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General information
- Steam Community Discussions
- Steam Community Discussions (retired)
Availability
- A demo is available from Steam.
- Every version that deploys through/with Origin will overwrite other installations[Note 1] of the game.[4]
Monetization
- All of the DLC is now available in a bundle on Origin.
- Purchase just binds the DLC licenses to the EA account, which must have logged in in-game at least once to authorize their loading.
- The Origin and the new Steam versions will automatically download the DLC files, while the original Steam release and retail can use separate installers. Direct links are provided in the table below for convenience. The documentary, soundtrack, and artbook can be downloaded for free from this EA page.
- All DLC is free as of July 13, 2022.[5] DLC-Bundle is free as of August 15, 2022.
DLC and expansion packs
Essential improvements
Adjust all video settings
- The in-game graphics options are missing half of the actual settings, which are thus erratically left to the first run auto-detection to decide.[Note 2]
- The Steam and retail versions can also comfortably access the tool from the ME2 launcher.
Change settings in the Configuration Utility
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\Binaries\ .
- Run
MassEffect2Config.exe .
- Set the desired video settings.
- Save changes and close.
|
Skip intro videos
- Use Quick Startup mod to also skip the title screen
Delete or rename files
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\Movies\ .
- Delete or rename
BWLogo.bik and ME_EAsig_720p_v2_raw.bik .
|
Shorter loading screens
- The game waits for the loading screen animation to play completely at least once before leading to the gameplay
- Some loading screens might be part of the player experience (e.g. making sense of one's position on the Citadel, or special mission-specific transitions)
Patches
- Patch 1.03 is a cumulative update. The Origin/Steam versions are already patched.
- A major bug fix and overhaul mod. Works best with Early Recruitment.
Game data
In-game general settings.
- DLC files are saved in
<path-to-game>\BioGame\DLC
; an explanation of the folder names and which DLC they represent can be found here.
- Game can lose saves when the
%USERPROFILE%\Documents
path has been customized[9][10]
Configuration file(s) location
- Many other settings can be adjusted inside
Coalesced.ini
.
Save game data location
- For the folders used for importing saves see Mass Effect.
- Importing saves can be done through
MassEffect2Config.exe
- The save importer may not work. In this case, move the Mass Effect saves into an
ME1
folder inside the ME2 saves folder.[12]
Importing Xbox 360 Mass Effect 2 saves
Use Modio[13][14]
|
- Configure a USB device as a memory device on the 360
- Download Modio.[citation needed]
- Move the save file to the USB using the Xbox 360.
- Move the USB to the PC.
- Open the save with Modio.
- Upload the save here and download the processed file.
- Move the downloaded save to the appropriate folder.
|
Video
External video settings, see
above to access.
Use ThirteenAG's Mass Effect Trilogy FOV Fix
|
- Download the archive from here.
- Download and extract the archive to the game directory, where the exe is located (
Binaries or Binaries\Win32 )
Notes
- Automatically corrects in-game FOV (Hor+)
- Works with Origin version.
- Works with Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 3
- 16:9 only[citation needed]
|
- This method involves Coalesced.ini file.
Modify field of view[17][citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Backup then open
Coalesced.ini .
- Add the following line under the
[SFXGame.SFXGameModeDefault] section:Bindings=( Name="Period", Command="set SFXGame.SFXCameraMode FOV 100" )
- Edit the key name and FOV value to desired values.
- Save changes.
Notes
- Can be used in conjunction with Flawless Widescreen providing that "FOV Limiting" is disabled.
|
Disable Vsync[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
GamerSettings.ini .
- Add
UseVsync=False line under the [SystemSettings] section
- Save changes
|
Arrange frame rate smoothing[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
GamerSettings.ini .
- Add one of the following lines under the [SystemSettings] section:
SmoothFrameRate=False to completely disable the FPS cap
MaxSmoothedFrameRate=XX to raise the FPS cap (where XX is the threshold)
- Save changes
Notes
- You also need to disable Vsync for this to work (see Vertical sync (Vsync)).
|
Input
In-game general control settings.
