After two years of HENkaku, we got a great deal of homebrew and when there’s homebrew, there are always wishlists. In this article, we are going to be looking at part 3 and 4 of Typhoon_Neon’s GekiHEN wishlist!

Introduction

Like Part I, only 2 wishlists will be tackled in this article so that it’s not extremely long. In other articles, more of the wishlists featured on Wololo will be tackled! This includes 5 (one of which is a community edition) GekiHEN wishlists by Typhoon_Neon and one wishlist by myself.

If you don’t know what GekiHEN is, it was a PSVita/PSTV homebrew contest in which developers could write homebrew and have the chance of winning a monetary prize. This contest ran from September 2016 to March 2017 and it brought us some great stuff such as Vita Homebrew Browser, pfba, various fan-made Zelda game ports and UAE4ALL.

The following colour scheme will be used:

• Green – Software that got a working native port/release.
• Orange – Software that didn’t get a native port/release but that can still be played on the PSVita through Adrenaline or other means. It may also be applied to titles which saw a similar piece of software being ported to the Vita.
• Red – Software that didn’t get a native port and couldn’t be played through any of the currently available PSVita emulators

Part III of the GekiHEN wishlist

Both Part I and Part II of the GekiHEN wishlist were mostly fulfilled with only 3 entries out of 12 not being available in at least one form or another. Now, we’re going to look at Part III which includes another 6 titles:

• Wagic The Homebrew – While this impressive homebrew card game would be a joy to play on the PSVita, a port for it never saw the light of the day even though there was some talk about it. That being said, you may still play the PSP version via Adrenaline so not all hope is lost!
• SmashGPSP – Like the title above it, this Smash Bros clone never got a PSVita port either and there wasn’t ever any talk about it. However, you may still play the PSP version on your Vita with filters in Adrenaline.

  OpenJazz in action on the PSVita!

• Another World II: Heart of the Alien – Unlike the two previous titles, this one got a PSVita port by no other than porting guru ‘usineur’. To get it, simply check this link out!
• Fade to Black – This one was ported earlier this year by porting master ‘usineur’. Furthermore, this was made possible by Rinnegatamante’s VitaGL which comes to show how much the PSVita scene developed since the GekiHEN days!
• Jazz Jackrabbit – Jazz Jackrabbit is one of my favourite DOS-era titles and it’s a blast to play on portable consoles. Thankfully, OpenJazz was ported by usiner earlier this year so you can go play it right now!
• Ikemen – Unfortunately, Ikemen or MUGEN never got a PSVita port but you may still play Open Mugen for the PSP via Adrenaline. That being said, some people reported that it doesn’t work properly on older versions of Adrenaline so your mileage may vary on this one!

Similar to the previous wishlists, Typhoon_Neon only listed titles that are within the PSVita’s capabilities. As a result, 3 of these got a native port while the other 3 can be played via Adrenaline. Thankfully, Adrenaline lets you use screen filters (such as Advanced AA) and make use of the PSVita’s right analogue stick so PSP homebrew will always look and feel a notch better!

Part IV of the GekiHEN wishlist

The third wishlist also did pretty well so there was room for a foruth one. This last wishlist contains the following:

• Sonic Robo Blast 2 – This is a Sonic-based DOOM mod that manages to achieve some awesome stuff considering the engine it’s based on. Quite surprisingly, some crazy developers managed to port it to the PSP but considering how hectic the game is, it’s no surprise that the PSP port runs quite badly.
  • Sadly, the Vita didn’t get a port of this and there was never any talk about it either. You may still play the PSP version via Adrenaline but don’t expect any miracles! To get it, simply look for it online since no links will be provided here as the current links are a little shady.
• PSPUAE – UAE4ALL got ported to the PSVita in November 2016 as a GekiHEN entry by Cpasjuste. However, you’re better off using rsn8887’s modded version which includes numerous fixes and new features that make things work better!

  This crazy Sonic game never saw a PSVita port which is quite unfortunate since it might’ve run well on there!

• Hedgewars – This one didn’t get a native port but there is an official Worms artillery game for the PSVita that’s currently on sale!
• OpenSonic – While the PSVita got numerous ports of fan-made games like Zelda ROTH and OLB, it never got ports for any fan-made Sonic games. Unfortunately, OpenSonic isn’t available on the PSP either BUT apparently, someone was able to get a port up and running albeit slowly.
• Shadow Warrior – Sadly, the PSVita didn’t get a Shadow Warrior port but you may play the PSP version via Adrenaline. Links won’t be provided as they’re from sketchy websites and include the full game which is still copyrighted material.
• Aleph One – As far as I know, no work on a PSVita port was ever done. There was some work on a PSP version if you’re in that however. You may also attempt to play the Marathon games on Basilisk II since they are available for 68k Macintosh computers.

This wishlist was the one that fared the worst considering there’s only one title that got a proper homebrew port. That being said, some of the other titles can still be played via Adrenaline or other emulators and there’s still a low chance that some titles get ported in the future!

Conclusion

Stay tuned for the third and last part of this wishlist analysis series! I hope that this article helped you find out some great homebrew titles that you may have never heard of.

The post A look at PSVita wishlists after HENkaku’s 2nd year anniversary – Part II appeared first on Wololo.net.

For various reasons, ranging from battery life to performance, game developers sometimes limit their games from looking/feeling the best they could. To combat this, developer ‘Electry’ has released a plugin called VitaGrafix which bypasses these limitations so that you get the best possible experience!

What is VitaGrafix?

VitaGrafix is a plugin for taiHEN-enabled PSVita and PSTV consoles that lets you remove FPS caps and increase the rendering resolution of some games.

Many games like Persona 4 Golden have their rendering resolution lowered but this plugin can unleash their full potential!

The main features of this plugin are:

• The ability to decrease/increase the framebuffer (the size of the frame you’re being shown on screen) and internal buffer (the resolution that’s being rendered internally) resolution.
  • This allows you to make games that render at lower resolutions, like 840×476 in Persona 4’s case, to render at the PSVita’s screen resolution of 960×544. Obviously, this makes games look nicer but battery life may also be impacted.
• Removing FPS caps since some games, like God of War Collection and Killzone Mercenary, limit their framerate to a maximum of 30 FPS. Through this plugin, you can increase the FPS cap variable for a smoother experience.
• A highly customisable way of configuring the plugin so that you can get exactly what you want.

Which games are supported? How do I use the plugin?

As of this article, VitaGrafix supports 13 titles which are:

• Killzone Mercenary
• Persona 4 Golden – I personally tested this by upping the resolution to 960×544 and I didn’t notice any performance hits or battery life drops!
• WRC 3 and WRC 4
• God Of War Collection

  If you’re a Borderlands 2 fan, this plugin lets you decrease the rendering resolution to 640×368 which could make your experience better!

