Action Analysis of the Battle UI of Kingdom Hearts (PS2 game by SquareEnix)
Mapping of a Dualshock2 Controller

Controller Assignments

Input L1 button L2 button R1 button R2 button Directional buttons Left Analog Stick Right Analog Stick START button SELECT button button button Action/Control Hold down to display magic shortcut menu Rotate camera angle Toggle target lock on/off Rotate camera angle Move cursor in command menu Move character in world; Move cursor in menu screen Move cursor in command menu Opens menu screen; Pauses during battle and cut scenes Toggles between view Commands a party member to perform an action toward a target Cancel; Jump; Press with L1 to cast an assigned spell

button button

Select; Attack; Press with L1 to cast an assigned spell Use special ability; Press with L1 to cast an assigned spell
Selecting an action from a sub-command menu during combat Notes: The game is run in active/real time such that all actions from all involved entities can occur simultaneously. So, as a player (which replaces what would normally be referred to as a user) selects actions from his command menu, he will be continuing to play in the game world (i.e. combat, maneuvering). Thus, time is critical. The player is assumed to be focusing on the main area of the screen where the game world is represented. The menu is located in the lower-left corner. The players left thumb is on the Left Analog Stick and the right thumb is on the X button. The players left index is on the L1 button and the right index is on the R1 button. Moving a players thumb between an analog stick and either the directional/X button(s) will be considered homing as both positions are common and naturalized, but at a 0.3 seconds time as opposed to the 0.4 seconds as it is easier to move a thumb than an entire hand (such as moving hand to the F-keys or the keypad. It is also assumed that the player will instinctively use the Right Analog stick to select menu options rather than deciding between that and the direction buttons. If that this situation is included, then the time should be increased by approximately 1.2 seconds as it makes the player choose among methods to control the menu cursor.

Action Analysis

Action Player focuses on the command menu Player chooses among options in the command menu Player homes thumb to Right Analog Stick Player moves cursor with the Right Analog Stick to intended action Player homes thumb to X button Player selects option Player chooses among options in the sub-command menu Time (s) Notes 0.23 Moves eyes from battle to the command menu 1.2 0.3 1.1 0.3 0.1 1.2 Single X button press Decides which action is appropriate Fitzs Law (using average) to select action Decides which menu is appropriate
Player homes thumb to Right Analog Stick Player moves cursor with the Right Analog Stick to intended action Player homes thumb to X button Player selects option Player homes thumb to X button Total
0.3 1.1 Fitzs Law (using average) to select action
0.3 0.1 0.3 6.53 Single X button press This allows the player to return to the initial state
A standard actions analysis shows that it should take the average user to choose an action, from a first level submenu, approximately 6.53 seconds.
Observations and Suggestions for Improvement
Because the game is in active time, the longer it takes to perform actions, the more detrimental it is to the player. Also, the mechanics of the controller and the way buttons are pressed do not allow the player to perform other actions such as jumping, dodging, or attacking. An improvement would be to swap the controls of the R1 button and the X button so that the X button is used to toggle target lock on/off and the R1 button is used to attack and select options. If that were the case, then the players right thumb would be homed onto the Right Analog Stick. This would reduce the amount of time from 6.53 seconds to 5.03 seconds. Action Player focuses on the command menu Player chooses among options in the command menu Player moves cursor with the Right Analog Stick to intended action Player selects option Player chooses among options in the sub-command menu Player moves cursor with the Right Analog Stick to intended action Player selects option Total Time (s) Notes 0.23 Moves eyes from battle to the command menu 1.2 1.1 0.1 1.2 1.1 0.1 5.03 Decides which menu is appropriate Fitzs Law (using average) to select action Single R1 button press Decides which action is appropriate Fitzs Law (using average) to select action Single R1 button press

