About that Smash4 Minus Thing...

ESC Artiste

The Pot is heavier than Ridley
In my introduction post, I told everyone that I have a possible workaround Smash4's encryption to allow mods in without hacking the system and game. First off as a disclaimer, this is only theoretical, as I've only dictated this conclusion through pure logic and research. I have very little coding ability (currently in college for a Computer Engineering degree, so that will be changing very quickly), but I will provide anything that I can so that Smash4 owners don't have to go through the set-up of modding the game that involves the extremely tedious dumping process. With that out, here's what I've discovered.

To start off, here is the fruit of my research that I believe could be the key to creating hackless mods. Brawl has a certain exploit in where you can go to the Stage Builder and breach the encryption easily, allowing hackless mods of Brawl to be played without any tedious presetting of any sort (besides needing a 2GB SD Card). In Smash4, however, there is no such thing to be yet discovered. So, I've looked into the Smash4 menu system, and which menu button executes an action within the game. I've noticed that there is one menu button that executes a specific action only present to that button. This would be the Electronic Manual (EM) button, and what it does from the rest of the executed actions is it takes you temporarily out of the game, as the EM isn't actually part of the game, but rather a small bit of information in a form of an attachment. Because of it's unique properties, you are technically in the WiiU Menu, as when you exit out of the EM, you return to the WiiU Menu. Therefore, you are outside of Smash4 even when it is still running, and thus can do things outside of it's parameters without pressing the Home Button in the controller. I've also noticed that all other games that have EM's behave the same exact way.

With that knowledge, I've theorized something that if possible could create a way to not only make mods hackless, but could present an opportunity for a hubworld for Smash4 mods. What I theorize is that because of Smash4's encryption, it may be impossible to mod the game from the inside out. But, because of the possible exploit by the EM, the game could be modded from the outside in. The EM would act as a catalyst, and when executed from the Smash4 menu, it will redirect the path to the UI for launching the mod(s). The game when the user is currently in the EM will be running, albeit in a Power Saving Mode that I'm going to call Rest State form now on. This may actually be the most important part of this process, as the mod will launch while Smash4 is still in it's Rest State. Since the EM an attachment of Smash4, the game will still think that you are still in the EM and not the mod Launcher, and thus will unknowingly act as such. Thus, it would be possible to play mods on Smash4 without hacking the game or system.

If this exploit works, while still currently theoretical, then a hubworld of Smash4 mods could exist as I've mentioned before. Dubbed "SmashBrew" (as unoriginal as it may sound, it's would be at least very recognizable), this hubworld could be used to load multiple mod launchers, and can replace the need of having to launch every other mod individually. The requirements for this are unknown, but I would assume equal to or more than an 8GB SD card (multiple mods require more space, of course), and skilled coding so that the pathway for the specific mod launched won't have any interference from other mods.

Again, this is all theoretical and such, but I really hope this is true once tested as most of y'all are probably much better at coding than I am currently. I mean, you guy's have made a mod that is quite hard to execute in a satisfactory performance with all the crazy sh*t that happens in Brawl-, and yet you still manage to surpass the notion of satisfactory. Also, if there's anything that y'all would like to ask me that I may have missed (that I would be able to understand), feel free to comment below.

So, yeah. Keep our fingers crossed!!
 

AGentleStar

Video Editor
If there was some sort of menu item in Smash 4 where it would force you into the inserted SD card, then it could run mods like how Brawl can. However, I don't know if that is the case and I don't have a copy of the game to test this out. Also...
If this exploit works, while still currently theoretical, then a hubworld of Smash4 mods could exist as I've mentioned before. Dubbed "SmashBrew" (as unoriginal as it may sound, it's would be at least very recognizable), this hubworld could be used to load multiple mod launchers, and can replace the need of having to launch every other mod individually.

I've been trying to make Brawl only require one SD card with my mods, but I gave up. I don't know if it's even possible. I would love if SmashBrew was a thing. BTW, welcome to the forums, ESC! It's good to have more people interested in Brawl Minus. :D
 

ESC Artiste

The Pot is heavier than Ridley
If there was some sort of menu item in Smash 4 where it would force you into the inserted SD card, then it could run mods like how Brawl can. However, I don't know if that is the case and I don't have a copy of the game to test this out.

