Key points
- Use Mass Effect Mouse Fix to remove the game's mouse acceleration.
- Requires installation of PhysX legacy driver to start reliably
General information
- Official game site
- Mass Effect Wiki
- Steam Community Discussions
Availability
- SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).
DLC and expansion packs
- Origin version includes all DLC (existing Origin owners can install the latest update to get the DLC).
- Separate installers have been made free and are available for other game releases
Name |
Notes |
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Bring Down the Sky |
|
|
Pinnacle Station |
|
|
Essential improvements
Skip intro videos
Skip intro videos[5]
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\CookedPC\Movies\ .
- Delete or rename
BWLogo.bik , db_standard.bik and ME_EAsig_720p_v2_raw.bik .
|
Skip relay videos[citation needed]
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\CookedPC\Movies\ .
- Delete or rename
GLO_01_Relay.bik and UCW_Loading_Flyby.bik .
|
Patches
- The latest patch is update 1.02 which fixes various issues. The Steam and Origin versions are already patched.
- Fixes bugs not resolved by the official patches
Game data
In-game general settings.
Configuration file(s) location
Save game data location
Video settings
Template:Video settings
Force borderless windowed mode[citation needed]
|
- Set the game to run in windowed mode in the in-game video settings, make sure it's set to the same resolution as your desktop.
- Close the game. Make sure you haven't set the game to run in compatibility mode for XP nor Vista, the former causes borderless to be glitchy and the latter leads to a crash. Compatibility mode for 7 (if you're running 8+) is fine, should you need it.
- Install Borderless Gaming.
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\Splash .
- Delete or rename
Splash.bmp , this prevents Borderless Gaming from making the splash window borderless, as this causes a crash for unknown reasons. Be aware that the MEUITM mod adds a new splash image, so be sure to re-delete/rename it again should you choose to install/reinstall it.
- Run the game and wait for it to get to the main menu.
- Run Borderless Gaming, click
Mass Effect on the left panel, click the arrow pointing to the right.
- In a few moments the game window should become borderless fullscreen. If Borderless Gaming isn't making the game borderless try running Borderless Gaming as administrator.[7]
- If UI elements are clipping off-screen, in Bordlerless Gaming, right click
Mass Effect under Favorites , and check No Size Change .
|
High quality AF[8]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
BIOEngine.ini .
- Go to
[SystemSettings] section and edit the following values like below
Trilinear=TRUE
MaxAnisotropy=16
- High quality AF is automatically enabled by ALOT.
|
Depth of field
Input settings
In-game general control settings.
In-game key map settings.
Template:Input settings
Add reinstated controller functionality[9]
|
- Download ME1 Controller Support mod
- Extract
Config content in the configuration files location
- Extract
Mass Effect content in <path-to-game>
Notes
- Installing this MOD will break some elements of the keyboard and mouse support. The console will work fine. If you want to play with keyboard and mouse, uninstall this mod.
- The ini substitutes are read only to prevent game from overwriting them. Unset this when adjusting options.
- To change sensitivity go to the configuration files location, open
BIOInput.ini and adjust following values.
LookRightScale=24
LookUpScale=20
|
Audio settings
Template:Audio settings
Localizations
Language |
UI |
Audio |
Sub |
Notes |
English |
|
|
|
|
Czech |
|
|
|
Retail only. Patch for this release here. Doesn't contain translation for Pinnacle Station. Unofficial patch which brings localization to digital release here.[10][11][12] |
French |
|
|
|
|
German |
|
|
|
|
Hungarian |
|
|
|
Retail only[13] |
Italian |
|
|
|
|
Polish |
|
|
|
Retail only[14] |
Russian |
|
|
|
Retail only. Digital version here |
Spanish |
|
|
|
|
No surround sound
Force native OpenAL device[8][15]
|
- Make sure to have a working non-Generic Software OpenAL implementation
- Make the game use updated OpenAL libraries
- Go to the configuration files location.
- Open
BioEngine.ini .