• MUD – FIM Motocross World Championship
• MXGP: The Official Motocross Videogame
• F1 2011
• LittleBigPlanet
• Borderlands 2 (one of the most laggy games on the system)
• Asphalt Injection
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• World of Final Fantasy

It must be noted that not all functions work on every game so for example, some games won’t allow you to change the framebuffer resolution or the FPS cap. Furthermore, some of the supported titles may have some subtle issues that the developer of this plugin wasn’t able to detect so keep your eyes peeled for those!

To use this plugin, you need to do the following:

• Install both the plugin itself and kuio (a plugin by Rinnegatamante which allows for I/O operations)
• Create a config.txt in ux0:/data/VitaGrafix
• Configure the file as per the README linked below.
  • Make sure you read and understand the information in the README file before using this plugin! It has important info regarding what you can and cannot do with supported games.
• Reboot your PSVita so that all changes take effect.
• Enjoy your super-charged (or down-scaled) games!

Conclusion

To get this plugin, simply follow the link below. If you encounter any issues, simply report them to the GitHub page below. Hopefully, in the future, somebody, like TheHeroGAC who made AutoPlugin or ONELua Team, will come up with a Lua application that makes configuring this plugin a breeze

VitaGrafix GitHub download page: https://github.com/Electry/VitaGrafix/releases

VitaGrafix README: https://github.com/Electry/VitaGrafix/blob/master/README.md

Reddit thread that contains some good info: https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/97s2j4/release_vitagrafix_v21/

The post VitaGrafix for hacked PSVita/PSTV consoles released – A plugin that lets you change the rendering resolution and FPS cap of some retail games! appeared first on Wololo.net.

The PSVita got its own fair share of ports but this one is perhaps the most peculiar one. This is because, unlike other ports, Duke Nukem 3D is officially available for the PSVita but that was pulled off PSN 2 years ago!

What is EDuke32?

EDuke32 is an open-source port of the engine of the all-time classic Duke Nukem 3D.

Game mods, like HRP, coupled with eDuke32 give the game a whole new dimension!

This port, which is my go-to Duke3D engine, has various great features over the original engine such as:

• Support for hardware accelerated rendering through OpenGL which makes the game look great if you enable the Polymost or Polymer renderer.
  • There’s also widescreen support for those of us using screens that aren’t 4:3
• Support for great mods such as HRP (High Resolution Pack) and DukePlus which greatly enhance the game experience
• Fixes for various bugs found in the original code
• Many other features such as the ability to run at high resolutions, multi-platform support and extensions to the game scripting system which allow for great mods

What about the PSVita port? Why use it over the official Megaton Edition?

The PSVita port was done by Rinnegatamante and is based upon MasterFeizz’s eDuke32 port for the Nintendo 3DS. Right now, the port is at the following stage:

• Good framerate using the software renderer when I played through the first level of the first episode
  • Unfortunately, only the software renderer is supported at this time but Polymost renderer support is slated for the near future.
• Sound and music work properly

  eDuke32 on the PSVita in action!

• A nicely mapped PSTV-friendly control scheme that makes no use of the touchscreen
  • That being said, it’d be nice if the menus allowed for touchscreen input!

Right now, the port works pretty well but the question on everybody’s mind is “Why does this exist when there already is an official version?”. Rinnegatamante foresaw this question and so decided to answer it himself by giving these reasons:

• Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is no longer available on PSN.
  • As this official title was only available digitally, there is currently no legal way to obtain it. This makes it a prime example of why games shouldn’t be released in digital form only!

    Hopefully, this port will get some more features which make it better than the Megaton Edition. (Image from Marc The Geek on YouTube)

  • Furthermore, you couldn’t use files from your previously bought copy of Duke 3D with the Megaton edition so you had to pay for the full game again. However, this is a bit of a trivial reason since DN3D: Megaton Edition is no longer available for purchase.
• eDuke32 has some settings that Megaton Edition doesn’t have although I can’t really single these out as I don’t own the Megaton Edition.

While the port works, I think it still needs some additions to be considered a step up over the now-unavailable official version. The things I’d like to see the most are:

• Implementation of eDuke32’s awesome mod support
• Support for the Polymer and/or Polymost renderer
• This one is a bit far fetched but there have been forks of eDuke32 which added support for the other two big-name Build engine games which are Shadow Warrior and Blood, none of which are available on the Vita.

Conclusion

As usual, Rinnegatamante did a good job porting this one but some more work on it would make it much more appreciated by the community.  To get the port with the shareware files, you can grab it directly via VHBB as it’s available on VitaDB.

You may put your full Duke3D.grp file into ux0:/data/eduke32 to play the full game! Any issues should be reported to the links below.

eDuke32 Vita Wololo /talk thread (more info): http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=49442

GitHub Source Code: https://github.com/Rinnegatamante/EDuke32-Vita

Rinnegatamante’s Twitter (further updates): https://twitter.com/Rinnegatamante

Rinnegatamante’s Patreon (for donating a few bucks): https://www.patreon.com/Rinnegatamante

The post EDuke32 ported to the PSVita – An open-source port of a no longer available commercial game. Why should you use this port? appeared first on Wololo.net.

Today, PS Vita hacker TheFlow announced that he will soon start working on improvements for his popular hack h-encore. H-encore is a full control (a.k.a kernel) exploit for the PS Vita, that works up to the latest firmware, 3.68 (see here for details).

Specifically, with h-encore 2.0, TheFlow intends to bring the following improvements:

• Faster launch of Henkaku (this will be achieved by not running the bootstrap menu by default)
• Option to fix trophies in the bootstrap menu
• Improving the reliability of the exploit. The hacker says that currently it fails about 20% of the time, which is not a huge problems but means relaunching the hack multiple times for the people who run into issues.

Knowing TheFlow, there are chance he won’t stop to only these features, and add a few more things here and there for the community. Let’s stay tuned.

Additionally, according to the hacker, h-encore is still downloaded more than 1000 times each day, a nice stat for a tool that’s “already” 2 months old!

Source: TheFlow

The post PS Vita: TheFlow to soon work on h-encore 2.0 appeared first on Wololo.net.

Like the PSP, the PSVita normally runs in an underclocked mode with a CPU frequency of 333MHz rather than 444MHz. However, the plugin LOLIcon manages to truly overclock the PSVita past 444MHz to 500MHz!

What is LOLIcon?

Games like Project Diva F up the CPU’s frequency to 444MHz from 333MHz which means that 444MHz mode isn’t a true overclock.

LOLIcon, by dots-tb with the help of CelesteBlue, (LOLIconsole Offends Little Idiots Console – what’s up with this name, SilicaAndPina?) is a plugin that overclocks the PSVita’s CPU past its officially rated clock speed of 444MHz. To clear stuff up, it’s important to note that when you increase the CPU frequency to 444MHz, you aren’t really overclocking the CPU since 444MHz is an officially supported frequency that some games, like Project Diva F, use.

Unlike plugins like OclockVita and PSV VSH Menu, LOLIcon overclocks the PSVita’s CPU to 500MHz (or 494MHz according to Yifan Lu) which isn’t an officially supported frequency. On a more technical note, this true overclock was achieved by messing around with the direct registers which control the ARM CPU’s clock speeds.

