Homebrew How do I port a PC game to the Wii?
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For the most part this is a "if you have to ask" type of thing then it is not going to happen.
Still this is a closed source game for a fairly modern setup as far as I am aware.
To that end you are not going to have source code, not going to have easy to work with assets and probably will not be able to emulate it either (if it was an old DOS game then you start looking at things like dosbox, likewise if it was ported to a console of the day* then you might be able to emulate that instead).
*obviously I assume we are ignoring handhelds and for the sims I imagine you will tell me the console ports were lame and have aged worse -- several friends with sisters were booted off the family PC to play it back in the day despite perfectly good consoles they would normally otherwise play on so that probably says it all. Still you might consider some of the console stuff for assets.
Nobody has presumably done one of those remake projects ( https://osgameclones.com/ only mentions projects for online and the first game, did not check to see what state they are in either).
Source code wise you have two main approaches (I assume EA is not going to be giving up the code any time soon).
1) You see what modern decompilation is doing these days. 2004 for the original release means reasonably modern stuff as far as protections and packing goes, though also 15+ years to defeat them. If this is your first reverse engineering project then while not the absolute hardest (that would be the modern stuff) it is still jumping in at the deep end.
Curiously 2005 saw a port to mac, and at this point they were just still using powerpc processors (not the same as the wii but closer than x86) so that might be something to investigate. You might also get luckier and find whatever protections, executable packing and whatever else the porting house did for mac were less than the PC original.
2) You recreate from either play analysis or more limited debugging and subsequent recreation (the latter not being "clean room" reverse engineering so be aware of that if it is something you care for). If this sounds long winded and incredibly complex it is. I would hate to do it for a simple 80s arcade game let alone something wanting 2GHz of my Pentium 4. It can be done, and you need not recreate everything as it is (so called bug for bug compatible) as much as a suitable facsimile. You can also build things up
On top of all this you would get to learn Wii coding, which is harder than simply learning to code on a PC as you have more limited resources and options for doing things. You likely will not find too many people to help with the Wii aspect either as the Wii is largely dead.
There was a gamecube version too. This has two main possibilities beyond just mod your wii to play GC games.
1) Given the Wii is an overclocked gamecube for most intents and purposes you could possibly port things up to to the Wii. In some ways it would be even harder than the things mentioned above, but if you can gain the required knowledge and skills I could see it being quicker (though still tedious)
1a) might be you do something like the gamecube running homebrew but for this and do some fun things with it to give you some more options.
2) You use the assets from the GC version to help with this -- they are presumably all already in a format the Wii will like after all. Such things will be harder when it comes to expansion packs if you want them though.
Still this is a closed source game for a fairly modern setup as far as I am aware.
To that end you are not going to have source code, not going to have easy to work with assets and probably will not be able to emulate it either (if it was an old DOS game then you start looking at things like dosbox, likewise if it was ported to a console of the day* then you might be able to emulate that instead).
*obviously I assume we are ignoring handhelds and for the sims I imagine you will tell me the console ports were lame and have aged worse -- several friends with sisters were booted off the family PC to play it back in the day despite perfectly good consoles they would normally otherwise play on so that probably says it all. Still you might consider some of the console stuff for assets.
Nobody has presumably done one of those remake projects ( https://osgameclones.com/ only mentions projects for online and the first game, did not check to see what state they are in either).
Source code wise you have two main approaches (I assume EA is not going to be giving up the code any time soon).
1) You see what modern decompilation is doing these days. 2004 for the original release means reasonably modern stuff as far as protections and packing goes, though also 15+ years to defeat them. If this is your first reverse engineering project then while not the absolute hardest (that would be the modern stuff) it is still jumping in at the deep end.
Curiously 2005 saw a port to mac, and at this point they were just still using powerpc processors (not the same as the wii but closer than x86) so that might be something to investigate. You might also get luckier and find whatever protections, executable packing and whatever else the porting house did for mac were less than the PC original.
2) You recreate from either play analysis or more limited debugging and subsequent recreation (the latter not being "clean room" reverse engineering so be aware of that if it is something you care for). If this sounds long winded and incredibly complex it is. I would hate to do it for a simple 80s arcade game let alone something wanting 2GHz of my Pentium 4. It can be done, and you need not recreate everything as it is (so called bug for bug compatible) as much as a suitable facsimile. You can also build things up
On top of all this you would get to learn Wii coding, which is harder than simply learning to code on a PC as you have more limited resources and options for doing things. You likely will not find too many people to help with the Wii aspect either as the Wii is largely dead.
There was a gamecube version too. This has two main possibilities beyond just mod your wii to play GC games.
1) Given the Wii is an overclocked gamecube for most intents and purposes you could possibly port things up to to the Wii. In some ways it would be even harder than the things mentioned above, but if you can gain the required knowledge and skills I could see it being quicker (though still tedious)
1a) might be you do something like the gamecube running homebrew but for this and do some fun things with it to give you some more options.
2) You use the assets from the GC version to help with this -- they are presumably all already in a format the Wii will like after all. Such things will be harder when it comes to expansion packs if you want them though.
Asking "How do I port a PC game to the Wii" is kind of like asking "How do I build a car?"
Sure it *CAN* be done, but a single person doing it with no experience or access to appropriate tools and resources is just not feasible.
Sure it *CAN* be done, but a single person doing it with no experience or access to appropriate tools and resources is just not feasible.