In-game key map settings.
Disable Mouse acceleration[18][19]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
GamerSettings.ini .
- Add the following lines:
[Engine.PlayerInput]
bEnableMouseSmoothing=false
MouseSensitivity=0.15
[SFXGame.BioPlayerInput]
bUseMouseDampening=false
[SFXGame.BioSFHandler_PCConversation]
AccumulationDivisor=600.0f
- Save changes
- This may not work with the Origin or Steam versions. If this is the case, make these changes in
Coalesced.ini (see Editing Coalesced.ini).
|
Fix uneven and/or excessive mouse sensitivity
|
- Disable the Origin in-game overlay. The overlay (on Origin versions at least) is the cause of uneven mouse input and not mouse acceleration. Disabling fixes this.
If the mouse sensitivity is still too high, modify the variable in Coalesced.ini
- Locate the
Coalesced.ini file inside <path-to-game>\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked
- Make a backup copy of the file
- Open the file with a text editor that can handle UNIX-format files (Notepad++ is recommended)
- Search for and locate
MouseSensitivity
- Change the value from 1.0 to 0.2 or another desired value.
- Save the file.
Notes
- Do not modify anything else in the
Coalesced.ini otherwise ME2 will fail to start.[citation needed] If that happens, simply restore the backup copy and start again.
|
- This mod brings full XInput controller support to the game with haptic feedback support. This mod is currently complete (see official thread).
Enable joystick move to be used with mouse[21]
|
- Go to file location
<path-to-game>\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked
- Open the
Coalesced.ini file with a text editor.
- Under
[WinDrv.WindowsClient] , change the value for AllowJoystickInput from 0 to 1.
- Under
[SFXGame.SFXGameModeBase] , add the following lines:
Bindings=(Name="XboxTypeS_LeftX",Command="Axis aStrafe Speed=1.0 DeadZone=0.3")
Bindings=(Name="XboxTypeS_LeftY",Command="Axis aBaseY Speed=1.0 DeadZone=0.3")
Bindings=(Name="XboxTypeS_RightX",Command="Axis aTurn Speed=0.2 DeadZone=0.3")
Bindings=(Name="XboxTypeS_RightY",Command="Axis aLookup Speed=0.2 DeadZone=0.3")
- Download the ME2 Coalesced Fixer.
- Drag it to the
Coalesced.ini location and run the executable so that the game runs after the edits.
|
Audio
Audio feature |
State |
Notes |
Separate volume controls |
|
Music, sound effects and dialogue |
Surround sound |
|
5.0[22] (better HRTF can be achieved with DSOAL library[23]) |
Subtitles |
|
|
Closed captions |
|
Found under Gameplay settings in-game. |
Mute on focus lost |
|
|
Royalty free audio |
|
|
Localizations
- Language codes to be used in manual selection are highlighted in the notes.
- The later DLCs[Note 5] are not available for Eastern European locales,[24] see here for an install workaround.
Language |
UI |
Audio |
Sub |
Notes |
English |
|
|
|
INT . A British English mod exists. |
Czech |
|
|
|
CZE . Fan translation for DLCs, download. |
French |
|
|
|
FRA |
German |
|
|
|
DEU |
Hungarian |
|
|
|
HUN . Fan Patch for DLCs, available here. |
Italian |
|
|
|
ITA |
Polish |
|
|
|
POL . DLC translations can be found here, here and here. DLCs Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival didn't get a dub due to technical difficulties.[25] |
Brazilian Portuguese |
|
|
|
Translation. |
Russian |
|
|
|
RUS . Available here. A slightly improved translation is available. |
Spanish |
|
|
|
ESN |
Turkish |
|
|
|
A Turkish fan translation is available here. |
Changing language
- Steam version can simply adjust this setting from the game proprieties
Instructions
|
- Make sure the alternative language is installed
- Go to
<path-to-game>\Mass Effect 2\data .