LOLIcon also has a nice and easy-to-use menu with extra features! (Image from the video linked below)

Other than its overclocking ability which grants extra extra FPS in games/homebrew, it also has other features such as:

• A menu reminiscent of PSV VSH Menu to manage the plugin’s settings
• Configuration profiles for every game
• An FPS counter
• An X/O button swapper
• More features are planned for the future which may make this the ultimate overclocking/in-game menu plugin!

Are there any side effects? Is this safe?

According to reports from some users on Reddit, this plugin seems to have some issues when navigating its menu but these have been fixed with version 1.0.1.

With this plugin, emulators will also work better. However, don’t expect miracles as this plugin only increases the framerate by 10-15% at best. (Image from video below)

However, dots-tb has acknowledged that the menu may lag so be prepared to experience that. Furthermore, userland apps that report clock speed (such as Vitaident) will report false speed so don’t get alarmed at incorrect CPU frequency values.

Whoever uses this must remember that this a true overclock and not just enabling a mode that’s already used in some commercial games. As a result, this carries the risks of true overclocking which potentially include shortening the lifespan of your system’s motherboard, the generation of more heat and system freezes.

That being said, I personally don’t think that this 56 (or 50, depending on whom you ask) MHz overclock will produce any adverse effects considering that many mobile/desktop CPUs can be slightly overclocked with little to no problems. Furthermore, dots-tb apparently had a team of 6 testers before releasing this plugin which means that it’s been tested and no PSVitas have been killed.

Conclusion

To grab the plugin, simply follow the link below, copy it to your Vita and add it to the *KERNEL section of taiHEN’s config.txt. If you want to see the performance differences, simply check out this excellent video by MrGamemaker8 comparing the 444MHz and 500MHz modes side-by-side!

Disclaimer: Neither I nor Wololo are responsible for any damage done to your PSVita/PSTV by using this plugin!

LOLIcon download link: https://github.com/dots-tb/LOLIcon/releases/latest

Dots-tb’s twitter (further updates): https://twitter.com/dots_tb

The post LOLIcon overclocking plugin for the PSVita released – The PSVita / PSTV’s CPU can now be overclocked to 500MHz from 444MHz for better performance in games! appeared first on Wololo.net.

HENkaku Ensō is, without a doubt, installed on most hacked FW 3.60/5 as it gives a full untether. Due to what it achieves, it modifies system files and as a result, a simple bug can potentially brick your system. Thankfully, version 1.1 has been released to address the only such bug that the installer had!

As HENkaku Ensō was thoroughly tested before release, it was believed to be completely bug-free for a while

What is HENkaku Ensō?

HENkaku Ensō, by Team Molecule, is an untether for HENkaku-enabled PSVita/PSTVs running firmware 3.60 or 3.65 BUT not 3.67/8. Before Ensō, one had to reapply HENkaku every reboot using the website or the e-mail method. Unsurprisingly, almost everybody installed Ensō after a few days of release and no issues, except one, were ever spotted.

Furthermore, Ensō also made some people stick to firmware 3.60/3.65 for its untether feature which is why software solutions like #LetMaiDie have been made available for those of us who stuck to older firmwares.

What got updated in version 1.1? What is this bricking issue?

A few hours ago, Yifan Lu released version 1.1 of HENkaku Ensō which brought about the following:

• A fix to the bricking bug which happened if you tried to uninstall HENkaku after removing it by reinstalling a firmware PUP file.
  • It must be noted that the problem was in the installer itself as the payload wasn’t changed.

    HENkaku Ensō 1.1 only updates the installer so DO NOT reinstall the payload!

  • As a result, you won’t notice anything different when installing the updated installer and you should not reinstall HENkaku Ensō through it if it’s already installed!

In more detail, the bricking bug is triggered when you re/install a 3.60/3.65 PUP file without uninstalling Ensō beforehand. Then, if you proceed to uninstall Ensō via the installer, your system is bricked forever. This bug happens because when you install a PUP file, HENkaku Ensō is automatically removed but the installer doesn’t detect this. Due to this, the uninstaller tries to remove Ensō again and restores an old MBR backup that kills the Vita!

Conclusion

Obviously, it’s recommended you update your Ensō installer as soon as possible. This is to prevent yourself from bricking your console in the future if you forget about the bug. It’s already available on VitaDB so you can go install it directly via VHBB right now without using a computer!

HENkaku Ensō 1.1 GitHub download page: https://github.com/henkaku/enso/releases/latest

HENkaku Ensō website: https://enso.henkaku.xyz/

The post HENkaku Ensō 1.1 released – A very important update which fixes a bricking bug when uninstalling it in a specific way! appeared first on Wololo.net.

After numerous updates, Xerpi’s USB streaming plugin works with almost everything but there was one very popular piece of software that it didn’t work with. That software was TheFlow’s VitaShell which has now been updated to version 1.95 to fix that problem and bring along even more stuff!

What is VitaShell?

Thanks to various themes, VitaShell can be themed to your heart’s content! (Theme shown is the Miku theme by AceMad)

VitaShell, by TheFlow, is a file manager for the PSVita/PSTV that has been around since the Rejuvenate days but its popularity only soared with the advent of HENkaku two years ago. As it was bundled with HENkaku (as MolecularShell) and is the most fully fledged file manager on the console, it’s safe to assume that it’s the most installed piece of homebrew on HENkaku-enabled PSVita/PSTV consoles.

Apart from being a robust file manager, VitaShell also has the following features:

• An FTP server and USB Mass storage driver for easy file transfer to/from your PC or smart device
• Image viewer and music player
• Theme support
• Ability to refresh LiveArea to facilitate installation of games via NoNpDrm
• A QR reader and other features such as a text editor, SFO viewer and ad-hoc transfer.

What does VitaShell 1.95 bring along?

VitaShell 1.95 bring about the following:

• Compatibility with Xerpi’s USB Streaming plugin (UDCD_UVC)
  • You must update the plugin to the latest version (v1.1) for this to work!
• A bug was fixed when copying files over in USB mode

  If you thought these warnings were useless, now you can nuke them from your console! (even though I don’t recommend doing so)

  • This prevents potential Memory Card corruption even though I never had any problems with older releases
• Line breaks in SFO files have been fixed and long names now scroll
• Option to disable the warning message when you install ‘unsafe’ VPK files

Due to the memory card corruption bug fix, it is advised that you update to version 1.95 as soon as possible especially if you use USB file transfer. Updating is a pretty simple affair since VitaShell prompts you itself to update if you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

Conclusion

To view the full changelog or grab the VPK, simply check out the link below. If you encounter any issues, report them in the Issues tab of the below link.

VitaShell 1.95 GitHub page: https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/VitaShell/releases/latest

TheFlow’s Twitter (further updates): https://twitter.com/theflow0

TheFlow’s Patreon (for donating a few bucks): https://www.patreon.com/TheOfficialFloW

The post VitaShell 1.95 released – Now compatible with Xerpi’s USB Streaming plugin, a bug fix to prevent Memory Card corruption, and ability to disable warning messages during VPK installation! appeared first on Wololo.net.

