Fun and Games
Mass Effect
Mass Effect is a set of BioWare games. Several BioWare games allow the main character to romance companions and other non-player characters. Some of the romancable characters can be same-gender or alien.
The Mass Effect games can be modified, or saved games can be modified to add functionality or correct bad decisions. Nexus Mods provide modifications for Mass Effect and other games. The METweeksModManager needs to be installed. Then find and download the zip file containing the mod. Note that there are two versions of each mod, the ME and the LE version. The LE version is required for the Legendary Edition. The mod can then be loaded, installed, and, endorsed in the mod manager. Note that a mod can’t be endorsed within 15 minutes of being downloaded.
The romances resulted in complaints about the games, which were not justifiable. Curiously Mass Effect 1, 2, and 3 have the dialogues, voice overs, and video for same-gender romancing. These features were disabled to avoid more complaints. Nexus provide modifications to reactivate these.
Character Classes
Adepts are biotic specialists. They can only wear light armor and can only train with pistols. They can’t master technology.
Soldiers have improved health and can use a range of weapons. They can build up to wearing heavy armor. They can’t master biotics or technology. The can initially only wear light armor. They can master First Aid and medicine.
Vanguards combine the skills of Adepts and Soldiers.
Sentinals have technology skills as well as biotics.
Infiltrators combine combat and technology skills.
Asari Scientists have biotics skills and can master Electronics and First Aid.
Krogan Battlemasters combine Vanguard and Soldier skills.
Quarian Machinists are Engineers that can’t have Medicine skills but can use shotguns.
A Turian Agent is similar to an Infiltrator.
Mass Effect 1
The main character Shepard can have two companions. The choice of companions can make a difference to the difficulty of missions. Shepard defaults to a Soldier, but as a Sentinal makes the character more versatile.
Controls are not always as documented. Check the options menu keyboard bindings.
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Left shift activates the HUD to change weapons and use biotics.
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Press g to throw a grenade at the targetted are. Press g again to detonate.
Companions
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Kaidan Alenko is a Sentinal, available from the start.
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Ashley Williams is a Soldier, available at Eden Prime.
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Garrus Vakarian is a Turian Agent, available at Citadel.
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Urdnot Wrex is a Krogan Battlemaster, available at Citadel.
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Tali’Zorah nar Rayya is a Quarian Machinist, available at Citadel.
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Liara T’Soni is an Asari Scientist, available at Therum.
SSV Normandy
The SSV Normandy is a state of the art spaceship that transports the crew to the various locations. The first companion Kaidan Alenko is on board. He can be romanced.
The galaxy has a number of star system clusters or sectors. Each cluster has one or more star systems. Each star system has one or more planets. There are several types of planet.
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Uninhabitable and of zero interest.
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Surveyable for resources.
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Landable with anomalies, resources, and small bases. A team is dropped in a Mako rover for short, secondary missions.
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Landable with a large base that the Normandy can dock with for main missions.
Eden Prime
This is the first mission where a Prothean beacon has been discovered. The second companion Ashley Williams joins. She can be romanced.
After the Eden Prime mission, when back on Normandy, a romance with Kaidan or Ashley can be started.
Citadel
The Citadel is the second mission. There are a number of secondary mission that become available both on the Citadel and other worlds.
The main bad guy Saron is introduced and three main missions become available. The main missions can be completed in any order. They are designed to track down Saron and his plans. After completing each of these, additional romance dialogues become available.
Other potential companions are introduced.
Therum
Therum is a planet in the Artemis \(\tau\), Knossos system. It contains a mine with Prothean relics.
This was completed first, you can flirt more with a romance interest while discussing the mission.
Feros
Feros is in the Attica \(\beta\) Theseus system.
Make sure that you have the grenades to knock out the colonists and try and save all 16 of them.
Noveria
It is in the Horsehead Nebula.
Take Wrex and Liara.
This is where you meet and kill the matriarch.
Vermire
This mission becomes available after completing two of the previous missions.
One of Ashley or Kaidan will die at the end of this mission. You have to choose which one.
Once Vermire is completed you have to go to the Citadel. This will be the last chance to complete any Citadel missions. Once you get back control of Normandy, you have a last chance to complete any other secondary missions before landing on Ilos.
Citadel
Once Vermire is completed you need to go to the Citadel. Normandy gets locked down. Finish any Citadel mission. Anderson will enable the Ilos mission.
Secondary Missions
Make sure that you complete all of these that you want to do now if you haven’t already completed them between previous missions.
