It's been awhile since I've written an article, but I couldn't miss out on this one. Dark_AleX, the author of many firmware hacks and mods, such as the PRX Decrypters and some of the latest downgraders we're sure you've heard about, has now released his latest creation - Custom Firmware: The proof of concept.

As you can tell from the name of it, it is a customized firmware, which is still in its early stage. Dark_AleX has added quite some features to this firmware, and will make you actually burn this firmware into your PSP. Although he has already tried this on his own PSP, this doesn't mean he takes any responsibility on unpredicted casualties. So, you are warned, you will take a risk of bricking your PSP if you try this out (but in fact whatever you are doing with homebrew, you take that warning for sure). And don't worry about going back to the official firmware. I will explain later.

Here are the features of this firmware:

• Execution of normal pbp's (1.00 ones, no-kxploited)
  - This means you will no longer need to have 2 similar folders in your PSP/GAME folder to make a homebrew run. Very convenient.
• Possibility of hiding corrupt icons. (Note: by default it's not enabled, look at the file /PSP/SYSTEM/config.txt to see how to enable it).
  - So, even if you stick with 2-folder 1.50 PBPs, you will feel better with this feature.
  
• Possibility of skipping the SCE logo at the startup. (and in this way avoid the annoying auto-execution of the UMD). Like the previous one, this is not enabled by default.
  - What else can we say? This is of course useful: no stupid auto-start when you forget to take your UMD out of the UMD drive. Great.
  
• "Recovery mode:". If you keep R pressed while starting the psp, it will enter in "Recovery mode".
  Recovery mode is not more than a simple application that will let you to use the usb, and execute a program under ms0:/PSP/GAME/UPDATE/EBOOT.PBP, that could be, for example, a sony updater or the 1.50 -> 1.00 downdater.
  This would allow to recover potential bricks caused by the writing of bad fonts/videos/sounds... to the flash.
  (Note that this wouldn't allow to recover critical things like the overwriting of critical prx's)
  - Yes, you read it. With this mod, you may have a chance to unbrick your PSP, if it was caused by the writing of bad fonts/videos/sounds to the flash. (Note that this wouldn't allow to recover critical things like the overwriting of critical prx's)
• Autoexecution of a program at the startup. See the configuration file at /PSP/SYSTEM/config.txt to see how to use it.
  - Very handy, especially for folks who want to boot directly to DevHook nowadays, or any favorite program immediately.
  

How to install it then? Very simple. After downloaded the zip file and opened it, you will see 4 items. Just drag & drop the "PSP" one into the root of your memory stick, and proceed with any overwrite warnings.

You can access the file "config.txt" in PSP/SYSTEM with your notepad program, to modify your experience with this mod later. This file is well commented, you will understand what to do when you see it on your own. After the files are copied, you just browse to the program "Custom Firmware - The proof of concept" and run. Files will be flashed to your PSP. And then, you are done.

We can tell that there can be many possibilities thru this kind of customized firmware. In fact, we cannot tell what the future of custom firmware holds right now, but we are definitely looking forward to see how this unfolds. And let's cheer again for the  inspired developer Dark_AleX and his latest creation! Thanks!

Download: [Custom Firmware - The Proof of Concept]
Discuss: [Forum release thread]
Digg it! (Thank you all for your support, Digg has lifted the ban of QJ.net!)

Flagon has released his project Net Tic Tac Toe for both PSP and DS. I bet you know what Tic Tac Toe is, so I won't have to explain anything about the gameplay. However, this homebrew lets you play between a PSP and a DS. Currently the IP address is hard-coded into the source, so you can only launch it on two handhelds and wait for them to establish a game.

Download: [Net Tic Tac Toe for PSP]
Download: [Net Tic Tac Toe for DS]

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has announced the version 2.70 system software update for Japanese PSP (Model PSP-1000). This update is slated for 14:00, April 25, GMT+9:00 (1:00AM, April 25, EDT). Here are the details of this update:

  
[Network]

• [Internet Browser] now supports Macromedia Flash contents playback.
  *You need to enable the Flash contents playback in the [System Settings].
  *The version of the flash player is Macromedia Flash Player 6 (a part of the functions is not supported).
• The settings of the [Internet Browser] is added into [Settings] -> [Connection Settings]
• The audio contents from channels in the [RSS Channel] section now can be saved into your memory stick.
• [Auto] option added to [Rate Change] in [Location Free Player].
  *More about the Location Free base station can be found [here].

 
[Music]

• Added file extension to playable AAC format.

 
[Settings]

• Added [Enable Flash Player] in [System Settings].
  *To change this option, you need to connect to the internet.
• "Simplified Chinese" and "Traditional Chinese" added to [System Settings] -> [System Language].
• Added [RSS Channel Settings].
• Added [UMD Video L & R Button] into [Video Settings].

