Mass Effect trilogy is build on Unreal Engine 3 which base settings can be tweaked by editing game configuration files - .ini-s.
Coalesced.ini - main configuration file, where all gameplay settings are stored.
Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\
All properties of base game weapons are stored there.

Properties for DLC weapons are stored in DLC BIOWeapon.ini files:
Mass Effect 2\BioGame\DLC\<DLC_name>\CookedPC\

Weapons in Mass Effect 2 take major part in gameplay, they are great - let's make them even better!

Main goal of Weaponry tweaks:
- Make guns in ME2 as close as possible to match ME1 guns;
- Make patch for all ME2 guns: fix several parameters that would make all guns unique;
- Set balance of: Damage, Fire rate, Magazine size;
- Disable weapon recoil;


======================<  MOD OPTIONS  >======================

<^  Mod versions  ^>
[Infinite ammo weapon system]
- All non-Heavy weapons use infinite ammo system - ammo in magazine will be decreased on firing,
and after weapon reloading, the spare ammo stock won't be decreased;
* Thermal clips now irrelevant - you'll never run out of ammo (heavy weapon ammo boxes work as usual);

[ME1 legacy semi heat/thermal clips weapon system]
- All non-Heavy weapons use heat system - ammo in magazine will start to restore after several seconds,
just like in ME1 - in result, you'll get semi heat/thermal clip system:

* while you fire from gun, ammo will decrease, if you spend entire magazine, gun will be reloaded
and ammo for current magazine will be resupplied from spare ammo stock;
* if you'll stop firing, ammo will start to regenerate (no ammo will be spend from spare ammo stock);
* weapon cannot be reloaded during ammo regeneration - it will be auto reloaded after entire magazine will be drained;
just wait when ammo in magazine will be restored;
* thermal clips and heavy weapon ammo boxes work as usual - spare ammo stock will be resupplied when you'll pick them;

> I think this is how developers supposed to implement their "thermal clips idea" - give players a choice: restore ammo in magazine or spend spare ammo!


<^  General weapons stats changes  ^>
Now ME2 weapons have unique attributes, all stats are set differently for each weapon;
- balanced damage;
- increased accuracy;
- increased rate of fire;
- balanced reload speed;
- increased magazine size and spare ammo;
- Disabled recoil (gun barrel and crosshair sway):


<^  Additional changes  ^>
* Geth Pulse Rifle now available for all game difficulties, from start of the game;
* Now you can get all 3 weapons from the Collector`s ship (M-76 Revenant, M-300 Claymore, M-98 Widow)
and this weapons can be used by your squadmates;
> In ME1, you can carry as much guns as inventory size allows - why wouldn't you grab them all?

* AI (squad and enemy) weaponry:
- Each weapon settings extended - this will make combat more challenging and realistic, but they still cannot match Shep in a matter of combat;
- In ME2, enemies use same weapons as Shep and squad - in this mod, squad will deal same amount of damage as Shep,
and enemy will only deal 70% of player's weapon damage:
example: Shep's weapon =100, squadmate's weapon =100, enemy weapon =70; (instead of 50% only! by default);
- AI will use/shoot entire magazine before returning to cover (instead of 2-3 and hide to cover, by default);

> Shep will receive full support from squad in firefight; Shep still would be best in combat, as he/she uses gear, that increase weapon damage;

* Shep and Squad weaponry loadouts - weapon classes they use:
> AR - Assault Rifles;  SG - ShotGuns;  SR - Sniper Rifles;  HP - Heavy Pistols;  AP - Auto Pistols;  HW - Heavy Weapons;

SHEP:  Choose any weapon you like, as in ME1 and ME3;
Adept - AR, SG, HP, SR, HW;   Engineer - AR, SG, HP, SR, HW;
Soldier - AR, SG, AP, SR, HW;   Sentinel - AR, SG, HP, SR, HW;
Infiltrator - AR, SG, AP, SR, HW;   Vanguard - AR, SG, AP, SR, HW;

