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CATACHR1SM

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CATACHR1SM

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  1. CATACHR1SM
    CATACHR1SM
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    Hello and welcome,

    This is MERLIN a compilation of restoration of 360 lost content and appearance, bug fixes, and some optional goodies. It's a compilation of things I have always wanted to fix in the PC port combined with things a few fellow fans have always wanted to see.


    This mod is not in competition with ME LE Trilogy. LE version, especially of ME1, is different enough that we don't need to compare or talk about here.

    I love the Originals yes, but I harbor no ill will to LE. This is because we still have the originals and a strong modding community. There will be w new generation of Mass Effect fans, especially on console and to me that's a good thing. Hopefully all that new energy and fan base can go into ME4 and make that game great.

    So please no flame wars about LE and lets keep discussion about this mod :)

    Happy modding and happy Mass Effecting!

    Update:

    Added

    Softer Less pixelated Shadows:
    So default 360 shadow engine has some pixilation via a low res noise texture. To remove this in a trade off for slightly weaker shadows, use the soft shadows optional file from the downloads section.

    See the mod description for more details on how to install.
  2. JesterPrince
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    There is a massive problem with blue lights in this mod. I keep getting blue lens flares across my monitor from even the smallest blue light. This is the only mod I added on top of my usual ones, for textures that is ALOT and MEITUM, and I never had this problem before. Whether it is relays or blue lights on Normandy or even those tiny lights on armours, there is a lens flare even though I turned it off in ini files.
    1. CATACHR1SM
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      If it looks like the below video check you driver settings and make sure not to force anything in the AA settings. Otherwise I am not sure what you are talking about without a screenshot .
       
    2. JesterPrince
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      Nope, nothing like in that video. As I said, blue lens flare on blue light sources. I'll include screenshots and while they are all on the Normandy, this happens on any blue light source, including relays. I am inserting two screenshots but you can see the rest on here: https://imgur.com/a/ItP6EBb
    3. CATACHR1SM
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      Those are the game's default Lens flares. Mass Effect just looks like that those lens flares are everywhere. 

      You may need to re-apply the lens flare removal to buoengine.ini after installing Merlin and/or Alit they do update some settings in there. And/or I think there is a texture mod to remove the lens flares on this site. But doing so very irrelevant to this mod since it's trying to make the game look closer to Xbox 360 version, by adding lights and visuals, not removing visual effects.

      If your visual aim is to change the game so drastically from original it's artistic intent, then it should be noted that Merlin mod is essentially designed with the opposite intent. I am curious as to why you are using it? Based on your screens dynamic shadows look to be disabled there is no post processing (that's a significant portion of this mod) and the color palette is green and washed out. Makes no sense to use Merlin really.
    4. JesterPrince
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      First of all, learn to read before getting snappy lad, only texture mods are ALOT and MEITUM as I already said. And neither of them have ever done something like this. Nor the original game ever had lens flares so absurd. So, whatever "green and washed out" you might be seeing is the games graphic without post processing stuff like bloom turned off, and they are turned off because they look ridiculous, if you see a bloom when you look around or see the world as a blur when you turn or run, I suggest you visit a doctor. And every single blue light source giving lens flare like this, as if they were the sun seen through a camera lens doesn't add anything to the game or its atmosphere and claiming that it does is just pretentious.

      And it is not the settings because it is already turned off in bioengine. If you looked at the screenshots in the link I put, it even gives the dialogues blue background. You might want to defend your mod but at least have the sense to admit that you might've over done it before snapping at people.
    5. CATACHR1SM
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      Hi there,

      No need to tone police since there was no snappy tone to police. And there is nothing to defend, you are simply wrong in your assumptions about the mod what it does and what it's intended to do. Reading the description carefully may help with that.

      This mod adds no lens flares, none... zero... And if someone says it does they simply don't know what they are talking about. I read your comments thoroughly and I looked at the screenshots, thoroughly. Then, I answered your questions by refocusing back to reality based on what the mod actually does and what the cause might actually be as to what you are experiencing, those are the facts. In doing so I told you that installing the mod may have potentially restored the lens flares and the bioengine.ini tweak may need to be reapplied. So you may need to revisit that "learn to read" insult and look inwards on why you may have said that, sometimes we project our insecurities onto others when we are hurt angry or just frustrated, a sign of an unintegrated person, usually a result of youth, over sheltered-ness, and/or in-experience in the world. 

      Lastly, I pointed out that this mod may not be for you if you want to change the games look from vanilla. Since that is the opposite purpose of the mod. "So, whatever 'green and washed out' you might be seeing is the games graphic without post processing stuff like bloom turned off..."  Ding Ding Ding! this is exactly what I was talking about when I said "Based on your screens dynamic shadows look to be disabled there is no post processing (that's a significant portion of this mod) and the color palette is green and washed out. Makes no sense to use Merlin really."

      Again, as stated multiple time and in the mod description: This mod restores all the post effects, lighting, and color correction to that of as close as I could get to the 360 version considering they were different build states entirely. While you are removing them indeed causing a green washed out look 100% is unintended by the original game artists. You want to make the art director squirm, take away their color correction which they dialed in for every level of the game, doing this is a large part of what you are doing removing post. Therefore this mod itself, is counter productive to how you want the game to look. I really don't know how to make it any clearer.

      Back to the original complaint: All of the blue lens flares in your screenshots including that in the loading screen are part of the game. You can use a mod to remove them, but not from the loading screen screen as that it's hard coded into the bink video. link

      There is a mod to remove lens flares and post processing here: link 

      Oh look at that it's another mod, so must be more that MEUITM, ALOT, and MERLIN installed, funny.