- Search for
[ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice] class
- Delete any value after
DeviceName=
Notes
- If needed, force a specific audio device by inserting its name (as reported by ALC_ENUMERATION_EXT in EnumerateWin32)
- Changing any of the audio settings in-game will reset the last steps, which will have to be redone
|
VR support
Issues unresolved
Playing in 4:3 resolutions like 1600x1200(useful for non-widescreen monitors and projectors) results in some menu screens displaying incorrectly: the left and right hand sides of the screen are clipped (as if "zoomed in" too far), so important information cannot be seen (like journal details and the map legend). Screens affected include: Map, Party Selection, Planet details, and Journal. Currently the only known fix is to use a 16:9 screen resolution when playing, like 1920x1080.
People and objects become black
Disable lighting[16][citation needed]
|
Your squad, enemies, and objects that can be interacted with become boxy black blobs. This is a known problem on newer AMD processors - as the game uses the 3DNow! instruction set which was dropped in 2010 starting with the FX series of processors. To fix change the viewmode to unlit.
- First you will need to enable the developer console.
- Boot up Mass Effect, open the developer console by hitting ~ and type in
viewmode unlit . Should be good to go.
- It's possible these issues will only affect you in very specific areas, namely an area on Noveria and another on Ilos. After exiting these areas you can use
viewmode lit to revert Mass Effect to its normal lighting. There's a possibility you will need to unequip then reequip armor to fix them after doing so.
|
Black screen after loading a save
Black screen after loading a save[citation needed]
|
If the whole screen is black except for the UI, then Shepard fell through the Normandy and the save is bugged. Only happens on the Normandy, in the Engineering part of the ship. Never save there.
|
Use console command[citation needed]
|
Activate the console (instructions on how to enable the console further down) and type At BIOA_NOR00 Start_BIOA_NOR00_01 and press ↵ Enter. This will place you at the entrance to the Normandy and you will be able to save and load your game with no problems. If you fall through anywhere else in the game, pctweaks has a comprehensive list of all the "At string newArea" commands.
|
Issues fixed
- TweakGuides has created a comprehensive guide for fixing issues in this game[5]
Game simply doesn't start
Crash after splash screen or black screen
Use updated OpenAL[20]
|
- Install latest OpenAL
- Delete or rename
OpenAL32.dll and wrap_oal.dll from <path-to-game>\Binaries
|
Launcher crashes (retail)
Install latest patch[citation needed]
|
Game always asks for admin permissions (Windows 8.1 +)
- This is also responsible for Steam Controller and Steam overlay not working.
Workaround broken Application Compatibility Engine and shim
|
- Open an elevated command prompt.
- Run the following command:
FOR /F "skip=2 tokens=2,*" %A IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\bioware\mass effect" /v Path /reg:32') DO REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers" /v "%B"^\Binaries\MassEffect.exe /t REG_SZ /d RUNASINVOKER
Notes
- It's highly recommended to remove leftover registry values to avoid issues in other games.[21]
|
Failed to compile shader ** error
Retail: reinstall game[citation needed]
|
Origin: repair game[citation needed]
|
Therum missing textures
- If when you get to Therum most of the ground is black, then you've got a common texture problem. Some of the black area is safe to drive on but some of it will kill you outright, making it quite hard to navigate.
Therum Missing Textures[22][citation needed]
|
- To restore the texture, go to
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Published\CookedPC .
- Delete
LocalShaderCache-PC-D3D-SM3.upk .
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\CookedPC .
- Delete or rename
LocalShaderCache-PC-D3D-SM3.upk .
- Restart and Therum should look fine.
Notes
- The game will take longer to boot on the first run after performing the above steps. This is due to the engine recaching all of the textures. Following the first boot, each subsequent boot up should be as normal.
