Anyone else really hyped for Mass Effect 2?

[rebalious]

Pure genius.

 

Anyone think we should compile a list of useful links?

 

Mass Effect Saves ME1+ saves to import into ME2 (includes a mod list.)

Mass Effect Faces Face codes for Chargen

Coalesced Editor for cheats and modding

Coalesced Compiler for cheats and modding

[Retribution]

Does anyone know how to get more than one bonus weapon training? I want to use the Claymore Shotgun and Assault Rifles on my Vanguard.

[JimboUK]

Does anyone know how to get more than one bonus weapon training? I want to use the Claymore Shotgun and Assault Rifles on my Vanguard.

 

By the looks of things you need the Coalesced Editor and then follow the instructions in the fourth post here http://social.bioware.com/project/1854/discussion/1358/

[Retribution]

Thanks for the link. I think I got it working. I don't know how to save my changes, though. If I just exit, they revert.

[JimboUK]

I used a pre edited file someone posted over there for what I wanted, looking at the editor I can't see anywhere to save either. Might be worth asking here http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/106/index/834703/1

[WrathOfDeadguy]

One more massive post... this one is all in spoilers. It's a fairly comprehensive rundown of how to keep your team, crew, and Shepard from dying at the end... or how to get everyone killed, if such is your desire.

 

As near as I can figure from my own experience and what I've read, these are the factors which affect crew and team survival... and how to achieve the best possible result. I know I posted about this something like seven pages ago, but this will be much more in-depth:

 

 

Ship Upgrades- Armor, Shields, and Weapons are mandatory. If not completed, people will die. The squadmate who offered each upgrade will not necessarily be the one who dies. The rest of the ship upgrades are only personal upgrades. The required ship upgrades are offered by the following people: Jacob-Armor, Tali-Shields, Garrus-Weapons.

 

Personal Upgrades- These are the research options unlocked by selecting [uPGRADES] or [NORMANDY UPGRADES] in conversation with squadmates. They are as follows: Miranda-Scanner, Samara-Fuel, Thane-Probes, Jack-Bio Amp, Mordin-Omni Tool, Legion-Sniper Rifle, Grunt-Shotgun. Zaeed offers no upgrades. These may or may not have an effect on the survival of whoever offers them- I do not know for sure.

 

Crew sidequests- I do not know if these affect anything, but I'll list them anyway. Dr. Chakwas gives a quest for Serrice Ice Brandy (Found on Omega, at the bar to Aria's right in Afterlife), The Engineers give a quest for some power couplings (at the downstairs merchant on Omega- head right after leaving the dock then take the left-hand door at the end of the street), and the Cook gives a quest for better food (at the restaurant on the Citadel, on the main level IIRC).

 

Loyalty quests- Obviously, these have a huge impact on who lives and dies. Some of the final mission roles will get a non-loyal squadmate killed, while others may or may not. I believe that infiltrating the vents and escorting the crew will result in the specialist's death if they are not loyal. The biotic role and squad leader roles can get other squadmates killed, even loyal ones, if the person selected for that role is not loyal. Additionally, if any member of your team selected for Shepard's squad during the final battle is not loyal, that person may die (I don't know whether their death is an absolute certainty, however).

 

Specialist Roles- Which teammate does which job on the Collector Base appears to be more important than loyalty is. Here is a list of the roles and who should ideally be assigned to them:

Section 1: (Vents: Tali or Legion) (Second Squad: Garrus, Jacob, or Miranda)

Cutscene: (Escort Crew: doesn't appear to matter- but the escort must be loyal to survive)

Section 2: (Biotic: Samara or Jack) (Decoy Squad: Miranda, Jacob, or Garrus)

Section 3: Any non-loyal squadmate taken with Shepard can die. Extra dialogue if Miranda or Jacob accompanies Shepard.