3 April 2007

By: Alexandru Stanescu, Editor, Gaming Reviews (Consoles)
Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix + Secrets and Unlockables (PS2)
A must-have for those collectors out there!
In September 2006, Square Enix announced they would develop Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+, featuring new scenes and gameplay elements. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ is a 2-disc set. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, which added content including extra cutscenes and optional bosses to Kingdom Hearts II. The second disc contains Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, a 3D PS2 version remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts' graphics, extra scenes, and voiceover for particular scenes. The battle system continues the card gameplay, with the addition of using Reaction Commands. The game was released in Japan on March 29, 2007. Several independent sources state that a release in North America will occur in fall 2007 with no confirmation from Square Enix.UnlockablesNew ModesReverse/Rebirth mode - Complete the game once Theater mode - Complete the game once SecretsFaster Unlimited Heartless Battles Without Map CardsIf you do not wish to (or cannot) use False Bounty, then try this. Warp to the entrance room of a world from a different floor, and there will be Heartless there. Defeat them, then warp to a different floor. You may repeat this as many times as desired without using a single Map Card. Heartless battles without Map Cards.In order to have unlimited battles with Heartless without wasting your Map Cards simply save your game. Then use a False Bounty and open the 2 chests that contain Heartless but always leave the one with the treasure close. Once you've fought the 2 Heartless chests, get out of the room and re-enter, both Heartless chests will be close again for you to fight them again.Repeat this process as many times as you want to level up without using any extra Map Cards.Unlockable cardsComplete the task in order to get the card.Ansem Card in Sora's Story - Beat Reverse Rebirth and find it in a chest in Castle Oblivion Bambi Summon Card - Lead Pooh to the end of 100 Acre Wood Blazing Donald Skill - Open Key of Rewards Door in Agrabah Blizzrad Raid - Use Calm Bounty in Olympus Colleseum Captain Hook Card - Beat Captain Hook Cloud summon card - Defeat Hades Darkside Card - Beat Darkside Diamond Dust - Beat the game with Sora once. Then load your game and use a Calm Bounty in Castle Oblivion.(You do not have to beat Reverse/Rebirth) Dragon Maleficent Card - Beat Maleficent Dumbo summon card - Finish "Monstro" level Elixir card - In 100 hundred acre wood lead pooh in to the hole with tracks leading into it. Firaga Break - Use Calm Bounty in Twilight Town Fire Raid - Use Calm Bounty in Halloween Town Genie Summon Card - Defeat Jafar Gifted Miracle - Use Calm Bounty in Halloween Town Gravity - Use Calm Bounty in Agrabah Gravity Raid Skill - Open Key of Rewards Door in Halloween Town Hades Card - Beat Hades SummonsWhere to get each summon:Chicken Little - In the 100 Acre Wood, after the world's second cutscene. Genie - Defeat Volcano Lord and Blizzard Lord Peter Pan - In the ship graveyard in the second visit to Port Royal. Stitch - In the hallway to the computer room in Hollow Bastion, after you get Master Form. Unlockables 2How to Unlock the Fight against the ES/AUTo be able to go against this secret boss, first you must have completed the game, which means you must defeat the end boss, Xemnas. Since now you can save after defeating the game's end boss. The other objective would be to defeat the 5 Organization XIII members in their "Absent Silhouette" battles. Their battles can be accessed in different parts of the game worlds. After both of those are done, a portal will be open in Disney Castle "Hall of the CornerStone". The portal leads to the secret boss. Organization Xll Battles - Absent SilhouetteFight the Five Defeated Organization XIII members that were not seen in the original story:Larxene Port Royal - Isla de la Muerte Lexaeus Twilight Town(2nd Time) - The Sandlot Marluxia Beast's Castle(2nd Time) -
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Beast's Room Vexen Agrabah(2nd Time) - Merchant's Shop Zexion Underworld - Cave of the Dead Theater ModeTheater Mode allows the viewer to view the cutscenes from the games. Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix allows the viewer to watch them in English and Japanese. To unlock Theater Mode, one must have completed both Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories on a memory card, to unlock Theater Mode in both games.Theater Mode in Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix Complete Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix Theater Mode in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories Complete Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix Unlock new secret endingBeginner Mode - Cannot be unlocked on this mode Critical Mode - Complete all worlds Proud Mode - Beat all new org battles, Complete all worlds, Beat E.S (Knight boss) Standard Mode - Beat all new org battles , Complete all worlds, Complete Jiminy's journal (need Mickey sign next to it), Beat E.S (Knight boss) Fresh FMV out of the freshest Kingdom Hearts title on the market:

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