- Open
sku.ini with a text editor
- Set
TextLanguage to one of the language codes above
Notes
-
VOLanguage only seems to work with the Polish retail build[26][27]
- This is also going to be the dubbing language for the next fix
|
Independent text and voiceover
- Unlike the previous game, subtitles are stored in the same file of the UI and other strings (so they can't be separated from normal text)
Replace the global text files[28][citation needed]
|
- Only the English localization is going to stick around when another one is installed (if even). With others, backups of the pertinent files from the YYY version will be needed
- Go to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\CookedPC .
- Copy
BIOGame_YYY.tlk and BioGame_Update_YYY.tlk
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Create the
BIOGame\Published\CookedPC directory
- Paste the aforementioned files, and rename their suffix from
YYY to XXX .
Notes
-
XXX is the language code for dubbing
-
YYY is the language code for everything else
|
VR support
Issues unresolved
EA Online password form doesn't accept special characters
- Includes ", *, /, :, <, >, ?, \ and |
Change your EA Online Account password to only alphanumeric characters[29]
|
- Length limits for both the e-mail address (100) and the password (16) also exist.[30]
|
Cerberus Network autologin failure
- Certain server-side changes at some point during the years presumably broke autologin
Crash on Prometheus Station Exterior (Overlord DLC)
Avoid selecting certain squadmates (Legion in particular) for the mission[31]
|
Issues fixed
Installation interrupted
Install the game from a shared drive from another computer[citation needed]
|
- Insert Disc 1 and share it through Windows.
- When the installer asks for the second drive, stop sharing the first disc, replace it with the second and start sharing it.
|
Fix the corrupted folder path in Windows registry[32]
|
- Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\BioWare\Mass Effect 2 .
- Find the
Path variable and edit it.
- Add a backslash (
\ ) to the end of the path string and hit OK.
- The game should now launch from Origin.
|
Physx Error on Startup
"The application has failed to start because ... configuration is incorrect" error
- The redist that the Origin edition comes with is actually older than the version required
"Unable to authorize the listed DLC" error
Get around the DLC integrity checks
|
- Download Binkw32 proxy DLL.
- Extract
me2_binkw32.zip to <path-to-game>\Binaries .
Notes
- Optionally, disable automatic login through in-game settings, to avoid error "Communication with the Mass Effect 2 server was interrupted or has timed out".
- If after installing the new
binkw32.dll , the game fails to start, giving an error like "binkw32.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error", try the GCC compiled version instead: https://github.com/Erik-JS/masseffect-binkw32/files/705674/binkw32-me2_gcc_alt.zip
|
Crash at the end of Kasumi's loyalty mission
Launch the game with the -nomoviestartup parameter[34]
|
- Game has to be restarted without this argument once past this section, to avoid missing out videos later
|
Dark lighting in cutscenes
Set the proper brightness in-game, once having checked display calibration is right[36][37]
|
Adjust filmic response shader[38]
|
- Open
<path-to-game>\Engine\Shaders\UberPostProcessBlendPixelShader.usf with a text editor.
- Find
float3 x = max(0,InLinearColour-0.004); on line 45
- Replace with
float3 x = max(0,InLinearColour);
- Alternatively, rather than deleted, the darkening factor could be tweaked to other ⩽0.001 values[39][40]
|
Clipping into walls/objects
- This method involves Coalesced.ini file.
Add the option to noclip out of the object[citation needed]
|
- Under
[SFXGame.SFXGameModeDefault] add:
Bindings=( Name="Add", Command="Ghost | OnRelease Walk")
Notes
- Holding the Numpad + key in-game will enable noclip until the key is released.
- Alternatively, if the console is enabled, hit Tab ↹, type
ghost and hit ↵ Enter. Then, when noclip is no longer needed, do the same and type walk .
|
Game freeze on Illium
- The freeze happens while walking through the ground-level corridor that connects to the other side of the map under Liara's office, which may cause a black screen and CTD.
