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How does the X/O swap on japanese PS Vita systems work exactly?

F

Foshy

Member
I want a lime green Vita, which apparently won't be released in Europe, so I'm looking into importing one from Japan.

Just one question about the X/O button swap: Is it hard coded into the system so that in games where you'd normally have to press X to execute an action you have to press O instead? Or does it only affect the system menu?

If it's the latter, I don't mind at all, whereas I probably couldn't deal with the former.
 
Its fully hardcoded to the System and every game.

I had to sell my PAL Vita because Gravity Daze displays O for confirm but I had to press X on the PAL Vita.
 
The problem is that it's not consistent. It will work differently depending on software. Some EU/US software will reverse it, some will not.
 
Imported one at launch and can confirm it seems to vary depending on the software, honestly though I don't find it a problem but it really seems to throw some people off.
 
zoobzone said:
Its fully hardcoded to the System and every game.

I had to sell my PAL Vita because Gravity Daze displays O for confirm but I had to press X on the PAL Vita.
Click to expand...

Wait, this confuses me. X for confirm is exactly what I want as I'll primarily be playing PAL games. Will the JP Vita reverse it?

In any case, it would only switch it for menus and not gameplay, right? Let's say I'm playing LBP or Rayman, X would always be jump and it wouldn't be switched to O.
 
Foshy said:
Wait, this confuses me. X for confirm is exactly what I want as I'll primarily be playing PAL games. Will the JP Vita reverse it?
Click to expand...

No my situation was the opposite of what you wanted to do. So in your case the Japanese Vita would have O for confirm but the games will tell you to press X, even tho you still have to press O.
 
Gustav said:
The problem is that it's not consistent. It will work differently depending on software. Some EU/US software will reverse it, some will not.
Click to expand...

This. Depends on the game. You'll get used to it though eventually.
 
Had a psp and never understood why non-asian games used x to confirm and o to cancel. When you receive your tests do the crosses mean you got the problem correct? O.o
 
If I'd had to guess the way Sony have it set up is that there is a system wide function for accepting which is dependent on the hardware; and there is a per game specific function which devs control. For most games its on the game side instead of the OS/Firmware.

But some games like Muramasa(JP ver) use the firmware select version. Which means when playing the digital version on my EU vita X selects even though it displays O. But when playing on my JP vita its the reverse.

Its not consistent which is kinda silly. Sen no Kiseki uses JP selection ingame but if you try and save etc it switches back to EU in the Vita system then back again when it completes. I have got stuck in menus before as it switches on the fly.
 
zoobzone said:
No my situation was the opposite of what you wanted to do. So in your case the Japanese Vita would have O for confirm but the games will tell you to press X, even tho you still have to press O.
Click to expand...

Logically, no the American way doesn't make sense. My best guess is because X is the closest button to one's right thumb and because a player may be "confirming" more than doing the opposite, the western branches of Sony just decided to make the switch.
 
What bugs me out is that Nintendo uses A (right) for confirm in Europe and PS systems uses X (bottom)

EDIT: I didn't read it before posting. You're wrong, Nintendo doesn't have the same structure than the 360 pad (which is the WRONG structure. SNES for life)
 
_hekk05 said:
Had a psp and never understood why non-asian games used x to confirm and o to cancel. When you receive your tests do the crosses mean you got the problem correct? O.o
Click to expand...

Cross can mean a positive in the West, as in crossing something, crossing in an empty square etc. Circle is non-representative in that aspect, you circle something to accentuate maybe, but not in a right/wrong context. But O is also close to a zero, so maybe there is that as well.
 
Gartooth said:
For instance in Nintendo games A would be confirm and B would be cancel, and I think this is just Sony mirroring that for consistency for users given that X is in the same spot that A would be, and the same goes for O and B.
Click to expand...

Have you ever looked at a Nintendo controller?
 
JP Vita games played on my US system retain JP X/O for confirming in menus and stuff like that, so I assume that US games played on a JP Vita will retain the US X/O settings.
 
The inconsistency is maddening as someone who imports often. I wish Sony would just allow a system option to switch or if more games can just have proper button config.
 
Gustav said:
The problem is that it's not consistent. It will work differently depending on software. Some EU/US software will reverse it, some will not.
Click to expand...

This. Some games are hard coded to use certain buttons, others use the system defaults... it's a bloody mess... This is the way it's been since the PS2 days even.
 
alekth said:
Cross can mean a positive in the West, as in crossing something, crossing in an empty square etc. Circle is non-representative in that aspect, you circle something to accentuate maybe, but not in a right/wrong context. But O is also close to a zero, so maybe there is that as well.
Click to expand...

You guys ever step into an arcade? O is always good and X is always bad.
The Japanese machines anyway

I got used to it eventually, but it was still a pain in the butt.
 
RMI said:
JP Vita games played on my US system retain JP X/O for confirming in menus and stuff like that, so I assume that US games played on a JP Vita will retain the US X/O settings.
Click to expand...

It mostly depends on the software. I have some games where O is confirm while others use X. It's not too bad, honestly.
 
Are you ever supposed to press a different button than what is says on the screen?

E.g. an ingame message saying "Press X to continue", here you are supposed to press X even on a JP Vita, right? I understand that all confirms etc in the system menus etc will be O
 
It's pretty random, as others have said. But it's not a deal at all, you'll get used to it in like less than a minute.

Circle should be accept anyway.
 
_hekk05 said:
Had a psp and never understood why non-asian games used x to confirm and o to cancel. When you receive your tests do the crosses mean you got the problem correct? O.o
Click to expand...

I don't think other countries have nearly as strong a culturally ingrained association with X=no O=yes as Japan. It's more about button positioning than the meaning of the icons on the buttons for Americans at least.
 
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