PSP Exploit

Sony PlayStation Portable homebrew developer MathieulH recently released a statement regarding pretty much the state of Custom Firmware for the PSP, as well as what lies ahead. In it, he talked about the release of the latest CFW, 3.93, and what they have planned in case the official 4.0 firmware comes along.

So, what did Mathieulh say? Pretty much that the M33 team did not have any hand in making the latest CFW (that is, 3.93), and that he finds the idea to implement access to recovery directly via the VSH a pretty cool one. So, score one point for the unnamed developer.

Well, if Team M33 didn’t make CFW 3.93, then when are they going to bust out one of theirs? Mathieulh says that the way things look, the current custom firmware will be all that we need until 4.0 rolls along - so until that fateful firmware comes, there is no scheduled release from Team M33. A reason for this is because Sony hasn’t been quite generous with the new stuff coming from every firmware, which makes the effort of making a new custom one a bit pointless. His statement (as translated in the QJ.Net PSP Forums by transce08):

“Concerning M33, no release is actually expected before the release of 4.00 (so one must be patient) and for diverse reasons, the foremost being of course the lack of any new features by Sony in the new firmware updates since 3.90 (at least from my point of view).”

That certainly explains it, then. If you’re already equipped with the latest CFW, then you’re all set. Here’s hoping for more great things from Mathieulh and Team M33.

Terminal Reality has revealed the new Ghostbusters game could make it onto PSP after all.

So far the game has been confirmed for PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 and DS - while Sony’s handheld appeared to be missing out.

But according to executive producer Brendan Goss, that could change in the future. “There are discussions right now about a PSP version,” he told Eurogamer.

“We’re waiting to see how the PS2 stuff goes from a technical side with memory, then it may get ported to the PSP.”

The PS2 version of Ghostbusters, like the Wii game, features more cartoony visuals and a simpler narrative than the Xbox 360, PC and PS3 titles. There’s also an exclusive offline co-op mode where you can take on another player as either a ghost or a ghostbuster.

That Co-Op mode sounds really cool. I would love to see this make it onto the PSP, but there will still be plenty of other systems to play it on. I just hope they are able to overcome those travesty NES releases of Ghostbuster games in the 80’s. Please bring the good name back to Ghostbusters.

NervOS is really shaping up to be quite a shell replacement, but don’t take my word for it (anyone remember Reading Rainbow?). Version 1.7 is now available and packs an impressive list of changes and new features.

NervOS 1.7 changes:

• Calculator
• Web Browser (sceKernelExitGame is patched on it so it returns to NervOS after the user quit it)
• Sony OSK for text input
• Ability to skip tracks (after loading a playlist)
• Ogg Support
• Playlist reader (m3u)
• File Browser: ability to delete files/folders.
• File Browser: ability to rename files/folders.
• File Browser: ability to copy files/folders.
• File Browser: ability to make folders.
• File Browser: displays file size after file name.
• File Browser: sorts alphabetically folders and files and folders are displayed before files.
• File Browser: detects more 14 file types.
• When entering Load Music, the music only stops after you choose a new one.
• Customizable font.
• Icon0.png
• Remove highlight bars.
• Removed “..” and “.” From the file browser.
• Fixed a bug in the task manager.
• Internal Core changes
• Fixed bug in the Image Viewer.
• Fixed bug in the clock system

Click here to Download NervOS 1.7 for yourself. Be sure to read all documentation included before installing or using this download.

A little known fact is that the PSP is capable of running J2ME games and applications. Those are the very addictive games you find on cell phones and such. This is all thanks to a homebrew application called PSPKVM. Check it out for yourself and enjoy some real time wasters on your PSP (as if you didn’t have enough already!).

You can download PSPKVM 0.3.2 for PSP’s with firmware 1.50 here. Or, for those with 3.xx custom firmware, click here to get the version for you.

In case you missed my post about the release of Custom Firmware 3.93, check it out here.

Here is yet another strange update to surface for the peculiar release of Custom Firmware 3.93. A 1.50 firmware addon for the Fat PSP. As usual, this is for use only on Fat PSP’s and is only compatible with Custom Firmware 3.93. Here is a list of changes from the Readme file:

• Install on a Fat the kernel 1.50 add on. To use the 1.50 Kernel for an application, you’ll absolutely need to put the Kernel to 1.50, even if the application is in the GAME150 Kernel.
  • If you change the kernel in VSH Recovery, you’ll still need a reboot
• The new recovery has this two asked features :
  • Suspend device
  • Shutdown device

Installation is just as simple as previous releases. Unzip the contents of the download into your PSP\GAME folder and place the official 1.50 firmware update file (150.PBP) into the root of your memory stick and execute.

