Breaking open an ISO

The .iso contains all of the files for Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. You need to break it open to access these files. Getting an .iso is up to you.

Method 1: Using Dolphin - best method for playing on Dolphin
Video tutorial from Yoshi2: plUi3Ak-B98

For this method, use the latest dev version of Dolphin. This section assumes that you are using the latest dev version of Dolphin as well.

To extract:

 * 1) Right click on a vanilla .iso in Dolphin.
 * 2) Go to Properties -> Filesystem,
 * 3) Right click on “Disc” and extract everything.
 * 4) Go to your Dolphin game directory, and create a new folder
 * 5) Select the folder that you just created
 * 6) From that folder, you can change out files at will

Once extracted, refresh Dolphin, and a .dol should appear. That .dol runs from the files that you just extracted.

Note that .iso root folders extracted using this method cannot be recompiled into .isos using Gcrebuilder, shown in the next method.

Method 2: Decompiling / Recompiling an .iso using GCRebuilder
Video tutorial from GoombaNL: MOORFRgjdyU&t=107s

Gcrebuilder can also be used to break up an .iso. Use this is if you want to edit the non-grayed out boxes in the image below, like short name, description, basically the editable boxes on the left side of the image below, or if you need a .iso file to play on Nintendont.

Unpacking an iso:

 * 1) Image -> Open -> select the .iso
 * 2) On the right, you should see a folder diagram.
 * 3) In the directory to the right, right click on root -> Export -> save to wherever

To recompile an .iso:

 * 1) Options -> Check “Do not use game.toc”
 * 2) Root (top left corner) -> Open -> select the root folder
 * 3) Root -> Save -> choose a location and name (hopefully not over your vanilla .iso)
 * 4) Root -> Rebuild

Testing
It is far easier to out mods in production on Dolphin, using an extracted file system. However, before a public release, it is a good idea to test on console via Nintendont or some other means to get rid of any possible crashes.

Filesystem Compatibility
If you want to make the folder for the Dolphin extraction / the root for GCRebuilder to be the same, decompile an .iso using GCRebuilder, then copy the &&SystemData folder into the “files” folder with the extraction. Then, delete the GCRebuilder-extracted files.

Crashes
Dolphin catches fewer crashes than Nintendont. However, I have found that, as a general rule, if a mod does not crash on the latest dev version of Dolphin, it will not crash on Nintendont, even if there are differences in gameplay. Other versions of Dolphin such as Faster Melee will not crash for stuff that will crash on Nintendont / The latest dev version of dolphin.

Method 3: Patching an .iso with the MKDD Track Patcher
This is for installing course mods that other people have made; if you want to access / modify / test individual course files, do one of the methods above.

See How to play Custom Tracks for details.