Having completed several secondary missions before Vermire took romancing dialogues beyond flirting!
Hades \(\gamma\) Cluster
UNC: Hostage, Farinita.
UNC: Hostile Takeover (2), Dis, Klensal.
UNC: Missing Survey Team, Antaeus, Trebin.
Gemini \(\sigma\) Cluster
Ming System, MVC Worthington ship.
UNC: Hostile Takeover (1), Han, Mangolin.
Missing Marines & Asari Diplomacy: Artemis \(\tau\) Cluster
The Macedon System has a planet Sharjila with minerals, a mercenary base, and a debris artifact.
Asary Diplomacy is availbale after second Citadel visit.
It has a planet Edolus in the Sparta system where the marines went missing.
Unusual Readings: Argos latexmath[:\rho]
This is in Hydra. Planet Metgos.
Citadel : Presidium Prophet
This is an easy one to resolve.
Citadel : Homecoming
This is an easy one to resolve.
Citadel : Scan the Keepers
Talk to Charbon by a keeper. He will ask you to scan 20 keepers.
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Next to Charbon.
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Top tier SW corner.
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Middle tier behind admiral.
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Middle tier NW corner left of stairs down.
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W near elevator and Avina.
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NW near wards access.
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Embassy Loung balcony.
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Embassy Lounge NE Computer Room.
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Ebmbassies offices.
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Near Consort Rooms.
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W of Consort after statue.
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Room above Emporium.
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C-Sec Requisitions Office.
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C-Sec Traffic Control Room.
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Alliance Dock by Normandy gantry.
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Upper wards behind clinic.
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Upper wards NW of upper markets.
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Upper wards N wall between wards access and Chora’s Den.
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Flux upstairs behind Quasar machines.
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Wards access in small N room on corridor between lifts.
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Lower warxs in fron of C-Sec.
Citadel : Planting a Bug
Plant bug in C-Sec Control Room. Given by Emily Wong.
Citadel : The Fan
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Autograph
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Photograph
UNC: Lost Module : Attican \(\beta\) Cluster
Hercules System, Elatana.
UNC: Privateer, UNC: Hostile Takeover : Horsehead Nebula
Fortuna System, Amaranthine; Engineering Outpost.
Strenuus system. There is an object near the planet Xawin. Select it and then land on Xawin to find the missing soldier.
UNC: Major Kyle : Hawking \(\eta\)
Century, Presop. Strange Transmission - UNC: Major Kyle.
UNC Rogue VI : Sol System
There is a rogue VI on Local Cluster, Sol System, Luna.
Geth Activities : Armstrong Nebula Cluster
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Gagarib, Rayingi
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Tereshham, Antbear
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Hong, Casbin
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Vamshi, Maji
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Grissan, Solkrun
UNC: Exogenie Faciltiy, UNC Colony of the Dead : Maroon Sea
Vostock, Investigate Facility - UNC: Exogenia Facility.
Caspian, MSV Cornucopia ship.
Mataw, Chasor, UNC Colony of the Dead.
Garrus: Find Dr Saleon : Kepler Verge
Hershel, MSV Fidele
Unusual Readings : Argos \(\rho\)
Hydrax, Metgos.
Investigate Shipments; UNC: Cerberus : Voyager Ckuster
Amazon
Yangtse, Beth
Ilos
Complete any secondary missions before landing on Ilos. There is no going back.
On the way to Ilos, a romance can be consumated!
This finishes with a timed dash to a portal.
Citadel
The portal takes you to the Citadel for end game.
Mass Effect 2
A Mass Effect 1 Shepard character can be imported, rather than create a new character. Shepard’s appearance is imported. Decisions, particularly ones that led to characters dying are imported.
The game opens with the Normandy being destroyed and Shepard dies.
Note that once you start a mission, you have to finish it or load a save from before starting it! Always save before leaving Normandy!
Bypass
You need bypass to open doors and other things to progress the game. This involves selecting four pairs of electronic symbols. How-ver over the symbols to find the pairs. Once you find a pair click on them in quick succession. If you are not fast enough they won’t link! The bypass itself is timed.
Lazarus Station
Shepard is bought back to life and has to escape the station aided by Jacob Taylor, a human biotic. They later meet Miranda Lawson, a human Cerberus, who joins them. There are a lot of action sequences where the placeyer has no control, and fight scenes where saving the game is not possible. It is important to save the game at every opportunity in case Shepard gets killed.
You meet the Illusive Man who gives you the Freedom’s Progress mission.