The PSVita homebrew scene is still alive and well which means that interesting stuff is still dropping! This time, we have VitaGrafix Configurator, a homebrew game called RPPHS and an update to DaedalusX64 for the PSP!

VitaGrafix Configurator

As its name suggests, VitaGrafix Configurator is a utility by Kirezar that allows you to set up Electry’s VitaGrafix plugin. This Lua utility allows you to select between supported games and graphically set their:

• Whether VitaGrafix is enabled for them or not
• The in-game OSD

  VitaGrafix Configurator in action

• The Internal resolution
• The Framebuffer resolution
• FPS Cap
• It must be noted that some options aren’t available for all titles as this utility only shows options that VitaGrafix supports!
  • You need to have VitaGrafix already installed to use this utility!

Thanks to this utility, you don’t have to mess around with the config file yourself which could be a bit of a daunting task to do with the on-screen keyboard of your PSVita/PSTV. Furthermore, this utility allows you to test different settings more quickly which makes it even more useful coupled with an a plugin that has an FPS counter like LOLIcon or Framecounter.

Thanks Kirezar for making my request in the VitaGrafix article a reality

RPPHS – A top-down shooter similar to Geometry Wars

RPPHS is a homebrew game by G333333 and MotoLegacy that’s similar to Geometry Wars (Geometry Wars 3 is available on the Vita). This top-down shooter is still a little rough around the edges but it still works pretty well. Feature-wise, it’s at the current state:

• A good framerate while playing the game
• Two different weapons which are a laser beam and bombs
• Simple but nicely designed ‘enemies’ that you have to shot at
• Usage of the right analogue stick for aiming

  In-game screenshot of RPHSS

• Background music and sound effects – remember to configure their volume via the ‘Options’ menu
• Nice little particle animations when you kill an enemy, drop a bomb or when your beams hit the wall
• The touchscreen isn’t used so this game is PSTV friendly

While feature-wise, it’s mostly there, there are some things that I think require a bit of fixing up. These things range from uncentered score information when you pause the game, the missing capitalisation in the ‘quit’ entry of the main menu and the lack of a controls tutorial. Something that also rubs me a bit the wrong way is that the sprite you control is facing one way but you can shoot the other way which makes it look unnatural.

Hopefully, the two behind this game fix the rough spots and transform this into an excellent game as I think this game only needs a bit of polish to be awesome!

DaedalusX64 v1.1.3

DaedalusX64 is an N64 emulator for the PSP but many people use it on their PSVita/PSTV because there’s no native alternative. ‘TheMrIron2’ and ‘z2442’ seem to be working on improving this mad hack-up of an emulator. Recently, version 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 have been released and these brought along:

• Minor changes to the code and makefile along with compilation via the latest PSP SDK – version 1.1.2
• Code optimisation which brought about faster math processing and improvements in the emulation of the Media Engine; both of these combined provide better performance which may make some N64 titles more enjoyable – v1.1.3

  Updates to Daedalus are becoming somewhat substantial which could result in noticeable improvements!

  • TheMrIron2 also mentioned that he intends to rewrite the Media Engine’s job manager which would speed up sound processing and bring massive speed-ups to games like F-Zero X. He’s already done some commits from when v1.1.3 was released so that may mean that a new release may be up soon!
  • Version 1.1.3 is only provided in EBOOT.PBP format so you must have version 1.1.2 or another version of DaedalusX64 installed to use it.

Conclusion

To get the homebrew mentioned in this article, simply follow the links below. If you encounter any bugs, report them in the Issues tabs of the GitHub links below! VitaGrafix and RPPHS are both available on VitaDB so you can get them directly on your Vita via VHBB!

VitaGrafix Configurator GitHub release page: https://github.com/Kirezar/VitaGrafixConfigurator/releases/latest

VitaGrafix Configurator README (important info on how it works): https://github.com/Kirezar/VitaGrafixConfigurator/blob/master/README.md

RPPHS GitHub release page: https://github.com/G333333/RPPHS/releases/latest

RPHSS Wololo /talk page (more info): http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=49457

DaedalusX64 1.1.3 GitHub release page: https://github.com/z2442/daedalus/releases/latest

The post Recent PSVita/PSTV releases: VitaGrafix Configurator, RPPHS homebrew game and DaedalusX64 1.1.3 with performance improvements appeared first on Wololo.net.

Game enhancements are one of the top priorities of any console hacking scene and the PSVita’s seen quite a few of them! This time, we got a new and more beefed up VitaCheat database by r0ah and the public release of another one of TheFlow’s dual analogue stick patches.

VitaCheat Database

If you already finished quite a bit of Borderlands 2 on another platform, then these cheats will be a god-send! (Image from the official manual)

If you’re a fan of cheating in your games, this database will come in very handy! Community member ‘r0ah‘ has created a GitHub repository which contains dozens of ‘PSV’ cheat files that can be used with VitaCheat for easy cheating. These cheat codes originate from r0ah’s personal database, ShumnoT’s VitaCheat Database and various contributions from GBATemp members.

Other than cheat codes, the database also includes some trainer plugins, a wiki, a quick start guide and the plugin itself!

As a result, this repository can now be said to be the ‘go to’ place if you wish to cheat in any of your Vita games which can be a fun thing to do after you beat them. Among the games that have cheat files available, we find:

• Persona 4 Golden
• Borderlands 2
• LEGO Batman 2
• NFS Most Wanted
• Gravity Rush
• Dead Or Alive 5+ and many more!

Dual analogue stick plugin for ‘The Warriors’ publicly released

If you’re a fan of the movie ‘The Warriors’, you should surely check the PSP game out… on the PSVita!

As some may know, TheFlow opened a Patreon page a while ago and he’s been releasing stuff for his patrons. However, he’s nice enough to release the perks he gives patrons to the public after a few weeks.

This time around, he publicly released his dual analogue stick patch for ‘The Warriors’ which is a pretty high-rated game for the PSP,PS2 and XBOX. Obviously, this patch is meant to be used with PSP version through Adrenaline on the PSVita or PSTV!

Installing this plugin is pretty easy as all you have to do is:

• Download the plugin
• Copy it to ux0:/pspemu/seplugins
• Add its path to ux0:/pspemu/seplugins/game.txt and add a ‘1’ after it
  • You should add something like this “ux0:/pspemu/seplugins/warriors_remastered.prx 1”
• Your pspemu folder may be in ur0, imc0 or uma0 depending on your settings but the default is ux0

Conclusion

To visit the VitaCheat database and/or get the dual analogue stick plugin for ‘The Warriors’, simply follow the link below. If you encounter any issues, report them in their respective Issues tab on GitHub!