Just like the Custom Firmware 3.93 release, it is unclear who developed this kernel.

You can download the 1.50 Firmware Addon by clicking here

If you collect classic operating system emulators, then this is one for you.

The Tandy Color Computer and Dragon32/64 emulator for the PlayStation Portable is finally updated with fixes and improvements by homebrew developer Zx-81. PSPDragon is a PSP port of Xroar, a Tandy CoCo/Dragon emulator by homebrew developer Ciaran Anscomb. This version of PSPDragon is based on Xroar version 0.19.

The fixes include patching up sound problems, including those that crop up while playing Demon Attack. Here’s the complete changelog for PSPDragon v1.0.3:

• Speed improvements, the z80 part has been rewritten using jump tables,
• Emulation accuracy improvements (original hidden frameskip of one has been removed, and cpu cycles are modified according to ntsc/pal mode)
• Add ntsc/pal option
• Display and save thumbnail images for each save state
• Add several new hotkeys :
• settings such as fps, render mode, auto fire speedcan now be directly modified inside the emulator (no need to enter in the settings menu)
• quick save / quick load current state (no need to enter in the main menu)
• Default Hotkeys can now be set in the keyboard mapping menu (useful to add hotkeys on existing/previous keyboard files)
• Auto-fire mode, press RTrigger+X to switch it on/off
• New graphics and add a simple intro splash screen
• Option to display frame rate
• Option to prevent the blue led to be displayed when L or R are pressed

As always, read all documentation included with this download before installing or using. Click here to download PSPDragon v1.0.3 or click here to download the source code.

Sony has released a Bronze PSP Slim Value pack in Japan (PSPJ-20002).

Here is a list of what is included in the bundle, according to superufo.com.

• PlayStation Portable System-Matte Bronze Japan version (x1)
• 1200mA Battery Pack (x1)
• 100-240V AC Adapter (x1)
• Strap (x1)
• Cleaning Cloth (x1)
• Pouch (x1)
• 32 MB Memory Stick Duo (X1)
• D Terminal AV Cable(x1)

It seems the kit will sell for about 29,114 yen (or US$ 278.97), and superufo.com has it available for US$ 276.00 if you would like to pick one up for yourself.

With the Nintendo DS having a larger base than the PSP, why would Square choose the PSP as the target console for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII?

Well, it seems that the install base on each platform was not the consideration when making the decision as to where to release the game. They chose to look more closely at the target market for the game.

“The demographic was higher teens to young adults as opposed to small children,” said Yoshinori Kitase, executive producer of the title. “The PSP seemed closer to that demographic than DS in general. So we feel we really made the right choice.”

It appears that the age group target for the story’s theme is fans of the original  Final Fantasy VII, who would have grown up by now and be likely to own a PSP rather than a DS.

In my younger days, I used to love playing this card game, even though most people had never heard of it. Well, it seems a homebrew developer by the name of Yoshi Noir has created a PSP version of the French card game. The cards are still in French, but I would imagine if you know the game pretty well, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.

Here’s the changelog for Mille Bornes v0.99, translated using Google Translate:

• When the CPU throws a card, the PSP beeps rather than the noise associated with the card
• Fixed a bughttp://dl.qj.net/Mille-Bornes-v0.99-PSP-Homebrew-Games/pg/12/fid/16685/catid/195 on the ally and the boot priority, it can now also announce coup-filled
• Fixed a bug on other players when they threw a red light while an opposing player had the main priority => coup-filled abuse
• Fixed a bug at the end of the game when there are more cards in the job; could choose a card empty
• Fixed small bugs
• Petit waiting time before announcing the coup-filled history to see something …
• Adding a menu
• Adding several game modes:
  o 1 player against 1 CPU
  o 1 player against 1 player
  o 1 player and 1 CPU against 2 CPUs
  o 1 player and 1 CPU against 1 player and 1 CPU
  o 2 players against 2 CPUs
  o 2 players against 2 players

Download Mille Bornes v0.99 here

Thanks to release of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G in Japan, the Sony Playstation achieves its fifth week in a row on top of console sales.

Here are the results of all gaming console sales numbers in Japan for the week ending April 20:

• PSP: 85,421
• Nintendo DS Lite: 44,551
• Nintendo Wii: 44,241
• Sony Playstation 3: 7,438
• Sony Playstation 2: 6,545
• Microsoft Xbox 360: 1,076