Freedom’s Progress
This mission is to find a Quarian with evidence of the enemy Collectors. Tali appears with a Quarian team.
You meet the Illusive Man who gives you missions to recruit four team members.
This starts the Stop the Collectors main mission and Shepard gets command of the new Normandy SR-2.
Omega
DLC: Dossier: The Veteran - Zaeed
You can recruit Zaeed with a simple conversation.
Dossier: The Professor - Mordin
There is a mission to recruit The Professor, Mordin Solas. This should be done early to enable new weapons research on Normandy.
Talk to Mordin in his clinic. He will join you once you have but the cure in the ventilation and restarted the two fans. This is a difficult fight. There is a strategy that works. You can’t save the game after entering the environment control area until you have completed the mission!
Enter the environment control area and clear out all of the enemies. Collect all of the goodies you find. Put the cure into the ventilation. It will spawn more enemies. Clear them out. There are stairs on eaither side. Each fan control is in a room at the end of the corridor at the bottom of the stairs.
Each fan control room contains enemies. Turning a fan on spawns more enemies!
Choose a side and put your squad on hold, using Q and E, next to the baclcony overlooking the corridor below. Take Shepard down the stairs to the corridor. Enemies will come out of the fan room. Don’t engage them, go back up the stairs and join the squad. Take out the enemies. Repeat this action. Release the squad, using C, and go down the the fan room. It should be clear, if not clear it. Take any goodies. DO NOT TURN THE FAN ON.
Repeat the above for the other fan room. Turn on the fan. Head back to the other fan room clearing any ememies. Turn the fan on. This you will be transported to Mordin’s clinic. Talk to him and he will agree to join you.
This completes the mission and you will be transported back to Normandy. Mordin will open the tech lab where you can purchase and research weapon upgrades and Normandy upgrades.
Dossier: Archangel - Garrus
Archangel is Garrus Vakarian from ME1. This is a tough fight, which may be better to do later.
You sign up as a mercenary and be given a mission to flush out Archangel at the other side of a bridge. Switch sides and take out the other mercenaries as you fight your way to the top of the building. Meet Archangel, who you find out is Garrus, and defend him. Leave one squad member with Garrus. You have to fight your way down to each of three shutter doors and close them. Rejoin Garrus and you have to fight your way out keeping Garrus alive.
Garrus will be badly injured but will survive. Normandy will rescue you ending the mission.
DLC: Normandy Crash Site
The crashed Normandy is on Alchera, Amada System. Place a memorial and collect 20 crew dog tags. You can leave any time after placing the munument. You can return to get missing dog tags (open all boxes) and extras.
N7: MSV Strontium Mule
Available after completing N7: Archeological Dig Site.
Samera: Ardit Yakshi
After recruiting Samera, talk to her about her daughter and take her to Omega.
Citadel
DLC: Dossier: The Master Thief - Kasumi Samara. She gives you a mission to recruit her.
Normandy: Special Ingredients. Buy quality food for Normandy from the café.
Meet Anderson.
Dossier: The Convict - Jack
Purgatory is a prison ship in the Hourgalss Nebula, Osun System. Go to the purgatory prison ship to recruit Jack who has been bought out by Cerberus. This requires a lot of fighting as the prison warden wants to capture and sell Shepard.
Dossier: The Warlord - Grunt
Eagle Nebula, Imar System, Korlus.
Horizon
This mission starts as soon as the dossier missions have been completed and you talk to the Illusive Man. Kaidan is there.
Completing this mission starts Act 2 and more missions become available.
Assignments
Normandy: Special Ingredients
The Normandy cook wants spcial ingredients to make quality food.
You can buy these at the Zakera Café on the Citdel.
Normandy: Serrice Ice Brandy
Doctor Chakwas would like a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy. You can buy it at any of four bars.
Normandy: FBA Couplings
The Normandy engineers want FBA coupling. You can buy then at Kenn’s Salvage on Omega.
DLC: Overlord
Phoenix Massing, Typhon System, Aite.
There are four parts to this. You can’t leave the planet once started until all are completed. You have to travel between locations in the Hammerhead. You can’t save while in the Hammerhead and some of the navigation is tricky. There are Geth everywhere. Save the game frequently.
The first mission on Aite is at Hermes Station to stop a rogue AI mission by destroying an antenna.
The second part is to take the Hammerhead to Vulcan Station. This involves using gets to boost the Hammerhead higher to move between areas. It also requires stone hopping across lava rivers. Gte to the main station and override the lockdown.