VitaCheat Database by r0ah: https://github.com/r0ah/vitacheat

‘The Warriors’ plugin by TheFlow: https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/RemasteredControls/releases/tag/WarriorsRemastered

TheFlow’s Patreon (if you wish to donate a buck): https://www.patreon.com/TheOfficialFloW

Article image is from the official VitaCheat manual by Shumno

The post PSVita releases: New extensive VitaCheat Database is now up and TheFlow’s “The Warriors” dual analogue stick patch now released to the public! appeared first on Wololo.net.

Every now and then, an overly cool plugin comes around for the PSVita. This time, it’s Princess Of Sleeping’s Custom Boot Splash plugin which lets you change your boot screen to whatever image you want!

What is Custom Boot Splash?

Custom Boot Splash is a plugin by PSVita developer Princess Of Sleeping who seems to be quite fond of messing around with system files.

Custom Boot Splash in action on my PSVita! Link to image

This plugin allows you to change your PSVita/PSTV’s boot screen to any static image you desire which, in my opinion, increases the coolness factor of hacking your PSVita ten-fold! Obviously, this supports FW 3.60/5 as it requires Enso to work.

In order to avoid any confusion, what is shown when the PSVita boots is explained here in order:

1. Boot Logo – this is the Enso or PS logo
   • This plugin can’t fully bypass this so it’s momentarily shownn
2. Custom Boot Splash takes over and your custom image is shown
   • This replaces the Enso/PS logo which stays there for a few seconds without this plugin
3. Epilepsy Warning
   • The content of this can be changed with TheFlow’s Custom Warning plugin.

How do I use this plugin?

First of all, it must be noted that this plugin requires modification of HENkaku Enso’s ‘boot_config.txt’ file which is an important file for loading Enso. That being said, it’s pretty hard to screw up since the process of installing and using this plugin is pretty easy.

This is how your boot_config.txt has to look like

To use Custom Boot Splash, you have to do this:

1. Get on a PC – This will make your life easier
2. Open VitaShell, start the FTP server and connect to it from your PC using software like WinSCP
3. Download the plugin from this link
4. Grab an image that you want to use as a boot-screen and resize it to 960×544. I recommend you use an image with a 16:9 aspect ratio for best results.
   • Resizing can be done with a website like this
5. Feed the 960×544 image to this convertor
   • You should be prompted to download a file called “boot_splash.bin”
6. Go back to your FTP client and navigate to “ur0:/tai” NOT ux0:/tai
7. Copy the plugin (custom_boot_splash.skprx) and boot_splash.bin to ur0:/tai
8. Open “boot_config.txt” in ur0:/tai and add the following line “- load ur0:tai/custom_boot_splash.skprx” to one line before “load os0:kd/clockgen.skprx”
9. Save the file
10. Reboot your Vita and enjoy your custom boot-screen!

Conclusion

Unless you manage to mess up “boot_config.txt”, this plugin is completely safe and I confirm it myself as I tested it. Now, all of you who have stayed on FW 3.60/5 can go enjoy a custom boot screen!

GitHub Page (source code + instructions): https://github.com/Princess-of-Sleeping/PSP2-CustomBootSplash

Download Page: https://github.com/Princess-of-Sleeping/PSP2-CustomBootSplash/releases/latest

The post Custom Boot Splash plugin for the PSVita / PSTV released – Make your boot-screen great again! appeared first on Wololo.net.

PS Vita 3.69 Update is here – Screenshot thanks to @DrekoRegler

Sony has started pushing an update for PS Vita, firmware 3.69.

PS Vita Firmware 3.69 is here. What does it do?

Besides the particular trait of being nice, there’s not much information about firmware 3.69 yet, or why it got released just now. The previous firmware update, 3.68, was released 5 months ago by Sony, and it was pretty much everyone’s expectation that we wouldn’t see significant firmware updates for the Playstation Vita moving forward.

Firmware 3.68 is vulnerable to h-encore, a full exploit on the PS Vita. There’s a possibility, although it’s not been confirmed, that 3.69  patches the exploit. Alternatively, it could be an unrelated patch to close some Vita related services on the PSN, just like we’ve seen a few years ago with an unexpected PSP update.

At the time of writing, Sony’s official site still says the latest firmware is 3.68.

As always, if you use a hacked console (or want to hack it at some point), we advise not to update, until details surface on what firmware 3.69 actually brings to the table.

Source: PSVFWBot

The post PS Vita Firmware 3.69 released appeared first on Wololo.net.

PS Vita 3.69 Update patches h-encore – Screenshot thanks to @DrekoRegler

Earlier today, Sony has started pushing firmware 3.69 to the PS Vita. It’s now been fully confirmed that this firmware update patches h-encore, the exploit that lets us fully hack the PS Vita up to firmware 3.68.

PS Vita 3.69 patches h-encore exploit, no plans for future hacks

Hacker TheFlow, who was behind h-encore, has confirmed on twitter that Sony patched the kernel exploit. He however mentioned that another bug was involved in his hack, that Sony did not fix.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that 3.69 can be hacked anytime soon. For all intents and purposes, h-encore has been patched by this new firmware update, and TheFlow has confirmed he will not be releasing a new exploit for the console. Given how involved that kind of work is, and the dying popularity of the PS Vita (among users as well as hackers), there’s a strong possibility that 3.68 could be the last hackable firmware for the console.

Following the release of firmware 3.69, TheFlow has stated he will be releasing the source code for h-encore, as well as a writeup on the hack.

To sum it up, in case you didn’t get the message clearly: if you are running a hacked PS Vita, or expect to hack your PS Vita, do not update to firmware 3.69, (also, make sure to disable automatic updates in your settings), as this firmware is not hackable. The symptoms of trying to run h-encore on a 3.69 PS Vita are the console staying on a white screen instead of the hack proceeding successfully.

People running on firmware 3.68 or below can hack their console using h-encore. Details can be found on our PS Vita Custom Firmware page.

Source: TheFlow

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For some reason, our very good friends at Sony decided to release firmware 3.69 for the PSVita/PSTV and that managed to kill h-encore. As usual, newly released games from the next few weeks on will almost certainly require firmware 3.69 so we’ll take a look at what you’ll be missing out on if you choose not to say goodbye to your hack.

What happened the last time a similar situation occurred?

You might get lucky and the game you wish to play still requires FW 3.68 even if it’s released in a few months like what happened in Minecraft’s case (and 3.60)!

Like what happened when FW 3.61 was released, new games will not immediately ask for the new firmware. This is because physical cartridges are flashed days or weeks before release due to shipping. Digital-only games may be updated to require the latest FW quicker but this isn’t always the case. For example, Minecraft (v1.49) kept on supporting FW 3.60 until late May 2017, a whopping 9.5 months after FW 3.61 was released.

Looking at what happened in Aug-Sep 2016 when FW 3.61 was quite new, I was able to conclude that games released a few weeks to a month after the new FW have a good chance of still requiring the previous FW. Keep in mind that FW 3.61 was released on August 8, 2016 and the following were released after that date but only required FW 3.60:

• Alone With You – Aug 23, 2016
• Claire: Extended Cut – Aug 30, 2016
• God Eater 2 – Aug 30, 2016
• Project Diva X (NA/EU) – Aug 30, 2016
• MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death – Sep 13, 2016

Which games are likely to be affected?