- In most cases the problem is caused by incompatibility with the video or audio drivers of the user's computer.[citation needed]
Null ill-fated embedded video[41]
|
- Download Legendary Explorer.
- Run it and select the Package Editor tool.
- Open
<path-to-game>\BioGame\DLC\DLC_EXP_Part01\CookedPC\BioD_TwrHub_504LiaraDLC_LOC_int.pcc (or the matching DEU, FRA, ITA versions of the file if using one of these localizations).
- Browse the tree view to the
Video_Feron1 object, inside the BioApl_Dec_DataPadLiara package.
- On the right side, move to the Binary Interpreter tab (and press the big Parse binary button at the center if needed).
- Find the
BIKi string in the hex view (widen the central panel if ASCII characters can't be seen).
- After identifying the hex values that correspond to it, overwrite the four bytes (eight digits) afterwards with zeros.
- Click
Save Hex Changes and then Save the package.
|
Crash during vehicle chase on Illium
- In most cases the problem is caused by incompatibility with the video or audio drivers of the user's computer.
- The crash happens at the end of the taxi chase with Liara on Illium during the cutscene, where the game freezes completely showing either a frozen image or a black screen while the music continues.
Use config tool to change from fullscreen mode to windowed borderless
|
Run in Windows 7 compatibility mode
|
Launch the game with the -nomoviestartup parameter
|
Uninstall and re-install all game files and DLCs (or use Origin's Repair feature)
|
- Issue may still persist after all of these have been done.
Crash when entering the galaxy map
Re-enable audio[42]
|
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\BIOGame\Config\GamerSettings.ini
- Delete the
DisableAudio line.
- Save the file.
|
No sound even though it's On in the Configuration Utility
Make sure to disable any kind of OEM audio tool or enhancement[43][44]
|
Run the game in windowed or borderless window mode[45][citation needed]
|
Conrad Verner claims player has pointed gun at him
- To prevent this bug use ME1 Recalibrated in Mass Effect and Project Variety here
Fix save file variable[46][47]
|
- Download ME2 Gibbed modified Save Editor (or Trilogy Save Editor).
- Run it and open your actual savegame.
- Go to Plot tab and then to ME1 Imported plot table.
- Go to Flags sub-tab and untick [Conrad] (3) Intimidated Conrad (Renegade).
- Save changes
Notes
- This only works if the player has not spoken with the asari bar owner in Illium yet.
|
Importing ME1 character still launches the interactive story
- This happens if the Genesis DLC is installed (it can be un-checked during download on Origin)
- Can invalidate the ME1 character's decisions in place of new ones
Heavy geometry flicker and other artifacts
When moving the camera with the mouse the game starts stuttering/having performance problems
- This is likely an issue with the mouse polling rate on systems with Windows 10 installed
General stuttering or frame drops
Disable the Origin in-game overlay[49]
|
Disable ASUS Gamer OSD[50]
|
Selection circles on characters and interactable objects do not appear
- Lens flare can be disabled actually for good with a mod[51]
Make sure "LensFlares" is set to "true"[52]
|
- Open
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\BIOGame\Config\GamerSettings.ini
- Add or change the line
LensFlares= and set it to true .
- Save the file and exit.
|
Textures become black as you approach them
- You most likely had A Lot of Textures (ALOT) applied to the game in the past. Apply it again or use one of the fixes below.
Set the Texture LODs to Vanilla with LOD Switcher in ALOTInstaller's Settings
|
Delete Configuration Files
|
- Go to
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\BIOGame
- Delete the
Config folder.
