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LetterBomb does game-free Wii hacking for System Menu 4.3
The myth of the unhackable Wii has long since been put to rest, but that hasn't stopped intrepid homebrew enthusiasts from coming up with new exploits. Case in point: LetterBomb. This particular Wii hack is a follow-up to BannerBomb, which was billed as a replacement for Twilight Hack -- all of which are capable of launching the homebrew channel sans hardware mods. BannerBomb stopped short at Menu 4.2, but LetterBomb is carrying the exploit banner, so to speak, for the next generation. Utilizing the console's Message Board, the hack requires an SD card, a Wii running System Menu 4.3, and a Wii MAC address. If you're looking to get your game-free Wii hack on, check out the source link for the full rundown.
Rumor: Zelda Wii to be Majora's Mask sequel
Let's get this straight: There are rumors about video games, and then there are crazy internet rumors about video games that are so intriguing you can't help but get excited about them, even though you don't believe they're anything more than products of an overactive fan imagination. This post is about the second kind. Information has bubbled up from the Japanese 2chan message board about the new Wii Zelda game and, while 2chan's record on rumors hasn't been bad (they've broken information on Japanese anime, Resident Evil and other games that later turned out to be true), these rumors are crazy. Like Majora's Mask crazy. See what we mean after the break.
Breakfast Topic: Getting guildies to the website
This is certainly an issue (if not a full-blown problem) in my guild, so I wouldn't be surprised if most guilds have a rough time getting guild members to use some of the outside resources they've put together. Nowadays, there are so many ways to make a guild website and so many different things you can do with one that most every guild has at least one place online to call its own. And those places are usually frequented by one or two people in the guild (usually the person running the site and/or maybe the GM and an officer or two), but in my experience, it's kind of tough to get people to use those resources, just because of lack of interest or know-how or habit. What's the point of having a database of members, a message board, and a blog and picture gallery when no one uses it? Enter Ankie of WoW Ladies, with an intriguing idea to support the guild's website.
LED Illuminated Message Board makes ordinary messages psychedelic
Kids these days, they've got it made -- wouldn't you agree? While our tot-hood was filled with low-end luxuries like Etch A Sketch and Lite-Brite, our offspring are expanding their minds with things like the LED Illuminated Message Board. Much like a traditional dry erase board, those with the appropriate pens can simply draw up whatever they please on the white display, but flip a switch and the whole thing goes psychoactive. Talk about getting the message across. Slap one on your own refrigerator right now for around 20 bones.[Via ChipChick]
Brando's USB LED Message Board keeps all eyes on you
Okay, so you understand the concept of a scrolling LED belt buckle, correct? Good. Brando has taken the novelty found in the aforementioned waist adornment and shoved it into yet another zany USB-powered gizmo. The USB LED Message Board can store up to eight phrases and supports five scrolling modes, sound effects and animated messages. Just make sure your boss' dirty little secret doesn't mysteriously end up on the new office ticker.
Lappin' up the goss
Despite conversing freely about a bunch of important Nintendo information, Nintendo Australia's Rose Lappin was inundated with more unanswered questions, as Wii owners sought specific responses to their own queries. Being a good sport, Lappin took to the challenge.Of course, therein lay the problem. Most were very specific queries and resulted in the standard "contact our service department," "we have no current plans ...," and "we haven't had any feedback" responses. There's a slight problem when a spokesperson responds to outright feedback by stating they haven't received any feedback (after a question commenting on the supposedly complex Wii Message Board system).Not the most conclusive of interviews, but Lappin's intentions were very noble. It's difficult for one person to save the day of every gamer out there, but giving the most information available at the time, to as many people as possible, is worth a great big chocolate appreciation cake. For the full interview, make link go now!
Wii Warm Up: QWERTY
The Wii now has the rarely-discussed ability to receive input from USB keyboards. You can type in the Wii Message Board and (most importantly) the Internet Channel using the charmingly quaint "hitting buttons with pictures of the letters you want to put on the screen" method instead of the vastly superior, futuristic "pointing at the letters one at a time on your TV" method. But are you?
AVS Forum reopens Blu-ray / HD DVD boards, new rules abound
Format fanboys (and girls), we sure hope you've taken the time to cool your apparently heated jets, because AVS Forum is putting its foot down from here on out. Just days after the site shut down the HD DVD / Blu-ray boards due to the zaniness that was ensuing, it has reopened the forums for new postings -- but there's a laundry list of rules to go with it. Granted, the site does recommend finding a new home to vent your off-topic frustrations if you aren't down with the new regulations, but overall, we think they're pretty fair. Effectively immediately, users aren't allowed to throw out sales figures, troll others, attack statements or petition for one format or the other. For those who slip up and cross the newly drawn line, you will likely be banned and have your posts removed, so we'd recommend thinking thrice before pulling the trigger on a rage-filled writeup over there.
