Worried about homebrew channel

[WhizzBang]

I am not completely new to using homebrew software on consoles. I got into this sort of thing on the Dreamcast back in the days when Gleam came out, andalso have experience of using homebrew on Gamecube, GBA and NDS.

The difference with the Wii is that it is an online console that Nintendo can significantly alter if it chooses.

So far with the Wii I have run Tetris and the example N64 rom that came with the emulator. I can see there is huge potential here and it is a very exciting time for Wii homebrew development. SNES and ZX Spectrum emulation are my main attractions, and GBA would also be nice.

However, I have come to really enjoy my Wii console to the point now where it is used almost daily by myself and my girlfriend, while my XBox 360 sits gathering dust and hasn't been used in over a month. We love Mario Kart Wii and Twighlight Princess, and have also really got into TV Game Show King as well as several Virtual Console games.

My concern is that Nintendo will take exception to the homebrew channel and either:
- ban me from using online gaming (least case scenario)
- brick my console with an update (worst case scenario)

It seems a little unfair that Nintendo might try these aggressive tactics as I am still a customer and I am paying for games, downloads and accessories. However, I am probably less likely to purchase any more sub-N64 VC games which obviously means less income for Nintendo and so in my mind is their main justification for penalising me in some way.

Is anyone else concerned about what the consequences may be for using the homebrew channel?

I think that if the response from Nintendo was to ban me from online gaming, I would be very tempted to but another Wii and keep it 'clean'.

[Baboon]

I think the worst that could possibly happen would be getting banned from online play... but to be honest the online gaming on the wii has so far either been non-existent or just been pretty poor. The exception for me though has also been Mariokart where it doesn't seem to lag at all and I've had loadsa fun playing mates online but apart from that what are the other great online titles? Brawl is very laggy and (IMO) does not live up to the hype...er? ...Mario Strikers isn't great online? ...I'm struggling here to think of any other worthy online wii games? lol

I guess If Microsoft can easily find out and ban you from xbox live if you have a modded console and are playing copied games then I'm sure Nintendo can also do the same?

I think it would be illegal for a console manufacturer to intentionally brick someone's machine though because the consumer is doing something on their machine that they didn't intend it to do? ...if your paranoid about it then just turn off wii connect24 so you don't get promted to update your firmware - you'll still be able to play mariokart online!

I think its fair enough if they start cracking down on people with piracy concerning commercial wii games but hopefully they'll be more leinient on homebrew??

I personally think the risk of running the homebrew channel is worth the (slim) risk of losing online capabilities on the wii in the future though. ...just look how far the wii homebrew scene has come in such a short space of time!

I guess we will see soon enough with wii system firmware updates what path Nintendo will go down though.

[WhizzBang]

Well yes, at the moment for me it is only Mario Kart Wii that is the reason for online gaming, but I really believe it is better than any online game experience I had on the 360. I hope Ninetendo cand come out with some more as good as this. i have heard that Mario and Sonic Olymips online stuff is good and my sister wants me to get it, but i haven't tried it yet myself.

[hjfbv1]

great on-line gwme try moh heroes 2 great game and little if no lag for me.

as for banning you for using the homebrew channel its illeagle unless u let them peek at what ur playing through the nintendo channel recomend thing. then they are allowed to see what ur playing. as for bricking your wii, possiable if nintendo can find a way for the wii codeing to brick on all the diffrent loaders( ie the hacked 10 min one or the new one ect.) course that could easily be done, my sugestion, dont update till someone says its safe

[pibs]

I highly doubt Nintendo will brick your console, a ban is the worst that could happen. Like everyone else said, Just don't update(until you get info on the update online). I understand your worries but coders are hard at work trying to figure out ways around "the man" and hopefully soon wii *might* be undetectable (I hope lol).

[VampDude]

To prevent said bricking can be avoided if you think wisely, the Homebrew Channel can be uninstalled so basically if your scared of bricking said console then I've just answered your question.

Through an update is when Nintendo scans your console, I wouldn't recommend having Homebrew when updating as it may interfere with the update, Homebrew already messes with the playing time stats (play an emulator for an hour or more and it will keep saying you played for weird low amounts of time).

[Capt_Trips]

I bet Nintendo thinks this is cool on some level: but wrong on so many other levels.

Nintendo can either fight us, and turn everyone off from Nintendo forever, or Nintendo can embrace us and alter the lay of the land forever, or most likely,

Nintendo can do nothing.

Think about it: If there is no way but Nintendo's way to get on the internet or browse the system, Isn't that exactly what Microsoft lost the Antitrust suits over?

I am more worried about Team Twiizers making a mistake, or committing hareikerai, or some truculant jerk circulating viral crap for whatever reason. I am more worried Nintendo will discontinue their N64 emulator, or worse, production of the Wii.

[agenericperson]

I'm worried about an online ban. Also, I'm worried what might happen if my console breaks and i need to send it in.

[KristenBaldousor]

Not worried at all

I use the homebrew channel at least 2 hours a week, play wii games another 3 a week. Let em now i'm working with things I nop supposed to, cuz, i'm starting to get inside the scene and if nintendo won't be deploying a sdk for independent developers with no funds, then we have no choice than go underground with this.

They can ban my Wii, i'm sure there is a way to avoid this ban, they can't brick my wii, a lawsuit would appear. It's my console, I can do with it whatever I want with it, not my fault the Zelda error exist and they hadn't done anything to fix it

... Brawl is very laggy and (IMO) does not live up to the hype...er? ...

I don't find it thaaaaaat laggy, the only time I got a OMG lag was when I forgot I was downloading some demo games on my PS3, from there, I got a lag of only a fraction of second, that I pressed a attack button a couple of milliseconds later the action is taken

[GespenstM]

I'm not really worried about Nintendo suddenly deciding to send out an intentional 'brick your homebrew Wii' update. It's possible an unintentional one might go out (and that's why I have a "...Y...you go ahead and try it out first, and let me know what happens" approach to updates), but not an intentional one. Why? Nintendo would be open to a lawsuit (or a 'lawl'suit, either one).

Imagine this scenario: You own a Honda Civic, and add a part that lets its fuel-system accept alternate types of fuel. Honda finds out about this and sends a ninja (clad in Honda-logo-laden apparel and caught on tape) to blow up your Honda Civic's engine, rendering it unable to go anywhere. Is Honda now guilty of willfully damaging your property? Yes. Does Honda have to pay you back for the damages and set things right? In theory, yes.

Same deal for your Wii.


Now, they could legally ban your Wii from play on their servers. They haven't so far, and I honestly can't predict if they ever will. The cynic in me wants to say "Haha, that'd require Nintendo to even know what the internet is, and Brawl has shown they don't." But that's me being silly. All I know is, if they choose to ban me for my choosing to use homebrew code, I will be done buying their systems until they un-ban me. There will be none of this 'clean system for online' stuff; let me do as I wish with my property, esp. when said uses aren't interfering with their property in any way.

But for the immediate moment, I am not worried.