I know I already went and this is dangerously close to spam/nonsense but
Wii emulation and homebrew so relevant song?
Wii emulation and homebrew so relevant song?
I can most assuredly tell you that you are not
Its just... not possible. No offense, honestly.
Ok, I was going to ask this same qustion just now.
I too would like to know how can I port a Windows XP game to the Wii. Actually... 2 WinXP games.
This has been bugging me because I've recently started to play Bermuda Syndrome on the Wii and I was wondering if someone could lead me to the right path with this:
1.- Port of Solitaire Spider from Windows XP to Wii.
2.- Port of 3D Pinball Space Cadet, from Windows XP to Wii.
I too would like to know how can I port a Windows XP game to the Wii. Actually... 2 WinXP games.
This has been bugging me because I've recently started to play Bermuda Syndrome on the Wii and I was wondering if someone could lead me to the right path with this:
1.- Port of Solitaire Spider from Windows XP to Wii.
2.- Port of 3D Pinball Space Cadet, from Windows XP to Wii.
Probably another joke. But here's an almost serious answer to port a game :
1. Source code. Better than re-inventing the wheel. C++ code with SFML library for joke #1 : https://github.com/eightys3v3n/spiderSolitaire
2. A very good C/C++ knowledge and about countless hours. Knowing Wii specifics is a good bonus.
DAMN! Harder than I thought.
I'm not kidding. I truly want to play those games on my Wii.
They're fairly old by now, and I would like to assume that the Wii is capable to load them.
Thanks @Wiimpathy your answer has given me an idea of where to start.
I was wondering if anyone with the right skills and knowledge has ever tried to investigate the Wiiware wad of MDK2, to see if it's possible to inject other games from the windows era.
It's the only PC game that got an official release on the Wii. Nedless to say, it run flawlessly.
It's the only PC game that got an official release on the Wii. Nedless to say, it run flawlessly.
LOL, wait right there. M.D.K. 2 for WiiWare was a native port, which did not even came from the PC, but from the PlayStation 2 port. There's no emulation whatsoever. The Wii barely handles slow 486 x86 emulation, let alone a game from 2000.
Sadly, it was incredibly reduced to meet Nintendo's lame standards for file size and was reduced from 300MB to measly 40MB. Muddy textures a la N64, terribly compressed audio, a real shame since it is a really great and fun game.
Oh I didn't know it, I never played the original. I thought it was only on PC.
Now I saw a comparison with the Dreamcast version and they seem pretty identical, which surprised me, because I knew of the 40Mb limit for WW.
Yes the Wii can't emulate a full 80486, not with a missing dynamic core in Dosbox due to big-endian architecture.
Well then, it all seemed too good to be true.
why don't you port it to the switch instead. the wii is dead
If you wanna buy me a switch i'll give it a ago haha
but I will never understand the mindset of these people who want to 'port' a game and think you can just wave a magic wand and make it happen. I mean sometimes depending very much on the game and platform it can be almost that easy. I also wish they would be honest and would ask if it was even possible rather than asking for 'help' when they mean can someone else do the work because they have no idea where to start
Risk of being banned, cost of owning the Switch, any Wii can be hacked with only an SD card (Wii Mini with Linux + Bluetooth), and who doesn't have a Wii/Wii U?why don't you port it to the switch instead. the wii is dead
why don't you port it to the switch instead. the wii is dead
Its dead for you, but there are thousands of Wii gamers still playing, even more now with most of them at their homes quarantined.
I've just finished homebrewing my Wii and discovering ScummVM, which will allow me to play and enjoy again Gobliiins games, if that means the Wii is dead, then yes, its dead for anyone forgetting what playing and enjoying is all about, and the Wii provides both perfectly.
Now on topic.
As I mentioned earlier, I discovered ScummVM, which is an engine for point and click games, using the original game files to play them on Wii.
You would need to build an engine for the Wii and use the original files from the game to make it happen, but that for sure isn't an easy task, one that not everyone will be able to accomplish.
Well, no problem. Send us all a Nintendo Switch. I am glad that the Switch exists, now all retro games can be thrown away, all those dead systems worth nothing and occupying space...why don't you port it to the switch instead. the wii is dead
Yeah, but while they play identical, the Wii sure is the most inferior one because of all the cuts, shamefully. The Dreamcast port is actually pretty good compared to the PC, specially when playing with a VGA cable.Oh I didn't know it, I never played the original. I thought it was only on PC.
Now I saw a comparison with the Dreamcast version and they seem pretty identical, which surprised me, because I knew of the 40Mb limit for WW.
Yes the Wii can't emulate a full 80486, not with a missing dynamic core in Dosbox due to big-endian architecture.
Well then, it all seemed too good to be true.
About DOSBox, i guess it would be cool if a bounty is set up to have more improvements on that front. Though one of my most wanted dreams for the Wii is a PowerPC dynamic recompiler for the Ultra 64 hardware. Killer Instinct FTW.
I have low hopes that someone will ever try to improve dosbox wii, I searched around and found that someone already tried without success. The task is maybe not even possible, but I would surely donate a kidney for that to happen.About DOSBox, i guess it would be cool if a bounty is set up to have more improvements on that front. Though one of my most wanted dreams for the Wii is a PowerPC dynamic recompiler for the Ultra 64 hardware. Killer Instinct FTW.
This and better N64/PSX.
Just dreaming...
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