Mass Effect Mods

[T4rd]

Calling Dan_D , our resident ME SME, or anyone else who has modded ME reliably before.

I've only played through the ME games once despite them being one of my favorite series. I played them all on PC right around the time ME3 launched so it was perfect timing then.

So despite having a nice backlog of other highly rated games I could be playing, I want to play through the ME games again and thought I should at least update the graphics a bit since there's plenty of mods available to do so.

Initially I installed my Steam copy just to make sure it would run alright on Win10 and my setup, which it did run albeit of course it doesn't support my 21:9 ultrawide properly (cuts off the top/bottom of the menus to fill the horizontal space), as expected. I have Flawless Widescreen installed as it seems highly recommended and helped me with Wolfenstein TNO as well. But its fixes doesn't seem to apply to the game for whatever reason.

I searched and found this MEUITM mod installer that updates all the textures and stuff, but I'm having issues getting it to work properly; initially I got some render errors upon launching the game, but I figured out I can fix that just by deleting/renaming the "BIOEngine.ini" file in the ME Config folder (the one in your documents folder, not in the game files). Now the games textures are all jacked up and missing starting with the character creation screen at the beginning as there's no textures on Shep's face. The troubleshooting section of the description on that mod page references this issue for newer (2008+) AMD CPUs, so I followed the fix there to rename/delete the "LocalShaderCache-PC-D3D-SM3.upk" file from both "CookedPC" folders in your Documents folder and from the game's install directory, but that file doesn't exist in the game's install directory for me, only in my Documents folder (which I went ahead and renamed and it did fix the crappy looking clothes and Earth texture on the main menu, but Shep is still missing his face texture on the character creation menu).

So here's where I am with getting this mod to work:

Anyone have any tips to either fix this or other mods that definitely still work?

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Forgot to list my specs in case that helps:

Ryzen 2700X, RTX 2080, 32GB RAM @ 3000 MHz.

 

[Dan_D]

I made mods for ME2 and ME3. ME1 is a slightly different animal. However, those mods do work. However, you need to be using a fully patched and virgin game installation with absolutely NO changes to them. Any mods you do install, may have a specific installation order as many mod packs do some of the same things or modify the same files. The last one installed will be the one that wins out in those cases. I would do things like Flawless Widescreen Fixer AFTER you install every other mod.

I installed one of the mod packs for ME1 and then undid what I didn't like. That's about the extent of what I did with that game. Unfortunately, its the least supported and least modded of the series.

 

[T4rd]

I made mods for ME2 and ME3. ME1 is a slightly different animal. However, those mods do work. However, you need to be using a fully patched and virgin game installation with absolutely NO changes to them. Any mods you do install, may have a specific installation order as many mod packs do some of the same things or modify the same files. The last one installed will be the one that wins out in those cases. I would do things like Flawless Widescreen Fixer AFTER you install every other mod.

I installed one of the mod packs for ME1 and then undid what I didn't like. That's about the extent of what I did with that game. Unfortunately, its the least supported and least modded of the series.

This is the only mod I've attempted to install other than this Ultrawide Mod which just has me paste in some new files in that same "CookedPC" directory in the game's install folder, which did fix that for me so now the menus display properly. I've uninstalled the ME profile from Flawless Ultrawide since I got that working and didn't want it to interfere with anything else.

So have you installed any graphical mods for ME1 then? Just curious if you have any other recommendations for that or even any experience running them. Thanks for the quick response!

 

[Dan_D]

I have, but it's been a long time. I don't actually recall what all I've done to that one. ME2 and ME3 are the ones I played allot more and therefore modded more.

EDIT: I don't actually have Mass Effect 1 installed right now. Or I'd look and see what I did. I think I did use MEUITM before, but I can't say for certain.

 

[T4rd]

I have, but it's been a long time. I don't actually recall what all I've done to that one. ME2 and ME3 are the ones I played allot more and therefore modded more.

Ok, thanks again. I assumed the Steam version is the latest patched version, but I'll have to double check that I guess.

