Legality of Custom Gameboots Produced with Sony's Leaked Tools

**pokothehobo** · July 30th, 2006, 06:47

Originally Posted by doof69

what exactly is a gameboot, i am lost. lol

same here bro... what do they do??

all of you are so wrapped up in the legality of the gameboots, is there realy some sort of advantage to them?

**ACID** · July 30th, 2006, 07:03

Originally Posted by Pico

I think you'll find any software made for the psp needs to be licensed for it to be legal. So why bother posting this as news.

So people can know whats going on thats why.

**Voltron** · July 30th, 2006, 07:10

Sure, respect this site but whats next? First no mention of ISO's (even though PSP ISO's is coded into the sites html for search and descriptive purposes), then no mention of DevHook except the "legal" version, then gameboots???? Give me a break. It is getting very silly and as an unfortunate bi-product a lot of this sites members are spending a lot of time on other sites and forums. A big loss to this site as it has undoubtedly been the best. Will this silliness continue or will this site lighten up? Time will tell. I'm hoping for the latter.

::EDIT::
Definition of gameboot:

the gameboot.pmf is the video file that shows you that Sony PSP splash screen logo everytime you turn your PSP on or launch a UMD/homebrew, etc. You can flash your 1.50 PSP with a custom gameboot or a more safe way is to simply overwrite the gameboot file in the firmware folders that you use with DevHook.

I happen to use the bloody claws slashing gameboot which splatters blood all over the Sony PSP logo before launching an ISO (whoops) I mean UMD. A very cool and easy to perform modification of the PSP.

IMPORTANT:
It is important to note especially if you are flashing your PSP (1.50 firmware) that whatever gameboot you use needs to be LESS than 1mb in file size. The gameboot I use is around 516kb.

**YourStillWithMe** · July 30th, 2006, 07:17

Voltron-You make a very good point my friend. I seriously understand where your coming from in spite of the iso talk, and legal devhook version. Seriously, how many of you have the "legal" version of devhook? I do not, why would I want a version of devhook with lesser characteristics and capabilities? Thats like saying you would rather have a 1GB memory stick for your psp than a 4GB your cheating yourself. Sure I DL my share of games but i dont care because I have money and own plenty of UMD's and probably more than most of you (not to brag but i own over 50 games and movies and paid for them with my own money.) I also own 2 psp's, two 1GB sticks and a 2gb stick (am planning on getting the 4gb) so i support the distrubtors. I understand keeping the ISOS on the down low but a "movie clip" that we got our hands on? Thats kinda funny. To keep everyone happy i say this go to w w w. psp crazy.com if you wish to be illegal

**Mr. Shizzy** · July 30th, 2006, 08:33

Originally Posted by kando

what exactly is a gameboot if i may ask?

It's the little video that plays when your PSP boots up.

.

Well this has been an intersting thread. It seems that many ppl don't know what's legal and what's not.

. Most homebrew is NOT illegal. This includes *Emulators, Homemade games, and MOST applications.

Now, what is illegal is the following:

Downloading the "BIOS" for a emulator that you don't actually own the real console of. BIOS are (basically) the brains of a game system. Alot of emulators don't require BIOS to run (NES, SNES, Genesis, Atari ect...). It is perfectly legal to install these emus on your PSP, even if you don't actually own a physical copy of the console. But- certain emu's do require the BIOS to run. Some examples would be- Atari Lynx, NeoGeo, NeoGeoCD ect... These emus won't run without the BIOS. If you don't actually own these consoles and you download the BIOS from some where to play it - than what you are doing is illegal.
But wait theres more. A "ROM" is (basicaly) a "virtual copy" of any given videogame. It is ILLEGAL to download a ROM that you don't actually own a physical copy of the real game of.

A ROM of a PSP game is called an "ISO". Again it is ILLEGAL to posess a ISO if you don't actually own a physical copy of that specific game. Generaly, any respectable web site will allow no dicussion about ISO's . (DCEMU is one of them so don't disrespect them by talking about ISOs or you may find yourself banned) The reason ISO's are generally looked down upon is all the piracy it has and will lead to. Piracy hurts the videogame industry we all love.
Also it is illegal to download a firmware. Firmwares are typically needed for things such as DEVHOOK & packaged in with "Automatic Downgraders". It is however legal to "dump" your own firmware off your PSP.

Also be careful of all the different applications out there for download; some of them are illegal. (You know your always safe here @ DCEMU of course!!!) Do your homework - so you actually know exactly what your getting youself into if your just surfing the web for stuff.
Now recently SONY's UMD creating tools have been leaked onto the internet; and it would obviously be ILLEGAL to download them. The only thing they would be useful to your everyday user for would be they enable you to make custom gameboots (if you know what your doing).

. Would it be illegal for an average user to download a custom gameboot? I'm not exactly sure. But I do know it probably wouldn't be a good idea for a website to host them unill there is a legal means of creating them.

Whatever this web site decides to do is what I'll respect. I'm proud to call PSP-news my virtual home away from home. This is THE BEST homebrew site on the internet.

And again, you always know anything you downlod here is 100% LEGAL and I like that.

I myself am very interested about custom gameboots. But I would hate to lose my favorite hangout (DCEMU - psp-news) or get sued.

**tophead420** · July 30th, 2006, 09:10

i find it odd that sonys tools are being "leaked out" how does this happen there must be a spy or something lol but these new custom gameboots i havent seen one so i dont care about um i dont know a thing about um so thats good im sure they wouldnt be to hard to find tho well anyways i think they souldnt be put on or said anything about them on this site becuz i dont want dcemu to be gone becuz witout dcemu what is there for me to find the latest and greatest homebrew o yea pspupdates and F*** that S*** lol

**motz** · July 30th, 2006, 09:19

Originally Posted by $n!pR

Number of people with 1.50 vs other firmware

I can't believe how many people still have updated to 2.80.

**Illegal Machine** · July 30th, 2006, 09:36

Originally Posted by F9zDark

[B]With the limited understanding of the laws in the US that I have, I firmly believe that these gameboots are illegal.

.[/U]

key word limited....

and I regard the legality of those tools and the related gameboots created as a result about as much as I give a damn about your limited understanding of the laws in the US that you have.

Now I never link anyone to anything. No rom links, no iso upload links, no gameboot uploads. nothing.... HOWEVER. YOU administrators of this site need to realize that nobody is going to come after you, nor is this or any other site going to be shut down as a result.

**notaforumtroll** · July 30th, 2006, 10:39

Originally Posted by tophead420

i find it odd that sonys tools are being "leaked out" how does this happen there must be a spy or something

Not spys, just pissed off, under paid over worked employees that spite the companies they work for. my guess they were probably leaked from Electronic arts.
Electronic arts having lost a law suit about over working their employees and well, releasing such $#@!ty games these last couple years.