The third part is to take the Hammerhead to Prometheus Station. The first thing to deal with is a lethal shielded cannon. You have to take out the four shield generators. The best way is to get the cannon to take out the shield generators. Wait near a generator until the red target circles appear. Then get out of the target area fast! Each generator requires two hits, one to take out the shield and a second to take out the generator. Then get under the cannon and destoy it. This can be tedious as you can’t save the game between entering the area and destroying the cannon. Once the cannon is destroyed you can leave the Hammerhead and override the lockdown.
The fourth and final part is once the Atlas station lockdown is overridden to go to Atlas station and defeat the AI.
DLC: Kasumi: Stolen Memory - Serpent Nebula
Bekenstein, Bolzmann. Steal artifact and get out.
DLC: Firewalker - Ismir Frontier
Zaeed: The Price of Revenge - Faia, Zorga.
DLC: Firewalker: MSV Rosalie Lost - tough Hammerhead mission - gave up.
At the start, a recording from wreckage starts to play saying that they have run into the geth far too often. The person in the recording says he is moving to another site to stay with Dr. O’Loy as he felt it’s safer there. Nearby is a cargo container computer which you can bypass. After bypassing it, the container opens and reveals the M-44 Hammerhead. Shepard and the squad climb inside and the vehicle activates.
The next part of the assignment requires you to collect research data from yellow circles on the ground, all of which gives you credits. Take a few seconds to familiarize with the controls of the vehicle. Warning: You may be on a hovercraft, but you are still vulnerable to lava. Do not park the Hammerhead over it on pain of death.
The immediate surrounding area has 2 research packet sites, denoted by giant blue pillars in the distance that recede when you approach. Pick the first one up using the scanner, though you have to keep the vehicle in place as it will move about while collecting the research data. Once you are done, use the jets to jump up to the next research packet. Use the Hammerhead’s main gun to blast through a hull wreckage. Use the jets to avoid the fire and enter the next area.
Research data indicated by yellow markings on the ground and the blue light in the background. The next area is very linear and has 5 research packet sites. Go to the left and grab the next packet. Then continue on to the left and up a rock ramp on the left side of the canyon. Use the jets to get up, then grab the packet. Then turn around and use the ramp you jumped over to get you up to the plateau. Scan the packet inside the ruined ship hull, then again turn around and head for the next blue cylinder-shaped light. Turn 90 degrees to the right from the direction you came from and head over the gaps, following the path and eventually the final light will come into view around a corner while you are hovering in the air. Grab the last packet then end the assignment.
You are then treated to a cutscene where the Normandy SR-2 flies over and the Hammerhead jets into the cargo hold.
Rosetta Nebula
Alpha Desais, Aeia - Jacob: The Gift of Greatness.
Enoch, Jaab - N7: Archeological Dig Site.
Dossier: Tali - Far Rim
Haestrom.
Crescent Nebula, Tasade System, Illium
Dossier: Assassin - Thane
Dossier: The Justicar - Samera
Miranda: The Prodigal
Collector Ship
This is another non-voluntary mission from the Illusive Man.
It opens IFF missions. Finish team strengthening missions first.
Citadel
Garrus: Eye for an Eye
Thane: Sins of the Father - if you fail to track the son the mission will end, but Thane won’t be loyal.
Nubian Expanse, Dalka, Pragie
Jack: Subject Zero
Krogan DMZ, Aralach, Tuchanka
Mordin: Old Blood
Grunt: Rite of Passage
Valhalla Threshold, Rakeel-Legga
Tali: Treason
Lair of the Shadow Broker
This is a long mission in three parts.
It starts when you get a taxi to Liara’s apartment on Ilium.
There is a tricky chase sequence.
There is a boss fight.
You ultimately end up on the Shadow Broker’s ship and have to fight him as a Boss.
Liara becomes the Shadow Broker. You can now use the base to get upgrades.
Reaper IFF: Hawking Eta
The Reaper ship is at Mnemosyne in the Thorne system.
Make sure that all crew members have been recruited and that all of the loyalty missions have been completed before starting this mission.
You escape the ship with a Geth.
Normandy
The IFF (Identity Friend Foe) is installed on the Normandy. This takes time.
Make sure that Normandy is fully upgraded.
Shepard and team take a shuttle. The Normandy is invaded by Collectors. You control Joker to give the AI control of Normandy to get rid of the Collectors.
Talk to the Geth who gets named Legion. Recruit him.
Legion: A House Divided is the loyalty mission in Sea of Stars.
Completing this triggers the end game.
Omega 4 Relay
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