Minimal requirements to get started

[Duke Serkol]

Hello everyone, newcomer here.

First off, let me clarify one thing, I'm not making a new thread to go all n00b, asking "tell me how to hack mah wii!!11" without even realizing that there are tutorials for it.

Though I would be glad to receive direct instructions, my intent in making this topic is just to ask which tutorial is the most suited for my needs.

First a foreword: although I've been making stock of new characters and stages for a long time (BTW, congrats on the excellent work setting up this comprehensive database!), I've never actually looked into hacking my Wii, reasoning that it could wait until after the next Nintendo console came along and they stopped doing firmware updates.

Five minutes browsing this board have been sufficient to make me realize this was, in hindsight, quite the moronic plan. So yeah, as you may guess I'm one of the suckers with 4.3E (yes, I'm a PAL user).

I'm also quite the scaredy cat when it comes to these things so here's what I wanted to ask:

What's the least that I absolutely have to do in order to play Brawl with new characters and new stages?

If that's all I want (and not anything fancier, though of course if it doesn't require any additional hacking it would be great) is it possible for me to get it without having to downgrade the firmware and renounce on-line functionalities like the shop? (In the unlikely case that they finally decide to release Megaman 6 and Castlevania on Sega <_<)
And lastly do I have to buy any hardware or can I do this with just software? (Of course I already have an SD card which I can plug in my PC).

Again, I don't expect you guys to pantietly sit down and tutor the poor schmuck step by step (though this schmuck certainly wouldn't turn down such a kind offer ), my hope is merely that I could be pointed at a specific tutorial or specific steps of it (if some can be skipped to merely get new characters and stages in Brawl).

More than anything though, I'd like to know which procedure is the least likely to brick my system, naturally (again, scaredy cat).

And that's that, sorry if I got a bit verbose and thanks in advance for any help you may offer me.

[RevengeHunter]

The least you'll have to do is install the Homebrew Channel, choose the app you want to use to load your hacks and get the codes and the hacks that you want. Don't worry, you don't have to buy anything and you don't have to downgrade your Wii. I suggest you read this tutorial. Only the PAL file patch code on that page is outdated, the latest version can be found here. There's one thing I have to say though: for some reason the PAL file patch code didn't work for me so I got the NTSC version of the game to avoid any complications. You could still try the Riivolution method if Gecko doesn't work for you. If you got any anymore questions I'll be happy to answer them

[Duke Serkol]

Thanks!

I hope I don't make you immediately regret you offer because I've read the first two points of the tutorial (1. Popular Homebrew Loading Options and 2. Homebrew Applications. Also skimmed point 3) and I in fact have quite a few questions.

First off, can you tell me which of the options presented there are the most safe?
While apparently less practical, due to the fact that it doesn't install anything option 1.C would seem the least likely to cause any issues... but for all I know it could be the other way around with 1.A (installing Homebrew Channel) being the more stable one (if anything because it's a one time only procedure and also because it allows to install BootMii which is designed to deal with bricking).
Also, if I understand this correctly, option 1.A sort of contains 1.C as it still requires me to get SmashStack as well, right?

This is mostly a curiosity, but... why do the tutorials say to backup the SD, format it and THEN move any stages stored in the Wii to the SD cart and back up those as well? (And should I back them up separately? Or together with the other stages that were already on the SD card before the first back up?)
It seems kind of impractical since I could just move them to it before first backing it up and save up time, so I'm wondering if there's some reason for it (like say, creating a certain file structure within the SD after it was formatted).

The which is safer question applies to point 2 as well. 2.C seems the simpler one (and therefore the least likely to screw up on my part) but for all I know it could be the one that does the most tinkering with the Wii's system.

It seems like, though more complicate, 2.B is the more effective option when it comes to Apps since it can do music and sound effects too (I know I said only stages and characters in my first post, but I sort of consider music as part of a stage and sfx of a character, so yeah I'd like those too ...and PSA movesets as well!)
Is that correct? Or will the new codes you linked to make those work with 2.A as well? And what of 2.C? Does that allow to change those?
Also when you suggest:

There's one thing I have to say though: for some reason the PAL file patch code didn't work for me so I got the NTSC version of the game to avoid any complications.

That would definitely require the HB Channel to load a foreign game, right?

Lastly, I've heard that a method has been found to get modified stages without having to replace the regular ones (but sadly no such things for the characters as of yet, is there?), do I have to pick determined options to do that? (Like say, if it requires the Homebrew Browser I'd have to go with 1.A and 2.C, if it needed just the HB Channel it would mean mandatory 1.A but any option for step 2...)


Ah and I almost forgot. This again is just a curiosity: can you tell me where to find a list of the apps and functionalities that I won't be able to use because of my firware version?

[RevengeHunter]

Well it's unlikely that any of those options would brick your Wii, but Smash Stack is the easiest so I'd go with that. As for backing up your stages, you're right. First move the stages to your SD card and then back up everything.

The which is safer question applies to point 2 as well. 2.C seems the simpler one (and therefore the least likely to screw up on my part) but for all I know it could be the one that does the most tinkering with the Wii's system.

You don't have to worry about that, after you've installed the Homebrew Channel everything is completely safe. I'd recommend going with 2.A because it's easier but if that doesn't work I got a link to a nice Riivolution tutorial that's specifically made for PAL users (it works I tried it myself). Also 2.C is optional, you don't really need it to load hacks. It's a useful app though.

Lastly, I've heard that a method has been found to get modified stages without having to replace the regular ones (but sadly no such things for the characters as of yet, is there?), do I have to pick determined options to do that? (Like say, if it requires the Homebrew Browser I'd have to go with 1.A and 2.C, if it needed just the HB Channel it would mean mandatory 1.A but any option for step 2...)

You need a certain code to do that, but it's made for the NTSC version of the game and I have no idea if it's been ported to PAL.

Ah and I almost forgot. This again is just a curiosity: can you tell me where to find a list of the apps and functionalities that I won't be able to use because of my firware version?

I don't know about this, I got characters, stages and music to work on the PAL version with Riivolution but I haven't tried the more complicated stuff like sound effects and custom menus. I guess you'll have to find that out yourself. It's a shame that there aren't any experienced PAL users replying to your thread.