PC version
From Mass Effect Wiki
The PC version of Mass Effect was developed by BioWare and Demiurge, and published by EA in 2008.
Contents |
[edit] System Requirements
[edit] Mass Effect
| Component | Minimum | Recomended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows XP / Windows Vista | |
| Processor | 2.4Ghz Intel or 2.0Ghz AMD | 2.6Ghz Intel or 2.4Ghz AMD |
| Memory | 1GB (Windows XP) / 2GB (Windows Vista) | 2GB |
| Graphic Card | Nvidia GeForce 6 series (6800GT or better) / ATI 1300XT or better | Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX or higher / ATI X1800 XL series or higher |
| Disk Space | 12GB | |
| Sound Card | DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card and drivers | 5.1 sound card recommended |
Notes:
- For the best results, make sure you have the latest drivers for your video and audio cards.
- ATI X1550, X1600 Pro and HD2400 are below minimum system requirements.
[edit] Mass Effect 2
| Component | Minimum | Recomended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7 | |
| Processor | 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU | 2.6+ GHz Cure 2 Duo Intel or equivalent AMD CPU |
| Memory | 1GB RAM (Windows XP) / 2GB RAM (Windows Vista / 7) | 2GB RAM |
| Graphic Card | 256 MB (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support). Supported Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or greater; ATI Radeon X1600 Pro or greater. | ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, or better recommended |
| Disk Space | 15GB | |
| Sound Card | DirectX 9.0c compatible | 100% DirectX compatible sound card and drivers |
Notes:
- For the best results, make sure you have the latest drivers for your video and audio cards. Laptop or mobile versions of the above supported video cards have not had extensive testing and may have driver or other performance issues. As such, they are not officially supported in Mass Effect 2. Intel and S3 video cards are not officially supported in Mass Effect 2.
- NVIDIA GeForce 7300, 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 9300; ATI Radeon HD3200, and HD4350 are below minimum system requirements.
[edit] Changes from the 360 Version
The main differences between the PC and 360 versions are tweaks to the combat GUI and the inventory system. The Power Wheel is replaced in the PC version by a tactical HUD that allows for more precise squad commands and the ability to hotkey tech and biotic talents. The often-criticised inventory system from the 360 version is also overhauled to be more user-friendly. Other differences include minor adjustments to the Mako's handling, a minor graphical upgrade and a change to the hacking minigame (used when decrypting doors or containers).
There are no extra assignments or new characters in the PC version and the story is unchanged. However, it does allow the PC release of Bring Down the Sky to be downloaded for free.
[edit] Known Bugs in the PC Version
- After you reach 550 MB of pagefile (see the Task Manager in Windows) the game may crash or lead to loop graphic sequences. You will need to reboot your system or manually clean the pagefile. This bug is caused by nVidia graphic cards and Realtek audio card. One solution is to run the game in window mode and disable music and speech.
- On Therum in the PC version, after Bring Down the Sky is installed, certain areas of the terrain become solid black, regardless of terrain type. Sometimes going to the configuration window (exiting the game, running the game launcher, and selecting configure, or running
MassEffectConfig.exe) and selecting Repair > Delete Local Shader Cache Files, may sometimes fix the problem. Vista users will need to run the application in Windows XP SP2 compatibility. - Quickly pressing the Enter key in confirmation prompts can sometimes leave a window stuck on the screen ("Convert this item into omnigel?"). The game no longer responds to keyboard or mouse input. However, it's still possible to autosave and autoreload through the console or rebounded keys.
[edit] DRM Controversy
The PC version of Mass Effect was originally intended to use SecurROM, including a periodic 10-day re-validation, meaning the game would cease to work after ten days without 'checking in' online. After criticism, this aspect of the DRM was removed from the PC version on 9th May 2008. The PC version can be authenticated five times. In March 2009 Mass Effect was released on the steam without the SecurROM copy protectection due to the copy protection built into Steam.
[edit] PC version-specific articles
- Codex/Player Tutorials - while some elements also apply to the Xbox 360 version, most of the controls refer to the PC version.
- PC Cheats
- PC Tweaks
| Mass Effect Series | |
| Games | Mass Effect (CE) • Mass Effect Galaxy • Mass Effect 2 (CE) • Mass Effect 3 |
| Downloadable Content | Bring Down the Sky • Pinnacle Station |
| Novels and Comics | Revelation • Ascension • Redemption |