SQUAD:  Weapon classes are set propotionaly: one for ranged combat and one for close combat;
Garrus - SR, AR;   Grunt - AR, SG;   Jack - HP, AP;   Jacob - AR, SG;
Legion - SR, AR;   Miranda - SR, HP;   Mordin - HP, SG;   Samara - SR, SG;
Tali - AP, SG;   Thane - SR, AP;   Zaeed - AR, SG;   Kasumi - SR, AP;   Liara - SR, HP;


Detailed descriptions provided in: ME2 WT README;
All weapon stats changes and comparison provided in tables (.xls files) for each mod version;


======================<  INSTALLATION  >======================

<^  Mod versions  ^>
ME2_Weaponry_tweaks_IA - Infinite ammo weapon system;
ME2_Weaponry_tweaks_HT - ME1 legacy semi heat/thermal clips weapon system;

<^  Base game weapons  ^>
Place Coalesced.ini into:
Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\  > overwrite.

<^  DLC weapons  ^>
- Place binkw23.dll and binkw32.dll files from "DLC-DLL" folder into:
Mass Effect 2\Binaries\
Dll files updates;

- Choose DLC > Place selected "DLC_name" folder into:
Mass Effect 2\BioGame\DLC\  > overwrite.

[Weapon DLC] 
<^  Optional  ^>
ME2_GT_WT - ME2 Gameplay tweaks (GT) and ME2 Weaponry tweaks (WT) - combined file:
ME2 GT - with default controls schema;  ME2 GTC - with revised controls schema;
ME2 WT IA - infinite ammo;  ME2 WT HT - heat/thermal clips;
ME2 GT + ME2 WT IA, ME2 GT + ME2 WT HT; ME2 GTC + ME2 WT IA, ME2 GTC + ME2 WT HT;

DEINSTALLATION / rollback to default settings:
- replace Coalesced.ini to file with default settings from archive "Coalesced - default";
- DLC - rebuild your ME2 with Origin/Steam;


======================<  EDIT  >======================

Download:  ME2IniFixer
- This program will recode changes you made in Coalesced.ini, without this tool you won't be able to launch the game properly;
Place it to: Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\
Each time you edit and save Coalesced.ini - launch ME2IniFixer;
Edit DLC Bio.ini files: doesn't required to use ME2IniFixer;


Download:  Notepad++ 6.9.1
DO NOT USE: Word, Wordpad or Notepad - this will break game files;
- go to: "Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\" and open: Coalesced.ini file;
- right-click on .ini > Edit with Notepad++

<^  How to compare two files in Notepad++ ?  ^>
In Notepad++ install plugin "Compare":
main panel > plugins > plugin manager > show plugin manager > find plugin Compare > Install >
> (if program asks if you would like to update manager? - Yes, only once) >
> Open two .ini-s > main panel > plugins > Compare > select one of two files > Set as first to compare > 
> switch to second file > main panel > plugins > Compare > Compare
Differences between two files will be highlighted;

<^  If you want to use several .ini mods, create merged file:  ^>
- copy your current moded Coalesced.ini file from "Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\" to any folder (as backup);
- download mod > compare mod file and your file in Notepad++: use Compare plugin > 
> find differences > copy code from mod file to your file (ignore iniversion strings) or vice versa;
> if mod is require specific code to run properly - that code takes priority over the others mods code;
> if mod adds new stuff > use mod values instead of yours;
> if some setting has greater/lesser value in compare to your file > read mod description about this value > choose one variant (not both);
- save file > launch ME2IniFixer > done!


======================<  My Mass Effect trilogy mods  >======================

ME2 Graphics tweaks
ME2 Gameplay tweaks
ME2 Armory tweaks

ME1 Graphics tweaks
ME1 Gameplay tweaks

ME3 Graphics tweaks
ME3 Gameplay tweaks
ME3 Weaponry tweaks