[Others]

• Fixed some issues when using a memory stick with more than 2GB free space.
  *This problem has not happened among the memory sticks sold in Japan until April 24.

So, there you got it. And please note that the old warning is still there:

"CAUTION: This update is only for customers who obtained PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) for Japan (PSP-1000 series). Upon completion of preparing, we will announce update information for the other countries/areas customers via SCE Group Web Site or other channels . For these customers who obtained PSP® in the other countries/areas, please DO NOT update PSP® through this web site. There are no guarantee of proper operation of the other PSP®."

You won't void your warranty, but it's not cool to do so in Sony's opinion. ;-)

Thanks for the email heads-up, Kynadr!

Spessi has emailed us his homebrew game Chickenhunter. This game is a clone of a German game called "Moorhuhn", in which you try to kill as many chickens as possible in the given 90 seconds.

Download: [Chickenhunter Stable Version]

Thanks for the email, Spessi!

Montrob from the forums has updated released his LUA game WildSniper to version 1.52. In it, you use the D-pad to move your pointer in order to shoot enemies. The right trigger is used to fire a shot, and pressing start will exit the game. Here are some details of the new version:

Changes:

• Added death animations
• Added more enemies, bullets, collisions, and health
• Added a menu
• New 4/19/06 - Now you cant shoot a single enemy more than once without shooting a different one
• Added 2 player support
• Fixed timer bug
• Probably more stuff i cant think of right now
• New 4/21/06 - changed left and right triggers for players

Todo:

• Add moving enemies
• Add timed enemy appearance
• Add difficulty levels
• Fix death animations

Known Bugs:

• NONE

You will need Lua player to play this game.

Download: [LUA WildSniper v1.52]

Thanks for the release and the email hint, Montrob!

MaSt3r_ShAk3 from our forums has released LUA Avalanche V1 today. Avalanche is an updated version of his Stick Avalanche, but he decided to give it a new name since this version has got a lot of changes since the last one. Here comes the details:

Changelog from V1:

• Music!
• A sound when you die
• 2 spikes now fall at once *yay*
• Slower speed increase
• New/Better GFX!
• Loading screen gone
• Pressing Select now brings you back to the lowser
• better collision

To-Do:

• Have no blinking when spikes reach bottom
• Catch a red ball and get 5 points
• Hi-Score

You will need Lua player to play this game.

Download: [LUA Avalanche V1]

Thanks for the release and the news, MaSt3r_ShAk3.

Quinnsoft (aka darkshadow88 in our forums) has updated his PSP game "So Do We Have a Deal or What?" to version 0.40. In this game you have to choose among the cases for different values. More details can be found in the readme. Here is the changelog:

0.40:

• Sound volume increased significantly (phone now clearly audible)
• Cases/boxes are now removed when opened (as opposed to the number being grayed out)
• Display of how many cases are left to open
• Values of opened cases are now faded out instead of being completely removed
  

You will need Lua player to play this game.

Download: [So Do We Have a Deal or What? v0.40 US Version]
Download: [So Do We Have a Deal or What? v0.40 UK Version]

Thanks for the hint, Quinnsoft!

Quinnsoft (aka darkshadow88 in our forums) has updated his PSP game "So Do We Have a Deal or What?" to version 0.20. In this game you have to choose among the cases for different values. More details can be found in the readme. Here is the changelog:

0.20:

• Statistics for total earnings, total possible, and a ratio between the two added.  Total possible is defined as either the highest offer, the value of the player's case, or, in the UK version, the other case if the game gets to the last two cases, whichever is greatest.

0.12:

• First UK Version
• Your case is now highlighted green
  

You will need Lua player to play this game.

Download: [So Do We Have a Deal or What? v0.20 US Version]
Download: [So Do We Have a Deal or What? v0.20 UK Version]

Thanks for the hint, Quinnsoft!

Quinnsoft (aka darkshadow88 in our forums) has updated his PSP game So Do We Have a Deal or What? to version 0.11. In this game you have to choose among the cases for different values. More details can be found in the readme. Here is the changelog:

0.11:

• Made some slight modifications to the offer-calculating code

You will need Lua player to play this game.

Download: [So Do We Have a Deal or What? 0.11]

Thanks for the hint, Quinnsoft!

Danzel, the author of AFKIM, has released the stand-alone source code of the new OSK (On-Screen Keyboard) in his 2.0 version of AFKIM. Other developers in the scene can now reuse the source code to embed this OSK into their own homebrews to offer a better way of character input.

The name of the OSK, "Danzeff", is a combination of "Danzel" and "Jeff Chen", the names of whom designed this input method.  We have posted a detailed report on this OSK before.

Download: [Danzeff OSK Source Code]

Thanks for the heads-up, cooldocy795!