If you’re a fan of the Persona Dancing game series, you’ll probably have to resort to playing the Japanese versions!

Here, we’ll be taking a look at games that’ll be released in October 2018 and onwards:

• Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight for EU/NA (December 3, 2018)
  • The Japanese version was released earlier this year and runs on hacked firmwares
• Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight for EU/NA (December 3, 2018)
  • Like P3D, the Japanese version was released back in May. Sorry Persona rhythm game fans, you’ll have to play the Japanese version!
• Catherine: Full Body (February 14, 2019 in Japan as it was recently announced)
• Death Mark for EU/NA (October 31, 2018)
  • Again, the Japanese version was released earlier and supports hacked FWs
• Chicken Range (October 25, 2018)

  Sorry Catherine fans, you’ll be forced to play this on your PS4 or lose your precious hack! (Image from Catherine Wiki)

• Anonymous;Code (later in 2018)
• 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (later in 2018)
• Shovel Knight: King Of Cards (April 9, 2019)
• Other games such as Fate/Extella Link in English which will come in later this year or next year

Some games, like Steins;Gate Elite (JP), Jack ‘N Jill DX and Super Life of Pixel, are slated for release this September so there’s still a small chance that they will require FW 3.69.

It must also be noted that game updates might require the latest FW even if the retail version (usually 1.0) doesn’t.

Conclusion

While there are around two dozen upcoming PSVita titles, I personally don’t think that it’s a good idea to update to 3.69 and lose your hacks. Remember, on your hacked PSVita, you can play thousands of titles via emulators AND dozens of homebrew game ports.

Before updating your PSVita / PSTV, think hard about whether it’s worth it or not because it most probably isn’t!

The post A look at PSVita upcoming games that will likely require FW 3.69+ – Is it really worth it to lose taiHEN/h-encore to play these games? appeared first on Wololo.net.

TheFlow never quite gets bored of updating VitaShell to make it a little better and now, he’s released VitaShell 1.96 for that exact purpose. VitaShell 1.96 brings some little tweaks to make the experience better and some bug fixes.

What is VitaShell?

VitaShell checks for updates and prompts you to install the latest version whenever it detects that you’re connected to the internet (via Wifi/Ethernet). Theme used is the Hatsune Miku one by Acemad

VitaShell is the TheFlow’s famous file manager that’s installed on almost every HENkaku/taiHEN-enabled PSVita/PSTV console. TheFlow didn’t just stop at making it a great file manager but kept on adding features to make it even better.

Among these features, we find:

• An FTP server and the ability to use your PSVita like a pendrive to copy data to/from it
• Theme support
• Image, SFO and music viewers
• Ability to refresh LiveArea for use with NoNpDrm
• Ad-hoc support for transferring files between two PSVita consoles that are near-by
• Many other features including a QR code reader, an auto-updater and a text editor

What got updated/added in VitaShell 1.96?

VitaShell 1.96 brings along:

1. The ability to skip between pages (17 on-screen items) in the file browser and SFO viewer by using the L/R triggers
2. Ability to move files between partitions by executing a ‘copy and remove’ command
3. A bug was fixed in which VitaShell forgot whether the user wanted to disable the VPK install warning dialogue
4. Some changes relating to USB mass device file transfer were undone due to issues with VPK installation

   If you like the QR code feature found in VitaShell, it’s better if you hold off updating for now

   • Hopefully, the memory card corruption fixed in VitaShell 1.95 doesn’t re-emerge
5. The QR code reader/downloader no longer works because the way to trigger it (holding the L/R trigger) has been reassigned to something else (see point 1)

As you can see, this update brings some welcome changes and bug fixes but also takes away a feature. If you regularly use the QR reader and have no problems with VitaShell 1.95, you shouldn’t update just yet.

For those who don’t use the QR reader, it’s safe to update to VitaShell 1.96 right now. However, I personally think it would be useful if TheFlow or somebody else release a VitaShell 1.95 VPK with another ‘TITLEID’ for those who want the QR reader.

Conclusion

If you find any issues, it’s important to report them to TheFlow on the Issues tab of the GitHub link below. You may also donate a buck or two to TheFlow via Patreon.

VitaShell 1.96 manual download page: https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/VitaShell/releases/latest

TheFlow’s Twitter (further updates): https://twitter.com/theflow0

TheFlow’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheOfficialFloW

The post VitaShell 1.96 released – Faster file viewing with L/R triggers, moving files between partitions and more! appeared first on Wololo.net.

Over 2 years after the release of HENkaku, new releases for the PSVita still haven’t quite stopped so there’s still stuff to be excited about. This week, we got Custom Themes Manager 4.0, an update to BookrMod which is the PSVita’s only comic/book reader and more!

Custom Themes Manager version 4.0

If you’re even slightly into giving some style to your PSVita then Red Squirrel’s Custom Themes Manager is the ideal homebrew for you. The homebrew is quite fully fledged with a great UI that has touch/button support, the ability to download themes from a huge online repository, a dumper for official themes and many more features including a utility to back/up restore app.db.

Custom Themes Manager 4.0 brings about many new features so that your experience is made better!

Like all good homebrew developers, Red Squirrel is still giving it updates and the recent 4.0 update includes:

• The ability to change the installation direction of custom themes to ux0,ur0 or uma0. This could prove useful if you’re into installing lots of themes
• An update checker for installed themes
• Sort by ‘validation score’ (how complete the theme is) is now an option while browsing themes
  • The validation report can be opened in the browser as well by pressing SELECT on the theme you’re viewing
• Many other improvements including a bug fix when checking for available space during unzipping, the ability to jump to a specific page when browsing the online repository and the ability to load locally stored previews from ux0:/ctm.

Those who use or want Custom Themes Manager should get the VPK from this link and install it via VitaShell. Bugs should be reported to the linked BitBucket page.

Bookr Mod 0.3

You can read all the manga/books you want on your PSVita thanks to Bookr Mod. Now, with zooming, you can look at finer details

Thanks to homebrew, the PSVita got a variety of new uses including being used as a notepad, a voice recorder and a book/comic reader. The PSVita’s book reader is called Bookr Mod and does a pretty good job but, until this release, it had some pretty important features missing.

Now, pathway27, its developer, has given Bookr Mod a well deserved update which brings along:

• Support for zooming (L/R triggers), bookmarks and rotating so that you can read your books/comics in portrait mode!
• A SELECT menu with options to rotate your screen, manage bookmarks, fit to width/height (although this didn’t work too well in my experience) and do book traversals
• A part of the software used in Bookr Mod was updated to the latest version of muPDF (v1.13)
• An important bug fix which addresses crashes/blank pages after putting the PSVita to sleep

To get the latest version of the PSVita’s only ePub, PDF and CBZ (and other formats) viewer, simply follow this link or get it via VHBB. Bugs are to be reported in the Issues Tab of the GitHub link.

