HOW TO KINGDOM HEARTS 2 RANDOMIZE

YOU NEED

  • Windows, probably. I can't guarantee that any of this will work on Mac or Linux, let alone all of it.
  • This PS2 emulator: PCSX2 1.6.0
  • A handful of files: Download from Google Drive
    • PS2 BIOS: scph39001.bin
    • Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix iso, Japanese release, patched with English text: KH2FM patched.ISO (4 GB)
    • Garden of Assemblage randomizer mod: F266B00B_GoA.pnach
    • A randomizer seed file! This file is what you replace every time you want to play a new seed. F266B00B.pnach
  • A game controller. Technically optional; I think you can teach the emulator to recognize your keyboard inputs but I can't help you with that. Xbox controllers usually plug and play but you might need DS4Windows for a PS4 controller or JoyToKey for a Switch controller.
  • Important Check Tracker: On Github (download .exe)

SETUP STEPS

  • Install PCSX2 1.6.0.
  • Find PCSX2 "bios" folder (for me it's Documents/PCSX2/bios). Put the bios file in there.
  • Find PCSX2 "cheats" folder (for me it's Documents/PCSX2/cheats). Put both of your mod files (F266B00B*.pnach) in this folder.
  • Download KH2 Final Mix iso and put it in a safe place, wherever you like.
  • Launch PCSX2, make sure System > Enable Cheats is checked, select the KH2 iso from CDVD > ISO Selector > Browse..., and run with System > Boot ISO (fast)
  • If you're like me, you might have to fuck with your controller mapping in Config > Controllers (PAD) > Plugin Settings. I recommend swapping X and O inputs to match the English release of KH2 (the Japanese release flips them!)

PLAYING A RUN

All Styles
  • Generate a new seed here or get it from the friend you're playing with. Recommended settings:
    • Turn Critical Mode off if you won't be playing on Critical difficulty (it awards items at the beginning you can't access without playing on Crit. Ask me how I know)
    • Turn up form EXP multipliers at least 2x (recommend 5x for Valor) unless you loooooove grinding forms.
    • On the Include tab, set Keyblade Abilities to Action/Support to lower the odds of Scan/Second Chance/Once More being on keyblades.
    • Turn off any enemies you don't want to risk fighting e.g. Lingering Will, Sephiroth, Data Org XIII
    • Use a fun string for the seed :D
  • Download the seed (F266B00B.pnach) and replace the existing seed in your cheats/ directory.
Vanilla
  • Generate a hints file here; don't forget to turn on the Promise Charm check if you want. If you're playing with a friend, you can and probably should both use the same hints file.
  • Launch KHTracker.exe, load the hints file with Options > Mode > Load JSmartee Hints and navigate to the hints file you downloaded. Every time you discover a Secret Ansem Report, it will reveal how many important checks are in one world. Proofs must be in hinted worlds, and the hint pointing to the world must also be in a hinted world. Worlds will turn blue if they are hinted hints (more likely to contain a proof). There are special rules for drive forms and torn pages; check the hints site for details.
  • Start autotracking with Options > Auto Tracking > PCSX2.
Bingo
  • Use Bingosync for a card; the game is Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and the Variant is Current.
  • Launch KHTracker.exe, load the seed with Options > Mode > Load Shananas Hintless Seed and navigate to F266B00B.pnach (the seed file, not the randomizer mod). Worlds will count up as you discover important checks there and turn blue when there are no more important checks left there.
  • Start autotracking with Options > Auto Tracking > PCSX2.
Other Variants

Usually played as 'achieve the win condition, plus find all the proofs and defeat Xemnas' but live your best life and do what you want!

  • All Blue Numbers (ABN): Use the hintless seed system, and play until all the worlds are blue. This will probably be when you have discovered all important checks (though Second Chance and/or Once More may be stuck on keyblades, and if so, are not required to count towards ABN).
  • Yeet the Bear: Use whatever hint system you like, but you must clear the last minigame in Hundred Acre Wood (which requires finding all the Torn Pages). There is a special setting when generating JSmartee hints to force all the Torn Pages to be hinted.

FAQ

   Q: What the fuck is KH2 Rando?
   A: IDK how you ended up here without hearing me and/or Janis talk (or tweet) our heads off about this game.
   Q: No, really. Help.
   A: Once upon a time, some genius took inspiration from other randomizers made in the past and made a mod for Kingdom Hearts 2 that takes every single item and ability you earn throughout the game and redistributes them randomly. For a fun demo/introduction, I recommend GDQ's The First Step episode! It's usually played as a speedrun, so the goal is to find everything you need to win as fast as possible.
   Q: How do you win?
   A: Final Mix introduced three items that give Sora a bronze, silver, or gold crown depending on how many you've collected. The items are the Proof of Peace, Proof of Nonexistence, and Proof of Connection, collectively referred to as the "proofs". In a randomizer run where every item is randomly distributed, they might be anywhere. The goal of randomizer is to collect all three proofs and then go beat the crap out of Xemnas, the final boss of the game.
   Q: That sounds hard!
   A: Yep! It's actually pretty complex to learn to play this game! It might be easier to familiarize yourself with bingo (Bingosync), where you tick off squares for beating certain bosses, collecting certain items, or watching certain cutscenes.
   Q: How long will it take?
   A: An experienced player can burn through an average run in about 3 hours, but expect significantly longer than that when you're learning the ropes.
   Q: If I play with people, will we all be playing the same game?
   A: Yep! As long as the random seeds are the same, the items will be in the same place for everyone.
   Q: What does this tracker thing do?
   A: It reads the PS2 emulator's memory to track which important checks you've found in which worlds. It also provides hints (see different play styles above!)
   Q: What the hell is a "check"?
   A: A "check" is any time the game gives you an item or ability, which is now randomized. Mostly we use it to refer to treasure chests, but technically it also means any item you get for playing through the plot or leveling up.
   Q: So what the hell is an "important check"?
   A: Some items are necessary to collect to access more checks, and some are just especially OP. Important checks include:

    • The 3 Proofs
    • All of Sora's magic (3x Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Cure, Magnet, Reflect)
    • 5 Drive Forms
    • 5 Torn Pages
    • 4 Summons
    • Once More
    • Second Chance
    • (Optional) Promise Charm, a shortcut to the final boss
    • (Optional) All 13 Secret Ansem Reports, which are used in collaboration with the tracker system to provide hints.
   Q: I don't know anything about Kingdom Hearts 2 :( None of this means anything to me!
   A: Don't worry! Hit me up with questions anytime!
   Q: But I don't wanna!
   A: I'm sad, but not the boss of you! Feel free to come watch us stream on Discord whenever we're online!

RESOURCES

  • Seed Generator, for generating random seeds for new runs
  • Hint generator, for generating hints that you can load into a tracker
  • Checklist, a list of all the checks (Google sheet)
  • Maps that show where all the treasure chests are (Google sheet)