With the Monster Hunter (PSP, PS3) franchise's reputation secure over in Japan, it appears that Capcom's setting its sights elsewhere. A company executive has recently announced that they will be bringing MH's marketing campaign over to the west. Details are in the full article.

Over on our PSP Development forums, forum member fredddy has uploaded the first multiplayer version for his Lua Icy Tower homebrew game.

As my fellow blogger Max F. explains it, Lua Icy Tower is an Icy Town clone that has new moving platforms, a combo system, and a high score system - and Harold is now in a real icy tower." Plus, Harold's brother/evil clone/whatever Harold 2 has also been thrown into the mix this time.

Since this is the first version we don't have a long changelog to fluff this article up with, so we're going straight to the controls. For Player 1, the left and right buttons on the D-pad are used for movement, while the L shoulder button is used to jump. Player 2 moves using the Square and Circle buttons, while the R shoulder button is used for jumping.

Check out the screenshots below for a peek at the game. If you have any suggestions or bug reports, click on the "visit" link below.

  

Download: Lua Icy Tower M
Visit: PSP Development forums

Pong will never die out. Just look at the number of homebrew Pong games for the PSP. Another title makes its way onto the list of Pong games for the PSP, thanks to Lua coder Leo Cabrera, also known as L-28C.

 

The game, simply called Leo's Pong, is a Lua-based Pong game for the PSP (yes, you can call me Captain Obvious, but I think Robert Summa's got that name trademarked). According to the developer, this game has only been tested on on 3.03 and 3.10 custom firmwares and Lua Player .20.

Since this is the initial release, I can't fluff up this post with a long changelog, so let's just get right to the download. Click the link below to grab Leo's Pong.

Download: [Leo's Pong v1.0]

Psix, without a doubt, is the most controversial piece of homebrew ever released onto our laps. It was announced just over a year ago, and has hit more bumps on the development road than Microsoft has had with Windows Vista. After all the delays, cancellations, and additions to the team – Psix became a highly wanted shell.

 

After psix was released, there was a lot of hate going around – but we all have passed that stage now. People complained that Fluff/Naoneo did not release the source; others applauded the first release such as myself. We all waited for the next release which would bring even more features, and we are still waiting for even more now.

 

Here at QJ, we are the first, and the only to receive the source to psix. Yes, that is right, I have the source to the famous shell right in my hands, just ready to be uploaded. The source code is something to marvel at – the complexity, the sheer size of the archive, and the thing that matters most – the code to the fist PSP shell ever announced. After having received permission from the main man himself – we are distributing the source to psix below.

Download: [Psix v1.90 Source]

Once again, homebrew developer Art has released an updated version of his brainchild X-Flash homebrew firmware modification tool for your PSP. This app, when used with caution and enough knowledge, could alter and create a custom firmware for your PSP. The operative term in that sentence is enough knowledge - using it even if you have no idea what in the world you're doing could result to a bricked PSP. Unbricking it will require a minor miracle of sorts since  there is the possibility of unbricking it with Dark_Alex's Custom Firmware modification in Recovery mode.

Just some reminders from the good developer himself who divulge this development through our forums, "the original Dark_AleX Custom Firmware modification does not work under MPH firmware launcher 1.3.7. Simulation mode works correctly, but the firmware dump will probably become unusable with any firmware launcher if the custom firmware files are applied in simulation mode."

Aside from that, Art also wants you to know that you "can add to the config.txt file that X-Flash V12 writes in ms0:/PSP/SYSTEM, but do not edit the section that X-Flash creates if you want to use the configurator (you only need to change the file manually if you wish to add prx files)."

So here's what's new in this version:

- Support for applying Dark_AleX's latest custom firmware mod and reversal of it, complete with ASCII graphics configurator.
- Implement Freeplay & Fluff's Name Plate picture mod in the PSP's about screen. name_plate.png is checked for size and resolution.
- Program checks existence of Xflash/Dump, and Xflash/Registry folders when required, and creates them if they do not exist.
- Program checks for firmware dump before simulation mode starts.
- Program checks for at least 16Mb free space on memory stick  before firmware dump if the Xflash/Dump folder doesn't already exist.
- Menu code optimization.

And as always, your constructive criticisms, observations, suggestions, and other what-nots are most welcome in the comments section. Not only would you help the developer perfect the app, but you might also get your own ideas and, who knows, be able to do an app of this caliber, so speak up people!

Download: [X-Flash V12]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

Fluff from our forums has announced the availability of updated versions of his Psix homebrew shell application for the PSP. Many of you would have used the latest public version of his psix shell back in April, and users who bought a subscription to psix could receive beta updates and releases first. Now, Fluff has announced that under the new name of psix Exis, everything will be free! Here's what fluff said:

"Well, the first big change is that all psix versions, including betas are free to access, meaning you no longer need to sign up to access beta builds, however current members will still receive priority support and be able to influence the changes/path psix takes. Before people rise up and flame, membership sign up is not possible, so the current members will be the only members with such access."

Fluff has also said that the next release of psix Exis will contain backup UMD loading support for UMD games that require up to firmware 2.6, and audio player with fully functional playlists and save/load playlist functionality. Also, the new psix forums are now up and running which anybody can access without buying membership!

Visit: [psix Exis website]
View: [Forum discussion thread]