Wii Maintenance Mode: 'It's a secret to everybody'
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Internet_sleuths_find_Maintenance_Mode_in_the_Wii_But_what_is_it_VIDEO'; Besides switching off the Message Board, we're not sure what exactly this newly uncovered Maintenance Mode accomplishes. Several people who've tried it out have reported a number of different effects -- disabled System Settings options and deleted notes on the Message Board -- but nothing of consequence yet. Could hackers eventually manipulate this strange function to run homebrew software and unauthorized code? Who knows!Provided that your firmware isn't old and busted, like your rhyme style, you can try out this Maintenance Mode yourself! Just follow these simple instructions: Turn on your Wii. Hold down the + and - buttons during the Health and Safety screen While holding down those buttons, hit A Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea Load up Rush's "Red Barchetta" Rock out Really, you could just skip the first three steps.[Via DCEmu]
Microsoft's Jeff Bell gettin' feisty on message board?
No doubt we've heard quite a few calumnies come out of the mouths of high-ranking company officials before (yes, even those at Microsoft), but this one takes things to a different level entirely. Just days after Peter Moore abruptly abandoned ship and swam elsewhere, it seems that frustrations are getting the best of the firm's VP of Global Marketing as well. According to a number of sleuths who used the "bell801" member name to link back to Mr. Bell, the executive actually private messaged a NeoGAF member who was "especially critical of Bell" during an E3 press conference and blurted out: "And your contribution to society is...what?" Yeah, that'll show 'em, Jeff.
"How do you play a UMD disc?"
I laughed out loud when I first saw this. And I'm in the library! Whoops. While security escorts me out, enjoy this message board post. You'll feel a lot smarter afterwards.[Via PlayStation]
Message board complaints ruin games
At Wired News, Lore Sjöberg complains about the complainers, dishing out amusing profiles of the MMORPG message-board posters. His eight personality sketches ruin the game for average players, sucking otherwise-satisfied gamers into the jaded world of the complainers. (Alas, we're all too familiar with that world.)We're critical about games because we expect a lot and see so many. You readers likely fall into a similar level of exposure and anticipation. We're often most critical about games that are near perfection; that level of quality amplifies minor issues. But this column reminds us -- at some point -- to overlook the problems and just have fun playing.
New Wii features: Message Board & Play History
It's not holographic projection, but it'll let you "email" with your Wii. Nintendo sheds light on new features:Message Board Stores user achievement data and shares it will other users of that console Integrates with games to alert players of important events; e.g. "Concert next Saturday in town" (Animal Crossing) Utilizes date sorting and calendar integration When connected to the internet, can be linked to other consoles' Message Boards to exchange notes, data, screenshots, etc. (in other words: simplified email client) Compatible with mobile phones Play History Data collection function, which cannot be cleared Compiles total amount of playtime (and possibly other stats) for every game played Doubles as a monitoring system for parents wanting to keep a watchful eye on their kids' gaming habits Will be used by Nintendo (with user consent) to pool data into useful statistical categories; i.e. "most played game of the year"
The skinny on Wii Channels
The new interface of the Nintendo Wii is organized into "channels", each containing different services and functions. The English version of wii.com gives a nice summary of the initial channels. Here's what they do: The Disc channel is simply for playing games based off of optical media, i.e. Wii or Gamecube discs. Nothing fancy here. The Mii channel allows a player to create his or her own digital avatar. These avatars will most likely be your online "identity", but will also appear in certain software, such as Wii Sports. The Photo channel is a channel that allows you to view and share digital photos and movies from an external source. The Wii also contains an iPhoto-like functionality, allowing you to touch up, alter, and distort your photos to your heart's content. The Forecast channel will give you a look at local weather. You can also zoom out in a very Google Earth-esque fashion, and view data for pretty much anywhere in the world. The News channel is for, well, news. Various topics will be broken down into topical categories for your viewing pleasure. Remember, this and the weather service are free of charge. The Wii Shop channel is, as expected, the online marketplace for the Wii. You'll mainly be in here buying games for the Virtual Console, but you can also purchase Opera's web browser and whatever else Nintendo decides to charge. Hopefully, extra multiplayer maps and the like will remain free, but we suppose that's up to the publisher. The Virtual Console channels are the channels that allow you to play games from any of the various systems supported: NES, SNES, N64, Sega Genesis, and the TurboGrafx-16. The Internet channel allows one to surf the internet. However, this is not free; an Opera browser must be purchased for a currently unknown price. However, the browser supports Adobe Flash, AJAX software, and essentially every feature a major browser should; it's a nice step up from the DS version. The Message Board channel allows users to post messages on various boards, and send messages or photos directly to PCs or cell phones. This is also the service through which games will be updated and patched. And there you have it! Looks like we're gonna be doing some hardcore channel surfing when the Wii hits the streets.