Other releases

If you want to quickly scan a QR code to download a file, then Multidownload Vita has you covered!

Other than CTM 4.0 and Bookr Mod 0.3, this week also saw the release of:

• Updates to rsn8887’s homebrew with improvements to analogue stick/d-pad diagonal movement and other stuff – all available on VHBB
  • Updated homebrew includes Basilisk II, Enigma and UAE4ALL2 Vita Mod
• Zelda3T 1.3.1 which brings bug fixes and the ability for Link to move in all 8 directions – available on VHBB
• Theme Manager Ex 2.0
• Multidownload Vita with the ability to download files from QR codes (useful after VitaShell temporarily dropped the feature with version 1.96 which is the current version) and URLs
• Easy DS3 to make setting up your DualShock 3 a little easier
• ONEMenu v3.0.8 with bug fixes
• Plugins Manager v2.0
• Manga Downloader Vita 2.4 and PKGJ 0.37; no links will be provided as both homebrew can be used for illicit purposes

Conclusion

To get the homebrew above, simply follow the in-link links and grab the VPKs to install via VitaShell. If you encounter any issues, report them to the developers through GitHub/BitBucket where possible.

The post This week (Sep 9-16) in PSVita/PSTV releases: Custom Themes Manager 4.0, Bookr Mod 0.3 with zooming/rotation support, updates to Basilisk II/UAE4ALL/Enigma and more! appeared first on Wololo.net.

TheFlow seems to be on a roll with VitaShell updates as he released his previous one, version 1.96, only 5 days ago. VitaShell 1.97 brings about support for shortcuts and raises the QR code scanner back from the dead among other things!

What is VitaShell?

VitaShell 1.97 brings the QR code scanner back after 1.96 temporary killed it. Now, you don’t have to write whole URLs with your Vita’s OSK if you want to download a file!

VitaShell, by TheFlow, is the go-to file manager for hacked PSVita/PSTV consoles. Other than just being a program to manage your files, it also has many features such as:

• A built-in FTP server and the ability to turn your PSVita into a USB mass storage device (pen drive)
• Theme support so that you can pimp up your file browsing experience
• Image and music openers
• A built-in QR code scanner for going to webpages and installing VPKs (can be used with VitaDB)
• Ad-hoc file transfer with nearby Vitas
• Many other features including an auto-updater and the ability to refresh LiveArea when you install games for use with NoNpDrm

What does VitaShell 1.97 bring along?

VitaShell 1.97 got us the following:

• Support for sysmlinks (bookmarks/shortcuts) in LNK format. These can be useful if you regularly open folders nested inside other folders. These can be accessed by pressing left on the d-pad and SQAURE simultaneously.
• Recent files are also a thing now and can be accessed by pressing left on the d-pad and TRIANGLE at the same time.
• The QR code scanner is back and now, you can open it by pressing left on the d-pad and CIRCLE at the same time
• A bug was fixed in the ad-hoc dialogue in which X was always the enter button

  Adding bookmarks is pretty easy and could save you a few seconds traversing through your filesystem!

To make a bookmark, the process is pretty simple and goes as follows:

• Place the cursor (i.e highlighted item) on the thing (file/folder) you want to bookmark
• Press TRIANGLE and select “New” then select “New bookmark”
• You’ll get a dialogue box telling you that the bookmark has been added
• Now, you may go to ux0:/VitaShell/bookmarks OR press “left+SQUARE” to access your bookmark(s)

Conclusion

To get VitaShell 1.97, simply open VitaShell when your PSVita/PSTV is connected to the internet and the auto-updater will prompt you to upgrade. You may also update it manually by following the link below. If you encounter any issues, report them to the ‘Issues’ tab of the GitHub link below.

VitaShell 1.97 GitHub page: https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/VitaShell/releases/latest

TheFlow’s Twitter (latest updates): https://twitter.com/theflow0

TheFlow’s Patreon (for donating a few bucks): https://www.patreon.com/TheOfficialFloW

The post VitaShell 1.97 released – Bookmark (shortcut) support, Recent file list, QR scanner is back and bug fixes appeared first on Wololo.net.

Sony have announced at the Tokyo game show today that they will stop the production of PS Vita in 2019.

One day after announcing the upcoming release of the PlayStation classic, Sony have put the final nail in the Vita’s coffin: the electronics giant revealed they will stop producing the console in Japan next year. Given that Japan was by far the best market for the console, this basically means the end of the line for the portable device.

Sony stated that new games will still be produced for the console, but with a reduced lineup compared to previous years.

Last but not least, they confirmed the company has no current plans to work on a successor to the PS Vita.

If we’re lucky, this might at least mean no more surprise firmware updates…

Source: via mainichi

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It is no doubt that most of us love the feeling of owning and using yet another electronic device or console. However, after the initial thrill of owning something new wears off, I sometimes ask myself “Could I have spent my money on something else that’s better?” and then I try to mentally justify my purchase even though I could do nothing about it…

General specifications of the Playstation Classic and PSTV

While the Playstation Classic looks great and may be nostalgic for some, opting for something else from Sony may be a good idea!

Sony’s upcoming Playstation Classic (which will cost $99.99) will include a total of 20 games but curiously enough only 5 game titles have been announced even though you can already pre-order it in some countries. In the box, you’ll get:

• The console itself (which is 45% smaller than the original PS1)
• An HDMI cable to connect it to your television
• 2 wired PS1 replica controllers without the analogue stick (because who needs wireless controllers and analogue sticks anyway?)
  • Thankfully, local multiplayer is supported
• A USB cable but no AC adapter so you have to supply your own charger to use it

On the other side, we have the PSTV which is essentially a PlayStation Vita without a screen. The PSTV also retailed at $99 on launch but can be found on the used market for much less if you look around. In

The PSTV didn’t do too well on release but hacks made it much more useful a few years after its release!

terms of specifications, we’re dealing with:

• A quad-core CPU running at 444MHz but it can be overclocked to 494/500MHz
• 512MB RAM
• Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth connectivity
• An HDMI port
• Support for both the DualShock 3 and 4 so you can play wirelessly with existing controllers – obviously, you need to buy a DS3/4 if you don’t own one already. A Vita memory card or SD2Vita are also required since you need somewhere to store your games since the internal 1GB provided isn’t enough for much
• Ability to play much more than 20 games and a hacking scene that’s produced countless great homebrew/hacks

Comparing the two

Without a doubt, the Playstation Classic requires much less time and effort to get up and running. This is because it’s a limited-use mini-console that will probably allow you to play the minute you plug it in. Other than its simplicity, the Playstation Classic could double as a great gift and a nice thing to look at near your television.