 

Mission Timing- When you accept the Reaper IFF and Suicide Mission are significant choices. The Reaper IFF mission starts a "countdown" of sorts; after you complete the mission you may complete one more major mission (unclear if generic sidequests count) before your crew is abducted. Once your crew is abducted, you must launch the Suicide Mission right away or you will lose your crew. I believe from what I've read that completing one mission, even a sidequest, after your crew is abducted will result in roughly half the crew (including Kelly) being liquefied. Two or more missions and they're all jelly, Chakwas and included. If you want to have a total completion run and still save your whole crew, do everything you possibly can before accepting the Reaper IFF mission. After that, Legion's loyalty quest and the confrontation between Legion and Tali should be the only major events remaining; two systems will remain unsurveyed. I do not know if surveying those last two systems after your crew is abducted will change anything; IIRC they contain no sidequests.

 

The Final Battle- Which options you select while giving your final speech might have an effect on how many of the ground team (the rest of your team that does not go with you to the final battle) survive. I had my entire remaining team survive both times, even though the first time there were two disloyal teammates in the group. Far more significant with regards to the outcome of the mission is the player's choice of which squadmates accompany Shepard to the final battle. It seems that if Jacob or Miranda accompany Shepard, they will have some extra dialogue with the Illusive Man when he tries to convince Shepard not to destroy the base- they also seem to always side with Shepard, regardless of loyalty. Far more significantly, any squadmate who is not loyal may die if they accompany Shepard to the final battle.

 

The above is important to remember because Shepard's survival is at stake- if neither of Shepard's companions survive the final battle, then Shepard will die regardless of whether or not the rest of the crew and team survived. Shepard will always have to jump to the Normandy, and will always end up missing the hatch. Joker does not have the strength to haul Shepard up, so without someone else present Shepard will fall and be killed. Also, if neither squadmate survives, Shepard will be shot several times while Joker tries in vain to pull him/her up. Shepard's personal squad during the final battle represents the single most important choice in the entire game. Whether or not your save will carry on to mass Effect 3 depends on your choosing at least one loyal squadmate for the final battle.

 

That's as much as I've been able to figure out. The Random number God does seem to have a hand in the outcome, but that effect is secondary. If you make all of the best choices- if your whole team is loyal, if you complete all upgrades, if you start the Suicide Mission right after your crew is abducted, if you pick teammate roles wisely- then you will always save everybody. Only when you make a poor decision (i.e. assigning a non-loyal teammate as a specialist) does chance come into the equation.

 

Oh, and I'm pretty certain that it is impossible to get Joker killed or for the Normandy II to be destroyed. It is, however, possible to get an ending where Joker is the only one left alive.

 

 

I hope none of you read that before beating the game. :whistling:

[Sarya]

Hmmm... I actually did all as said with companions, and only failed with the crew, still one companion death. However, I have the suspicion that it happened because

my only disloyal companion was Jack, and she wasn't assigned to anything, however both times the leader of the second team was Miranda. Maybe it adds a chance of fail if those that have problems with each other end up together.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Now that's something I hadn't thought of yet. Did you

not do Jack's loyalty quest, or did you resolve the Miranda-Jack conflict by taking Miranda's side?

Figuring out how all the bits and pieces fit together could make for some good RP possibilities... it certainly doesn't feel like the sort of mission where everyone would survive, but it'd also be nice when building a specific character for ME3 to know exactly how to pick and choose your casualties. Or avoid them entirely.

 

I wonder if failing to save the crew has any effect on how likely your companions are to survive?

[Sarya]

Second.

[Retribution]

There's people who purposely make some of their crew members die on the mission. I think that's pretty stupid, since most party members are great, and every single one of them has something good about them. My least favorite would probably be Jacob. I still like him, but he seems a bit too normal. He's a well rounded human, no place for him in the Mass Effect universe, at least on Shepard's crew. Kaidan kind of had the same thing going on in ME 1, which is why he's still on Virmire. It's just that he's in a lot smaller pieces now.