Gamecube already hacked (1 Viewer)

[David Proud]

Gamecube Hacked Already

-According to a number of sources, Nintendo's new console "GameCube" has

already been hacked in Hong Kong and is able to play pirated games. If true,

this will be one of the fastest hacks for a new console and a serious blow

to Nintendo.

-An add-on is required to play pirated games due to the physical size of

the GameCube CD Drive being too small to accommodate normal CDs. The add-on

is simply plugged into the GameCube's expansion port and has its own DVD/CD

drive built in.

-Similar add-ons were manufactured for the N64 and SNES in Hong Kong and

became widely available claiming the devices were for "back-up purposes

only". It remains to be seen how hard this will hit Nintendo after the

overall failure of the N64.

 

[Iain Lambert]

Which strange news source thinks that the N64 was a flop? It may not have sold as well as the Sony Playstation, but it certainly made a pretty packet for them. These devices were available for the SNES and the Genesis/Megadrive as well, but they both sold quite well. At least these devices require a serious outlay of cash to get pirating, making them a minority interest, rather than the widespread copying that the Playstation saw and was enough to kill the Amiga.

 

[Rob Robinson]

Hmm; this seems rather flamebait like.

While it's bad (developers need paychecks), I can't recall piracy ever killing a system.

The PSX has been the best selling system with any sort of optical drive, and it was by far the easiest system to EVER duplicate games for.

Having said that, I doubt it's even an issue.

First, ALL consoles get hacked. This often happens before the damn thing is even released.

Second, if the thing requires an adapter with it's own optical drive, I doubt this thing is going to take off.

Finally, it's way to early to start looking for any of the consoles ships to start sinking. They are just out of the gate. It's going to be a very long year if there is constantly a rush of "THIS IS GONNA BE THE END OF _________" threads everytime someone reads a "fact" online.

 

[Rob Robinson]

also, since "xbox shattering sales records" is another one of your threads, it appears as if you enjoy starting confrontational (and pointless) threads.

I reccomend you haul ass over to the IGN boards; you can hollar about which ever systems you like "ruling", or "going down" or whatver.

 

[JasonKrol]

also, just a point in the "xbox shattering records" thing..anyone notice that xbox basically forces "bunddles" in every place you can buy one? Its no wonder they broke all kinds of records.

just my 2 cents...sorry for going off topic

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Probably they just spliced the data path from the GC drive. It's easy enough, that's how they were able to copy Dreamcast discs. Because the discs' structure was custom (Gamecube, discs must be dual-layer from what I can tell, and I have never seen a 3cm CD in pirate form), it was very hard for those bastards to copy the discs. So they have to do it this way.

Nintendo knew they'd be pirated, I'm just suprised it took this long. The only system that has yet to be effectively cracked is PS2, since the only modchip available fries the system within a few months of installation

 

[James Nguyen]

Jason,

bundles were in now way "forced".. just like sony and nintendo, it was left to the retailers' discretion to bundle or not. In the case of MS (and perhaps sony and nintendo in all probability), incentives were offered to bundles, but in the end, it was still up to the retailer to decide. Most decide to bundle (regardless of the system) since it guarantees them a higher margin on the transaction. In talking to the owners of my favorite mom and pop store, they told me that the marginson consoles typically is quite mediocre for them...for them to make any money they really need to move the software and accessories.

Most all the mom and pops near me went bundleless, most of the big shops went with bundles except for the two GameStops near me. Rather a moot point though since it's typical for a consumer to buy at least one game, one memory card and often a 2nd controller at launch.

 

[David Proud]

"also, since "xbox shattering sales records" is another one of your threads, it appears as if you enjoy starting confrontational (and pointless) threads.

I reccomend you haul ass over to the IGN boards; you can hollar about which ever systems you like "ruling", or "going down" or whatver."

I apologize if I hurt anyones feelings. I am not trying to start a fight, just posting some console news. I will stop posting threads related to Nintendo if it is hurting anyones feelings.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

You can buy blank 3-inch CDRs, I've used them for putting my 12-inch singles on CD. Does the Gamecube use CD or DVD or both? Sounds strange they'd make it only able to hold the smaller discs, since you won't be able to play music CDs on it.

