are actually using the correct firmware (this feature is only available in WIZARD procedure)
HELP section to allow an easy searching of X360 firmware

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...

HanSooloo has shared some interesting results from a preliminary HDD analysis…

1. The HDD is encrypted with a (most probably) Sony proprietary format.
2. If Linux is setup on the machine, the HDD will contain the relevant ext2 or ext3 partitions, but it will NOT be visible to a regular OS. This is because, the HDD does NOT have a standard partition table. If one uses WinHex to scan the HDD, then the program will find the ext2/ext3/swap partitions at their respective offsets.
3. A program has been written to scan blocks of 16bytes for where contiguous data is on the HDD. This program has identified major blocks of data on a freshly formatted 60GB HDD.
4. Of major interest is that right around the 380MB marker, we start seeing blocks of 64KB data, and this repeats itself EVERY 183.72MBs. Why does a system need 64KB worth of markers every so often, is a mystery at the moment.
5. Each HDD is "individualized" the moment it is formatted on a particular PS3 unit. An individualized HDD CANNOT be used in another PS3 unit due to (in theory) a unit based signature being written to each HDD.
6. A project is underway to "individualize" 2 same make and model (Seagate Momentus 60GB 2.5" SATA) HDDs and perform a byte level diff to spot differences in the disk layouts.
7. This diff will also be analyzed by the data block scanning program mentioned in Item-3 above.

I wonder… Will the long overdue ISO loader be able to play backed up images off the HDD? Hrm…


Poster's Notes:

It doesn't surprise me that Sony would have encrypted the PS3 partition of the hard-drive, making it somewhat tamper resistant. However this encryption does seem to have some implications with 3rd party developers.

For instance, there are so far, two game companies (that I know) developing titles for the PS3 that seem to believe that downloadable content may not be possible for it. While its strange to hear of that, considering other companies have released updates and content for games on PS3, its also something to be concerned with.

Does this belief that downloadable content for PS3 is not possible stem from the strange encryption encountered on the PS3 partition of the HDD? Is it due to the fact that these companies are unwilling to research and develop a content delivery method that would accommodate the PS3?

One of the companies I know to have said this is Bethesda, the makers of Oblivion. They have 3 platforms for which Oblivion is home to: PC, Xbox360 and PS3. The ease of installation of mods on PC is nothing short of spectacular; however, the official mods are not unified; one must download the mod for PC AND for the Xbox360 if they wish to have the same features in both copies of the game.

Having to also accommodate the PS3 may not be something that Bethesda is interested in, especially if they need to 'start from scratch' with every mod they want to make on the PS3.

What are your thoughts? ...

article from 1up

...

via pspfanboy

A brand-new SWAT is coming to PSP. And no, it's not a sequel to the Colin Farrell movie with the same name. Target Liberty is a brand-new PSP-exclusive extension of the popular PC tactical shooter. The series has been known for placing players in high-stakes situations, forcing players to take the least lethal approach possible. It appears Target Liberty will give portable players an isometric view of the action. Will it maintain the series' strategic approach, or will it be heavier on the action, a la Killzone: Liberation? Hopefully, we'll find out more in the coming weeks.

Screens Here ...

News from PeterM:

One of the problems with open source software is that it fundamentally conflicts with the requirements of working as a licensed developer. Up until now this hasn’t been an issue, but my employer is in the process of obtaining development kits and tools from Sony.

After I receive confidential information from Sony, I am contractually bound to keep it confidential. Unfortunately for Quake, this means that for the legal safety of myself, my employer and anyone who may use or view the PSP Quake source code, I cannot contribute any more to the project.

I can’t say I never saw it coming, but I was hoping our NDA wasn’t so strict. I was really hoping for a clause which would allow me to work on Quake without problems, as long as I didn’t use any of Sony’s tools. Unfortunately this is not the case.

What’s next for PSP Quake?

The project will continue, of course! I’m not the only PSP Quake developer, and I am sure that Chris Swindle will continue to do a fine job on the project, just as he always has. I wish him, and any future contributors to the project, the very best of luck.

What’s next for me?

In the short term, I have some rapidly approaching exams to study for. After that I’ll be splitting my time between work and whatever takes my fancy.

I will of course keep on homebrewing, but instead of the PSP I would be looking at platforms which we’ve not signed any agreements regarding. This could mean Nintendo DS, GameCube (GameCube Quake anyone?), Wii or maybe even XNA.

I would really love to port Cave Story to the GameCube or any other platform whatsoever, but my attempts to get in touch with the author, Pixel, have not been successful. Unfortunately I can’t speak Japanese and he can’t speak English! I tried emailing a translator he knows, but didn’t get a reply. Such is the internet.

If you can speak Japanese and would like to help me out, or can help in another way, please get in touch. ...

via ign

Remember House of the Dead? Eidos will be unleashing its own take on that classic lightgun shooter with a completely independent, but certainly hugely inspired production called Touch the Dead. We got a chance to romp through the zombie-infested halls on the Nintendo DS today, and pun intended...we had a blast.

Touch the Dead has been in the works for well over a year at Nintendo DS development house Dream On Studio, originally titled "Dead & Furious." The project's been picked up by Eidos for a May release, and team's done a pretty decent job emulating the fun of an on-rails lightgun shooter using nothing but the touch screen and stylus.

The game begins with a comic book cutscene showing you, the lead character, thrown in prison. As you mull over your time, you're awoken by a loud sound -- the door of your jail cell swings open. Of course, you want to know why...and so begins the start of Touch the Dead. Without a weapon you don't have much to do but look around, luckily a pistol with infinite ammunition's been conveniently tossed on the floor in one of the rooms.

Touch the Dead automatically moves you through the corridors of the prison -- all you have to worry about are the seemingly endless number of zombies that are wandering your way to get their taste of fresh prisoner blood. A simple tap-tap-tap on the screen will fire your weapon to that specific location, and headshots seem to be the best way of taking out the undead. Unfortunately, while having a bottomless bag of bullets is certainly handy, you'll still have to reload after emptying your barrel. Dragging a new clip from one side of the screen to the other is a simple task, but it requires a quick swipe to do it, and that's precious time away from keeping the zombies back.

Later in the game you'll upgrade not just your weapons, but the ability to reload those weapons much more quickly. The D-pad is used to switch from one weapon to another, but you'll need to earn these guns before you can switch over to them.

Touch the Dead is a simple design that's not entirely original, but we were having a great time popping zombies in the heads with our revolver. The visuals might not be on par with, say, Resident Evil, but the game moves at a pretty rapid clip and allows for as many as more than a half dozen zombies to stumble after you in one cluster. Shoot a zombie in the head and their heads can pop off with a nice blast of red blood -- it's clear that the game will earn an M rating when it hits store shelves.

We didn't get a chance to experience the game's two player cooperative mode, but Touch the Dead will support the local wireless feature of the Nintendo DS so that players can work together to wipe out the zombie threat. ...