- This issue is only found on Therum, so if the above steps do not solve the problem, you can continue to play as normal.
|
IGameExplorer --> Verify Access. Unable to verify access to the game
IGameExplorer --> Verify Access. Unable to verify access to the game.
|
If you receive this message, it may be fixed by running the .exe in compatibility mode for Windows XP Service Pack 2. Be sure to do this for the actual MassEffect.exe and not the launcher. The final folder tree will be \Mass Effect\Binaries\MassEffect.exe. The preceding folders will of course depend on how you installed the game (via Steam, via Origin etc.).
- To set the compatibility mode, right click the .exe, select properties.
- Go to the compatibility tab, select an option from the drop down list.
|
No high resolution option
No high resolution option[citation needed]
|
The resolution listbox in graphics options does have up/down arrows on the right side, which are easily overlooked, that allow you to choose higher resolutions like 1920x1080.
|
Disable hardware audio
|
- Un-check "Use Hardware" in in-game "Sound" settings
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config\BioEngine.ini
- Add or replace the following lines under the [ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice] section:
[ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice]
DeviceName=Generic Software
UseEffectsProcessing=True
|
Dialogue and other audio cutting out
Increase # of sound sources & update rate
|
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config\BioEngine.ini
- Add or replace the following lines under the [ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice] section:
[ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice]
MaxChannels=128
TotalAvailableChannels=128
TimeBetweenHWUpdates=1
ReserveChannels=2
|
Other information
API
Technical specs |
Supported |
Notes |
Direct3D |
9 |
|
Shader Model support |
3 |
|
Executable |
32-bit |
64-bit |
Notes |
Windows |
|
|
|
Middleware
|
Middleware |
Notes |
Physics |
PhysX |
2.7.2 |
Audio |
ISACT, [23] OpenAL |
|
Interface |
Scaleform |
|
Cutscenes |
Bink Video |
1.8v |
Improves stability on 64 bit systems with at least 3GB RAM by allowing the application to use more than 2GB RAM.
Low res textures fix
Force highest quality textures[24]
|
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config\BioEngine.ini
- Replace the following three lines:
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Diff=(MinLODSize=32,MaxLODSize=512,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Norm=(MinLODSize=32,MaxLODSize=512,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Spec=(MinLODSize=32,MaxLODSize=256,LODBias=0)
- ...with these lines:
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Diff=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Norm=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Character_Spec=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
- Similar high quality textures are automatically enabled by ALOT (ALOT sets the Min and Max LODSize to 4096).
|
Mods
ALOT for Mass effect 1 (complements MEUITM)
Install mod[citation needed]
|
- Download and install ALOT
- A compilation of textures not covered in MEUITM. Regularly updated, applies LAA, indirectsound, and texture bioengine.ini tweaks automatically for the user (very user friendly).
- MEUITM can be installed through ALOT.
- Install all non-texture based content/mods (such as the free DLC or the ME1 Controller Support mod) before ALOT.
|
Mass Effect Updated/Improved Textures Mod
Install mod[citation needed]
|
- Download and install MEUITM
- Regularly updated, applies LAA and texture bioengine.ini tweaks automatically for the user. Has mod options (picking different versions of textures) optional installs of ReShade, Indirectsound, and more (very user friendly).
- Can be installed through ALOT.
- Install all non-texture based content/mods (such as the free DLC or the ME1 Controller Support mod) before MEUITM.
|
Enable developer console
Edit BioInput.ini[25]
|
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config\BioInput.ini
- Add the following line below
Engine.Console so that this section looks like:
[Engine.Console]
ConsoleKey=Tilde
- If you have an AZERTY keyboard, the correct line is
ConsoleKey=²
|
System requirements
Windows |
|
Minimum |
Recommended |
Operating system (OS) |
XP |
Vista |
Processor (CPU) |
Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz AMD Athlon XP 2400+ 2.0 GHz |
Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 3700+ 2.2 GHz |
System memory (RAM) |
1 GB (XP) 2 GB (Vista) |
2 GB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
12 GB | |
Video card (GPU) |
Nvidia GeForce 6800 ATI Radeon X1300 XT 256 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support |
Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX ATI Radeon X1800 XL 512 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support |
Notes
- ↑ SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10[3] or Windows 11 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed.[4]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
References