- Launch the game.
|
Other information
API
Technical specs |
Supported |
Notes |
Direct3D |
9.0c |
|
Shader Model support |
3 |
|
Executable |
32-bit |
64-bit |
Notes |
Windows |
|
|
|
Middleware
|
Middleware |
Notes |
Physics |
PhysX |
Comes bundled with 2.8.0.7, but the system version is always forced. |
Audio |
Wwise |
Despite this, the game still ships with (inert) OpenAL dlls. |
Interface |
Scaleform |
|
Cutscenes |
Bink Video |
1.9e |
Unable to save any more games
Editing Coalesced.ini
- Some of the fixes for this game require the modification of this file, but editing it in the normal way will cause the game to crash.
Editing Coalesced.ini[citation needed]
|
- Locate the
Coalesced.ini inside <path-to-game>\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked .
- Open it with a text editor that can handle UNIX-format files (Notepad++ is recommended)
- Make the changes and save
- Download ME2IniFixer (mirror) and extract it to
<path-to-game>\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked .
- Run it from there.
Notes
- Do not use the default Windows Notepad (at least until Windows 10 1809). They will permanently corrupt the ini file.
|
Split the all-purpose Use key functions
Increase shadow resolution
Increase shadow resolution[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
GamerSettings.ini .
- Add under [SystemSettings]:
MinShadowResolution=256
MaxShadowResolution=4096
- Save changes
|
Disable Post-Processing Effects
- Some of the post-processing effects can be disabled in the game's GamerSettings.ini file. These effects include light bloom, and motion blur.
Disabling Depth of Field/Light Bloom/Motion Blur[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
GamerSettings.ini .
- Under [SystemSettings] add one or more of the following lines:
DepthOfField=False
Bloom=False
MotionBlur=False
- Save changes
|
- A longer list of options that can be added and altered under [SystemSettings] can be found here.
Mods
- Same-Gender Romances for ME2 allows Tali and Thane to be romanced by both male and female Shepard, utilizing unused dialogue in the game files. It also fixes issues with imported same-gender Ashley and Kaidan romances and allows and restores other same-gender content whenever possible.
- HUD Icon Fixes - ME2 DLC Weapons fixes a vanilla bug that incorrectly positions HUD weapon icons from Mass Effect 2 DLC.
- A Lot of Textures is a re-texture community project that brings extra details for the game, replacing around 1200 textures with high-resolution variants.
- A Lot Of Videos is a video upscaling community project that brings extra quality to the games pre-rendered cutscenes, replacing every video file with high-resolution variant.
- MEUITM2 updates textures & alternate character appearances, + more visual goodies for ME2. Works and is best used with ALOT. Must be installed ONLY after installing ALOT.
System requirements
Windows |
|
Minimum |
Recommended |
Operating system (OS) |
XP |
Vista, 7 |
Processor (CPU) |
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz
| Intel Core 2 Duo 2.6 GHz |
System memory (RAM) |
1 GB (XP) 2 GB (Vista, 7) |
2 GB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
15 GB | |
Video card (GPU) |
ATI Radeon X1600 Pro Nvidia GeForce 6800 256 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3 support |
ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB of VRAM |
- AMD video cards below minimum system requirements: ATI Radeon HD 3200, and HD 4350.
- Nvidia video cards below minimum system requirements: Nvidia GeForce 7300, 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 9300.
Notes
- ↑ The
Touchup.dat
Origin instructions file that is run at install and verification times, will check for previous installations through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bioware\ME2
- ↑ Even in the best case scenario, that still leaves the game sneakily short of the highest quality setting for anisotropic filtering. In the worst (depending on the GPU vendor or reported amount of dedicated memory) this spells demotion to the lowest AppCompat[6] bucket, which lacks spherical harmonics and most of the fundamental character cinematic lights.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Stores achievements, bonus unlocks and cross-campaign stats, as well as gameplay, sound and online account settings.[11]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data (use Wine regedit to access Windows registry paths). Games with Steam Cloud support may store data in
~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/2362420/
in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (2362420) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.
- ↑ Genesis, Lair of the Shadow Broker, Alternate Appearance Pack 2 and Arrival
References