My question then would be, what exactly is the code or folder (whatever it may be) that actually executes the menu item to redirect-or force in this case-the user into the inserted SD card for Brawl specifically? I ask because I don't know the process of forcing the inserted SD to activate, but I would appreciate it quite much if I did (lol). Plus, it could help me see if doing the process-albeit slightly different steps-could work on the WiiU.

Also...
I've been trying to make Brawl only require one SD card with my mods, but I gave up. I don't know if it's even possible. I would love if SmashBrew was a thing. BTW, welcome to the forums, ESC! It's good to have more people interested in Brawl Minus. :D

I was thinking maybe have the folders for a mod contained within a specific folder created by SmashBrew to direct the game specifically to that mod. The mod would run using the folders used if it were by itself, but SmashBrew would keep that mod contained through the specific folder like a gate. But, this is just what I would think it could do. Also, thanks for the compliment!
 

Neville

GG M8s
Minus Backroom
My question then would be, what exactly is the code or folder (whatever it may be) that actually executes the menu item to redirect-or force in this case-the user into the inserted SD card for Brawl specifically? I ask because I don't know the process of forcing the inserted SD to activate, but I would appreciate it quite much if I did (lol). Plus, it could help me see if doing the process-albeit slightly different steps-could work on the WiiU.



I was thinking maybe have the folders for a mod contained within a specific folder created by SmashBrew to direct the game specifically to that mod. The mod would run using the folders used if it were by itself, but SmashBrew would keep that mod contained through the specific folder like a gate. But, this is just what I would think it could do. Also, thanks for the compliment!
Ask Sammi-husky about this.
 

ESC Artiste

The Pot is heavier than Ridley
Regarding how to exploit Smash4 without Hacking
So, I did a bit of research, and found out the private encryption keys for the Wii U.
http://wiiubrew.org/wiki/Encryption_Keys

However, I need to find the Private Encryption Key for Smash 4 as well, which is...easier said than done.

So, what I will plan to do is to dump the game onto my laptop to explore and see what actually in the game. However, I doubt that I would be able to find the key from doing just that, so I will continue to research on how to do so.

Regarding the Topic of SmashBrew
I will still be figuring out how SmashBrew could be created for multiple Smash Mods and Textures packs. While many agree than a 2gb SD is a must, not many exist to be bought in-store and not online. I will thus make SmashBrew the main application in an SDHC Card (Class 4 minimum), as unlike the Wii, the Wii U is SDHC compatible. This also brings up the main issue of why Brawl Mods could not go on anything higher than 2GB SD cards-SD adapters cannot read SDHC, and anything above 2GB will be SDHC. The card MUST be formatted first-otherwise, it's fine to use. I would recommend the minimum being 8GB (explained below) as it's just as much as a 2GB SD (~$10), and the maximum being 32GB-plus both are MUCH easier to find at your local pharmacy/Walmart.

SmashBrew will be an application, thus will theoretically allow for most mods to be opened as you would with HomeBrew. Homebrew can work on a 265 MB SD card, which in compairson SmashBrew's goal is only to be less than or equal to 2MB. However, SmashBrew is a Multi-Mod/Texture Pack Launcher, and those must be installed under SmashBrew. The Brawl- mod is 534.803 MB (just over half a gigabyte), and I would assume that Smash4- would have a mod about 1.3 (could be smaller/larger) times the size, making the mod around 700 MB. Because about 93% of the SD card is used instead of it's full capacity ((1000^3)#GB/1024^3) and because of compatibility, a 2GB is needed for Brawl- instead of just 1GB . So with the 700 MB mod for Smash4-, you could have 10 Smash4- mods on an 8GB SDHC Card. With that said, I would assume that the max capacity for total mods and Texture Packs on SmashBrew should be this.
((1000^3)/(1042^3)-2MB)*#GB=Max Capacity (round tenthousandth to the next number up)
Eg, 7.0551GB max for 8GB, 14.1102GB max for 16GB, 28.2204GB max for 32GB.
How SmashBrew will be opened or activated is still befuddling me, as I still don't know the Smash4 private encryption key. But, like I said, I will be working towards that in the upcoming weeks.

If anyone would like to add some input on my research for SmashBrew and finding the key, feel free to comment below!
 
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