While the above reasons may be compelling to some, it must be noted that the Playstation Classic only has a limited set of uses. As a result, it won’t be the best way to get the most out of your money so considering the PSTV is a great idea. On top of the ability to play PS1 games (via Adrenaline), a hacked PSTV gives you the ability to:

• Play almost all Playstation Vita games by removing the game whitelist since many games don’t use PSVita-specific abilities like the touchscreen
  • Contrary to popular belief, there are some great PSVita titles including Persona 4 Golden, Killzone Mercenary and Project Diva F
• Emulate a massive amount of consoles with great performance. These include the PSP, PS1, GBA, SNES, NES, Genesis, Arcade machines and Atari 2600 among others

  Not only can the PSTV play 20 PS1 games but it can also play hundreds of other games like Quake 2!

• A large amount of open-source game ports including Quake 1-3, Half-Life, DOOM, Wolfenstein 3D, fan-made Zelda games and the original Prince of Persia among many others
• Other homebrew games including Tetromino (also has a Touhou edition), Sudoku, EUCLOID, Flood It, Zombiebound and more
• The ability to browse the internet while playing a game – this could prove useful if you’re looking for a walkthrough or cheats
• Other great features including the ability to double as an FTP server via VitaShell, twitter client through LiveTweet and even a 68k Mac via Basilisk II

When one looks at all these advantages of the PSTV, the worth of the PlayStation Classic is thrown into question. This is further exacerbated by the fact that, if you get creative, you can even do a PS1 decal for your PSTV to make it look like the Playstation Classic!

Conclusion

While the decision on what to purchase is ultimately yours, I personally think that it’s a no-brainer to get the PSTV. Remember that if you opt for the PSTV, it must be running firmware 3.68 or below as the current 3.69 firmware isn’t hackable.

If you’re still considering a Playstation Classic, I’d recommend you at least wait for the full list of games since the pack-in games might not interest you and you usually can’t add games to miniconsoles unless they’re hacked!

The post Playstation Classic vs a hacked PSTV – A quick comparison from a console hacker’s point of view. Should you fork out your cash for a dumbed down experience? appeared first on Wololo.net.

A good GBA emulator is a must-have on any hacked console due to the GBA’s great game library with titles such as Castlevania: Aria of Sorrows and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. One pretty good GBA emulators is mGBA and now, it’s been updated to 0.7 beta to make it even better especially on the PSVita!

What is mGBA?

mGBA on the PSVita in action playing TLZ: The Minish Cap

Contrary to its name, mGBA is not only a GameBoy Advance emulator but it could also emulate the original GameBoy and GameBoy Colour. Like many emulators, it’s available on various platforms including Windows/Mac/Linux, the PSVita, Wii, Nintendo Switch and 3DS. All ports are derived from the same codebase and are actively maintained with platform-specific bug fixes which makes this a great emulator for hacked consoles with a less active scene.

Other than simply running on many platforms, mGBA aims to run accurately and at good speeds on lower-end hardware which isn’t the easiest thing to do as even emulating lower-powered consoles can be challenging at times.

Among its features, we find:

• Save state support
• The ability to change your screen’s aspect ratio between 4:3 and 16:9
• GameBoy Camera and Super GameBoy support – as of this release
• Many other features such as cheat code support, touch and multi-partition support on the PSVita among others

What does mGBA 0.7 beta 1 bring along?

Now, you can not only use Super GameBoy features but you can also take awesome pictures through this GB/C/A emulator!

mGBA 0.7 beta 1 is quite a significant update and it comes with the following updates/features:

• Support for the GameBoy Camera, Printer and Super GameBoy accessories
• An initial Nintendo Switch port
• A fix for low-quality audio in the PSVita port along with support for loading games from ur0 and uma0
• Game Shark and Action Replay button are now supported
• The ability to automatically load and save cheats
• Many other features such as a French and Italian translation, a map viewer, customisable auto-fire speed, ELF support and lots of bug fixes

Without a doubt, you should update to mGBA 0.7 beta 1 as soon as possible if you’re using it on a  PSVita or on the Switch. If you’re on other platforms, you can wait a little longer if everything’s working fine but having Super GameBoy support is pretty cool as it gives some extra features, like colour, to original GameBoy games.

Unfortunately, mGBA 0.7 beta doesn’t bring shader/filter support to the PSVita but that’ll hopefully come in a future release.

Conclusion

To grab mGBA 0.7 beta 1, simply follow the link below and download the appropriate version for your platform. If you encounter any bugs, report them on the project’s GitHub page.

mGBA 0.7 beta 1 changelog and information: https://mgba.io/2018/09/24/mgba-0.7-beta1/

Download links (go to the Preview downloads section): https://mgba.io/downloads.html

GitHub page: https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/

The post mGBA 0.7 beta 1 released – PSVita Audio Fix, Super GameBoy and GB Camera Support, Official Switch Port, Support for uma0 and ur0 partitions on Vita, bug fixes and much more! appeared first on Wololo.net.

If you wanted to try an odd or somewhat unique homebrew on your PSVita or Switch, then look no further as developer ‘LukeZGD’ has ported something worth nothing. This homebrew is called Doki Doki Literature Club and takes you for quite a ride as it starts as a dating simulator but then ends up as something quite twisted…

What is Doki Doki Literature Club?

Doki Doki Literature Club (DDLC) is a visual novel-style game by Team Salvation which was released around a year ago, in September 2017.

If you like visual novels and somewhat twisted anime girls, you should certainly try this title!

This game, which became quite popular on the internet, starts off as a normal dating simulator without anything weird but as the story progresses, one will notice that there’s something a little off.

As a result, the game’s story starts turning into a psychological horror one as the player must find out what’s really going on behind the seemingly normal behaviour of the four girls of the Literature Club; namely Sayori, Monika, Yuri and Natsuki.

What about the PSVita/Switch port?

The PSVita/Switch port, that initially saw its way to the 3DS, is an unofficial one by developer ‘LukeZGD’ and is called ‘DDLC-3DS’ or ‘DDLC-LOVE’. Unlike the original game, it uses the LÖVE engine which is based around Lua instead of the Ren’Py engine. This means that this isn’t a 1-to-1 port but it still uses the same assets and story-line of the original game in order to mimick it closely.

You can even ‘write’ poems in this game and ask for the other members’ feedback

In terms of features, it has the following:

• A pretty well-made main menu and dialogue scenes with physical button controls
• Background music
• A feature to skip through parts of the game
• Ability to play through all 4 acts of the base game
• Saving and loading your game although the save files may not be compatible between major versions (current version is 0.4.1)

To get this homebrew port, simply follow the link below and grab the appropriate installation file for your platform. It must be noted that the PSVita VPK takes quite a while to install so don’t get worried if VitaShell seems like its taking forever to install DDLC on your system. 

Conclusion

If you find any issues, simply report them in the ‘Issues’ tab of the GitHub link below and remember, be patient with installing it on the PSVita! This port isn’t available on VitaDB as it uses on OneLua on the PSVita

Doki Doki Literature Club Port Download: https://github.com/LukeZGD/DDLC-3DS/releases

DDLC-3DS readme (contains important information for 3DS users): https://github.com/LukeZGD/DDLC-3DS/blob/master/README.md

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