So can you recommend any ME2 and ME3 mods to run once I get around to playing those as well?

 

[Dan_D]

The big ones are the "ALOT" mods and the MExRecalibrated mods. Those are probably the two big ones to do for ME2 and ME3. Past that, it would depend on what you want. Nexusmods has everything out there that I know of. Many of my mods (Under the name DeadMeat) I made are used in other mod packs. After that its individual texture mods if you don't like something in the packs. I like the Tali romance mod (adds nudity), Miranda Mod (allows her to join Normandy in ME3), and a few others which restore cut content, or up the quality of the content by adding more. A MUST for ME3 is going to be the MEHEM (Mass Effect Happy Ending Mod). The shorter version of that with no Star Brat is the way to go.

Whenever you get a combination of things working, make a backup of the entire folder and make sure Steam or Origin are NOT allowed to update the game at all once patched initially. It will undo and break mods. But make full backup installs of your modded stuff that works. You'll start breaking stuff once you install ALOT or some of the other larger packs. Oh, the EGM mod for Mass Effect 3 is AMAZING. It adds tons of content.

EDIT: Lastly, there is an alternate dream sequence mod that eliminates the Star Brat from those as well. You get dreams about the trauma's and experiences for your unique Shepard instead. Even the creator of the mod doesn't know how many possible variations of the dreams there are.

 

[T4rd]

Well shit, not sure if it's new to the current Steam Beta, but there's no option to disable updates to the game on Steam now.

Thanks again! I saw you mention before too that there were some mods to change the (mostly disappointing) ME3 ending as well? Is that part of those ALOT and MExRecalibrated mods that I'll see once I look them up and install them?

 

[Armenius]

You can keep the game from updating by playing it offline. If you apply a patch to the game after it downloads Steam won't attempt to update it unless you check the file integrity, so if you do any kind of downgrade or fanpatch you shouldn't need to worry about it.

 

[Dan_D]

Well shit, not sure if it's new to the current Steam Beta, but there's no option to disable updates to the game on Steam now.

View attachment 188383

Thanks again! I saw you mention before too that there were some mods to change the (mostly disappointing) ME3 ending as well? Is that part of those ALOT and MExRecalibrated mods that I'll see once I look them up and install them?

The ending mod for Mass Effect 3 is called MEHEM or Mass Effect Happy Ending Mod. It's separate from the other mod packs like EGM and ALOT.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

I really have nothing to add to this thread, and it's a semi-bump. But I'm also appreciative of the tips and mods. I am about to start up my first ME run-through in about 2-3 years. The content add ons will definitely be welcome in ME2/3. I just hope I don't break anything with all these installers.

 

[Dan_D]

I really have nothing to add to this thread, and it's a semi-bump. But I'm also appreciative of the tips and mods. I am about to start up my first ME run-through in about 2-3 years. The content add ons will definitely be welcome in ME2/3. I just hope I don't break anything with all these installers.

I can help you if you do.

 

[Frraksurred]

I apologize for resurrecting this thread, but I just went through this for the first time and thought I'd share what I learned.

There are some excellent mods for ME1 (all 3 actually), but they are particular in the way they must be installed.

1. Download & Install Mass Effect
2. Start ME and setup your Video preferences. Remember the drop down for Screen Resolution does not display all resolutions, you must hover the mouse over the resolution drop down box without dropping it down, and use the left & right arrow keys to browse to the res you want. Save & exit ME
3. Download all the mods you want into one folder. Nexus Mods is an excellent resource for this. DO NOT extract or install anything yet.
   1. Critical Mods will be MEUITM, ALOT of Textures & ALOT of Videos (as of this post)
4. Install any non-content mods fiirst, meaning mods like "Faster Elevators". Mods with textures, models, videos... such as the ones I just listed above, need to be done at the end
5. After you've installed any non-conntent mods you want, extract 'ALOT of Textures', open the extracted folder and start up the Installer. It will update itself. DO NOT use it to install anything to ME yet
6. With the ALOT Installer open, note any files listed as Required or Recommended. If you have not downloaded them already, do so now
7. With the ALOT Installer open, drag and drop each (one by one) of the remaining Mods you've downloaded onto the top box of the Installer. You should see a popup window displaying the mod being "Imported"
8. Once all that is done, at the bottom of the ALOT Installer is the button to "Install to ME". The installation will take several minutes

Game looks great all things considered, worth the hassle. Still, wish the mods instructions had been clearer. Hope this helps.