 

[David Proud]

btw, piracy does hurt companies. the fact we have to pay 50$ a game is to figure in all the piracy going on with the game.

 

[Matty B]

It uses proprietary DVDs.

 

[David Proud]

I take that back, piracy hurts the consumer. we pay a higher price for the game, b/c the developer has to figure in piracy.

 

[Rob Robinson]

actually, I believe games are $50 because a triple A title now takes a team of dozens of people 18 months to 2 years to complete.
The "piracy markup" is probably about as significant as the markup on laundry detergent as super markets have to raise costs due to people stealing carts. (hey, the sign says return your cart to keep costs down...)

again, as evil as piracy is to a content provider, in america, console pirates are an EXTREME minority- again, with the exception of the PSX- it was in the right place at the right time, as far as using cds and burner hitting the commoners). and hell, i bet most folks never copied a psx game either.
Once more- that $400 ugly plastic cdburner thing you could order from hong kong had absolutely DICK to due with Nintendo 64 (or game) sells or lack thereof.
console piracy is such a miniscule nonissue. The fringe will always crack the box. it will not affect the bottom line in a tangible way.
games cost $50. get over it. not because of pirates.
because of developers. and marketers. and investors.

 

[Steve Kramzer]

Even with adding a cd drive to the gc, I'm just wondering how the pirates managed to copy teh gc disks. The gc reads the disks the reverse of every other cd or dvd rom. In order to pirate it, its seems like they would have to find a way for the gc to connect to a computer, read the data track and copy it to a computer, then reverse the data image so it could be used with a burner, and then the pirated cd addon would have to make the gc read in the normal order. Just put a gc disk in ur cd or dvd rom, you can't read it bc of the way it is burnt.... Also another poster wrote that no console died of pirating, well I would partially agree with that. The dc wasn't exactly helped by piracy. It is easier to pirate dc games bc you do not even need a modchip.

 

[BrianB]

games cost $50. get over it. not because of pirates.

because of developers. and marketers. and investors.

Oh yeah, it's the developer's fault that the game costs $50! Do you know what sort of share the developer gets out of that? Try about $7-9 depending on the title/developer.

 

[Rob Robinson]

i figured marketers and investors implied publishers...

you've got developers, publishers, liscensing, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and follow up support. I'm sure i've missed some other money drainers as well.

at any rate, i'm saying it's not cheap to develop a AAA title.

I have no problem with 49.99 MSRPs.

If you don't want to pay that, buy the $15 shit at Walmart.

 

[Mike Voigt]

Two things to everyone:

1. No flaming, busting each others chops, etc. I would hope that are a little bit more mature than that.

2. Remember that piracy is off-limits on HTF. So be careful here - it's getting close to the line, and this thread will get removed PDQ if that line is crossed.

Mike

 

[BrianB]

Sorry, Mike.

Just get annoyed when us developers get accused of increasing game costs. We're bottom of the pile when it comes to getting income.

 

[Rob Robinson]

Brian- i said developer when i should have said publisher: and at any rate, I wasn't even accusing the industry of gouging- I think $50 is reasonable, and I would like to think the folks building the stuff we love are making a decent living.

An aside- in the case of a dozen people being able to make something like Quake, hell yeah, they deserve their goddamn rocketcars; I would much rather have more developers making mad loot for innovating as opposed to the typical captains of industry.

My main point was that games are no longer garage projects- they are major ventures, with production manangers and HR departments, and LARGE time/resource/capital budgets.

Also, I do hope that no one, especially admins, thought that I was encouraging/condoning/turning a blind eye to game piracy.

my statement still stands- I feel that piracy on next gen consoles is an extremely fringe problem. I'm sure on an institutional/organized level somewhere in asia it's rampant and horrible, but I do not believe that sony and nintendo are pulling their hairs out worried about American kids copying PS2 and Cube games- though once DVD burners are popular, they may have to get a bit more elaborate with their controls.

 

[Rob Robinson]

also, brian- they aren't increasing- I've paid approx $50 for console games for over 10 years. again, no bitching from me. I just think it's silly for anyone to blame the console game pricing model on piracy concerns.
on a lighter note, $9 out of $50- you're making out like a bandit; my work gets billed at $250/hr, and I don't get anywhere near a healthy chunk of that :frowning: