Homebrew Homebrew game MultiDRCSpaceDemo - Using two GamePads on a single console

[GaryOderNichts]

A space shooter demo using the Wii U's MultiDRC mode.

The Wii U has an unused feature allowing two GamePads to be connected to a single console.
Nintendo announced this back at the E3 2012 before the Wii U was released.
While this feature was never released it is still in the system files and can be used by homebrew applications.
This project acts as a small demo and example for using that MultiDRC mode.

Source
Downloads

Screenshots​

Controls​

I made several pull requests with the necessary functions to the Wii U toolchain repo, and I hope this encourages other homebrew developers to make use of this feature:
https://github.com/devkitPro/wut/pull/266
https://github.com/devkitPro/wut/pull/265
https://github.com/devkitPro/wut/pull/264

 

[AmandaRose]

Wow awesome work as always @GaryOderNichts

 

[zerofalcon]

Amazing work Gary!

 

[tehtemp]

Gary is one of the few developers keeping the Wii U alive and relevant close to 10 years after the Wii U was released!

Gary, do you think it will be possible for homebrew devs (namely emulators) to use the second gamepad as a controller with the screen on?

 

[GaryOderNichts]

Gary, do you think it will be possible for homebrew devs (namely emulators) to use the second gamepad as a controller with the screen on?

It is! And I hope more devs will make use of this.

 

[tehtemp]

It is! And I hope more devs will make use of this.

Awesome! Now let's see which emulator will implement MultiDRC first

 

[Extrems]

Not sure what GX2_SCAN_TARGET_TV1 is used for, from RE'ing GX2 it seems to copy the colorbuffer to some TV scanbuffer.

My guess is it would be for the 720p stereo 3D mode.

 

[niuus]

Interesting and very unexpected. Brings some cool ideas to the table.

 

[CORE]

Thats pretty awesome Great Job as usual @GaryOderNichts

But how do the GamePads Pair up? Are both already paired and both act as Primary Gamepad before load or do you pair through the Demo? Just curious.

 

[CMDreamer]

This unused feature makes me feel happy I've got two Wii U's (one is bricked though) each one with a gamepad.

Hope this functionality gets implemented soon on more homebrew apps, I'm imagining playing emulated games using two gamepads! Awesome!

Thanks a lot @GaryOderNichts !!!

 

[Deleted member 586536]

lol, the next step would to be making the switch emulate a wiiu gamepad, so you can then connect it to a real console. (because realistically, who on earth has two gamepads? I mean most people don't)
Anyways, cool to see the wiiu brew still kicking

 

[Lostbhoy]

Aw man, I need to buy another gamepad now.....

Fantastic find and effort as per usual @GaryOderNichts, I'd love to see what can come of this. Is it too far out there to think that it could be applied to say MK8 for a true one screen each multiplayer?

 

[GaryOderNichts]

Is it too far out there to think that it could be applied to say MK8 for a true one screen each multiplayer?

If someone spends a lot of time modding mario kart, maybe?

 

[yuyuyup]

It's really cool, but this homebrew serves as an example of the shame Nintendo should have for the Wii U debacle. 100% of people who first saw the Wii U assumed it would be multi-gamepad.

 

[RangoMcRoony]

Wow, this is amazing

 

[MikaDubbz]

Holy Shit, THIS has been one of the biggest features I wanted to see the homebrew scene implement since Nintendo never did. But never did I imagine that it would actually happen. Definitely gotta keep an eye on what this might do for the homebrew scene on the Wii U. I'm dying for each Game Pad to be able to emulate a Game Boy or maybe even Game Boy Advance game at the same time and have them able to wirelessly link up.

Gotta start looking for another Gamepad.

 

[MikaDubbz]

You know what would be a great homebrew for this? Liero, that old Worms 1 styled game where 2 people play as a worm fighting the whole round in real time, (traditionally) in split screen. But change that split screen to where each player gets their own screen, and you add a new layer of strategy to such a game where you can't screen watch to find each other. And I dunno, change the TV display to just the radar or something so that you can look up and get a general idea of where the other player is.

 

[Kopimist]

Finally I have a use for my 2nd gamepad! I knew it would be handy some day .

Can't wait for other devs to utilize this feature. I plan on trying out the space shooter game with my gf at some point. Awesome work @GaryOderNichts

 

[BrothersFiveGaming]

Holy Shit, THIS has been one of the biggest features I wanted to see the homebrew scene implement since Nintendo never did. But never did I imagine that it would actually happen. Definitely gotta keep an eye on what this might do for the homebrew scene on the Wii U. I'm dying for each Game Pad to be able to emulate a Game Boy or maybe even Game Boy Advance game at the same time and have them able to wirelessly link up.

Gotta start looking for another Gamepad.

Would love to see the GBA wireless link between Game Pads, hopefully creating a way to play things like Zelda Four Swords and Advance Wars.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Would love to see the GBA wireless link between Game Pads, hopefully creating a way to play things like Zelda Four Swords and Advance Wars.

Thing is, something like it should have already been feasible where one player has a gamepad and one has the TV, yet nothing has ever surfaced in this regard. There are Game Boy (Color) cores in retroarch that can emulate 2 GBCs at once on the Wii U (plus a really old Wii homebrew called gb4gb could emulate up to 4 Game Boys on the Wii at once). Feasibly it all should be possible with separate displays on the Wii U at least through the GBC, but no one that would know how to make such a thing has really surfaced and shown an interest as far as I know. Maybe someday though, one can always dream.