 

[w35t]

I apologize for resurrecting this thread, but I just went through this for the first time and thought I'd share what I learned.

There are some excellent mods for ME1 (all 3 actually), but they are particular in the way they must be installed.
...
Hope this helps.

So do these instructions hold true for all 3? Idk about the first one but I could actually see myself playing through 2 again, this may just be the incentive I need =D

 

[T4rd]

I apologize for resurrecting this thread, but I just went through this for the first time and thought I'd share what I learned.

There are some excellent mods for ME1 (all 3 actually), but they are particular in the way they must be installed.

1. Download & Install Mass Effect
2. Start ME and setup your Video preferences. Remember the drop down for Screen Resolution does not display all resolutions, you must hover the mouse over the resolution drop down box without dropping it down, and use the left & right arrow keys to browse to the res you want. Save & exit ME
3. Download all the mods you want into one folder. Nexus Mods is an excellent resource for this. DO NOT extract or install anything yet.
   1. Critical Mods will be MEUITM, ALOT of Textures & ALOT of Videos (as of this post)
4. Install any non-content mods fiirst, meaning mods like "Faster Elevators". Mods with textures, models, videos... such as the ones I just listed above, need to be done at the end
5. After you've installed any non-conntent mods you want, extract 'ALOT of Textures', open the extracted folder and start up the Installer. It will update itself. DO NOT use it to install anything to ME yet
6. With the ALOT Installer open, note any files listed as Required or Recommended. If you have not downloaded them already, do so now
7. With the ALOT Installer open, drag and drop each (one by one) of the remaining Mods you've downloaded onto the top box of the Installer. You should see a popup window displaying the mod being "Imported"
8. Once all that is done, at the bottom of the ALOT Installer is the button to "Install to ME". The installation will take several minutes

Game looks great all things considered, worth the hassle. Still, wish the mods instructions had been clearer. Hope this helps.

Thanks a ton for this. I actually gave up trying to get it working and moved onto another game in my back log, heh. I'll definitely try it again soon though now that I have clear instructions. But did you by any chance play it with a 21:9 monitor/resolution? Because I need to and wonder where that mod would fall within your posted update instructions (guessing that wouldn't count as a content mod). From what I remember, Flawless Widescreen worked on ME despite my post above saying otherwise, but that's not a game mod, just a tool to fix older games to support those resolutions.

 

[Frraksurred]

Thanks a ton for this. I actually gave up trying to get it working and moved onto another game in my back log, heh. I'll definitely try it again soon though now that I have clear instructions. But did you by any chance play it with a 21:9 monitor/resolution? Because I need to and wonder where that mod would fall within your posted update instructions (guessing that wouldn't count as a content mod). From what I remember, Flawless Widescreen worked on ME despite my post above saying otherwise, but that's not a game mod, just a tool to fix older games to support those resolutions.

My pleasure. There were some videos on Youtube that helped me out if you get stuck. They weren't the greatest, hence my guide, but if you're more visual they can still provide some tips. As far as 21:9, the best resource I found was here. A bit involved, but it looks to fix several issues, including videos and cutscenes. I imagine you've seen the page already though, if you've already tried Flawless Widescreen.

 

[Frraksurred]

So do these instructions hold true for all 3? Idk about the first one but I could actually see myself playing through 2 again, this may just be the incentive I need =D

I haven't tried it on 2 or 3 yet, but I believe so. I did notice the Installer for ALOT of Textures was designed to work for all 3. However I would check Mod Nexus to specific mod compatibility.