      Also, to fully remove lens flares, from what I recall being a contributor/creator in this mod community since 2013 or so, you need a texture mod to 100% remove them as the bioengine.ini trick doesn't really work too well/reliably. That texture mod is here: link
      That will 100% ensure no stretched blue lens flares can show up ever. Except the loading screen. For that you need to follow mod description in the previous link on what to do with the video in the no-post processing "graphics tweaks mod" mod.

      So yep, We have learned that at least one other mod is required to achieve what you have shown in the screenshots but also after carefully looking at that mod's screenshots even that mod has the blue lens flares :/ So, to fully remove them to you need to also install the texture mod via the link I shared. Then you can have the zero post with zero stretched lens flares. Which again, have nothing to do with this mod.

      All of that said, I seriously don't think you understand the point of this mod.  Continuing your earlier sentence/rant "...they are turned off because they look ridiculous, if you see a bloom when you look around or see the world as a blur when you turn or run, I suggest you visit a doctor. And every single blue light source giving lens flare like this, as if they were the sun seen through a camera lens doesn't add anything to the game or its atmosphere and claiming that it does is just pretentious."  this rant seems pretentious

      Again, based on your own words, this mod is counter to what you are trying to do with your game and you your beliefs in post processing (I imagine must be frustrating because many, many, games defintely use quite a bit of post processing) which is all gravy if that's your taste, but it makes no sense why you are using this mod let alone complaining about the mod. I am not going to un-make it to please you, you can simply not use it. That would save everyone a ton of time. Also, install the two mods I linked for you since they will actually help you get Mass Effect looking like you want. The first one has an ALOT specific file version so make sure to grab that if you are using ALOT.

      I want everyone to enjoy this game the way they like it, and I will help where I can, but in this case this is the weirdest disconnect I've seen in a long time. Alas, the internet.
  3. CrownOfTheVirtues
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    Thanks for the mod. It greatly improves the game. However, I think it causes a bug with Ashley's helmet if you don't install either of the armor consistency components. Her helmet looks like it's being rendered in very low detail, with the red accents appearing as smears rather than distinct stripes, far blurrier than even the 360 version. This occurs without any other mods installed.
    1. CATACHR1SM
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      yep known issue with pc port texture mods are required to resolve these, Garrus's face also and a few others.
    2. CrownOfTheVirtues
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      I'm aware of the low-res Garrus face bug, but Ashley's helmet looks fine without this mod installed.
    3. CATACHR1SM
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      If you don't install any ash texture, the textures shouldn't change. Maybe an issue with mod changing bioengine.ini settings. Though the bioengine.ini settings do not lower any resolutions it's possible the engine bugs to an extent. I think I remember this with MEUITM and not installing ash textures.

      So I think to sum up, if you are going to texture mod the game or possibly even just make the bioengine.ini changes, this can happen, and the solution is to install a texture mod to correct it. 

      In MEUITM the texture mod "Helmet Decals.mem (81.1 kB)" will resolve this. It only replaces the stripes on helmets and it is higher res than vanilla so you can keep it very vanilla by only installing that texture file. 
    4. CrownOfTheVirtues
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      Thanks for the detailed reply and help.
  4. HyppieDBArt
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    Hello.

    While dynamic shadows looks ok on pictures, in game they're pixelated and it's not mod author's fault, but the game engine.

    Sadly, I just turned them off for my playthrough.

    2nd
    If I'm correct to install the mod you need to use MERLIN installer, not ALOT, otherwise things won't display properly (dynamic shadows would be automatically off; no high poly romance bodies).

    3rd
    Lorik's eyes weren't fixed in my playthrough, I've read comments and this is again probably game's fault.

    Mod is essential for playing original ME1, lighting is awesome. Kudos!
  5. MrAflatillah19
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    Hello Catachr1sm. I'm interested with this mod, because it brings back the Original Xbox 360 lighting and some fixes. But something i wanna ask. If i use the soft less pixelated shadows, what does it mean by "weaker shadow"? Does the shadow will be less noticeable? I hope you can answer my question.
  6. LgBlindMan
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    Hey,

    Excellent mod, love it. One small problem though. While running around the Citadel I almost needed sunglasses because it is so bright. I adjusted the GAMA and still too bright (all the way to the left) Like I said great mod, just this little nit pick. If you could help me out, I'd appreciate it. 
  7. Metalunacy
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    Hey, 

    Are you perhaps going to make the Ashley armor consistency a mod for LE at some point? It still bothers me when she's wearing heavy Phoenix armor with the red stripe in the distress call, but running into her on Eden Prime she's wearing the medium Phoenix armor. And of course if you equip her with the heavy variant the red stripe isn't there.

    Thanks for all your mods btw, good stuff.
  8. agranovichd
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    Hi there!
    This is a great mod. But it's somehow incompatible with localisation mod and causes "Bad name index" error. Is there any way to fix it?
  9. DumpsterCommander
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    Wow, this is really, really good. 
  10. Red41804
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    I can't wait for a version for LE1!
    1. CATACHR1SM
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      https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffectlegendaryedition/mods/1500?tab=description

      pretty much this is the closest thing to it.
  11. adX420
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    is this right? I'm getting lots of poly shaped shadows on characters that I'm not seeing in your screenshots and videos. should I try reinstalling? I pressed OK on the installer despite it throwing a pre check error because I have ME1Controller mod installed

    https://imgur.com/a/DfJ3Na5
    1. CATACHR1SM
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      This looks like driver level AO (Ambient Occlusion) to resolve disable in the drivers.