Mass Effect

About this mod

Graphics improvements by using Unreal engine 3 settings. Quality and performance optimization

Requirements
Permissions and credits
Changelogs
Mass Effect trilogy is build on Unreal Engine 3 which base settings can be tweaked by editing game configuration files - .ini-s.
BIOEngine.ini - is ME1 base configuration file where graphical settings are stored.
C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config

In Mass Effect 1 we don't see all graphical settings in main menu or in MassEffectConfig utility.
The main goal of this tweaks is to make the game look better by enable, disable, enhance and alter settings.

Improvements:
- Custom screen resolution;
- Disabled Post Process Effects - Bloom, Film Grain, Vignette, Motion Blur, Depth Of Field, Ambient Occlusion;
- Increased Textures detailization;
- Increased Shadow resolution, saturation, filtering;
- Performance optimization;
- Shorter level loadings;

Detailed descriptions are provided in Readme file;

Advantages:
^ World textures, lighting, shadows and characters looks sharp, less glowing, more detailed, more bright;
^ Mod use vanilla game engine settings that cause less impact on performance, none game crashes; 
^ Possibility to safe with full compatibility add SweetFX, Reshade, ENB presets.

I recommend to add:
- Anti-aliasing in your graphic card to smooth world textures:
Multisampling (MSAA) +\- Sparse Grid Supersampling (SGSSAA)
1920x1080, 1680x1050, 1600x900 - 2x or 4x
1366x768 and less - 8x
- Use SweetFX, Reshade, ENB presets to alter game color system.

Recommended installations:
Programs that patch x86 executables in order to let them have 4GB and more (instead of only 2) of virtual memory on x64 platforms - for performance increase.
Large address aware  /  4gb_patch

To disable Lens Flares in Mass Effect:
EffectsLensFlares.upk   move file from:
Mass Effect\BioGame\CookedPC\Packages

Disabling Volumetric Fog - console command:   // off/on //;
show fog
disables EngineMaterials.FogVolumeMaterial rendering, which simulates fog on the horizon;
Disabling fog most noticeable in open terrain - on the planets with seeable horizon;


====================== INSTALLATION ======================

Place  BIOEngine.ini  into:
C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config > overwrite.

1) Set screen resolution:
StartupResolutionX=1920
StartupResolutionY=1080

2) Set your localization: game in english by default (INT);
Language=INT
    copy and replace this value from your BIOEngine.ini;

3) Set read-only attribute for file:
ME1 drops settings each time you launch the game. To prevent this, read-only attribute for file is required:
BIOEngine > right mouse button click on file > Properties > set (click) Read-only checkbox;

// setting read only attribute prevents ME saving and reseting graphical settings: 
if you change in game menu, for example, screen resolution - this setting will be applied untill you exit ME,
next time you launch the game - it will start with graphical settings that are stored in BIOEngine file.
So if you want change settings - edit BIOEngine.ini file //

Compatibility:
MEUITM and ALOT - download optional file; overwrite file after MEUITM and ALOT installation.
Any other mod - full.

DEINSTALLATION / rollback to default settings:  delete BIOEngine.ini - the game will create a new file with default settings.


====================== EDIT ======================

Download Notepad++ 6.9.1
DO NOT USE Word, Wordpad or Notepad - this will break game files.
- go to: C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config and open BIOEngine.ini;
- right-click on BIOEngine.ini > Edit with Notepad++

// How to compare two files in Notepad++ ? //
In Notepad++ add 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 BIOEngine.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: // 
Spoiler:  
Show

 [ making backup and copy ]
- move your current .ini file from Mass Effect\Config to any folder (as backup) and make a copy;
 [ getting default settings ]
- launch ME (the game will create new .ini file with default settings)
 [ figuring out what mod file changes are ]
- open 3 files in Notepad++ (right mouse button click on file > Edit with Notepad++ or drag & drop file to program window)
1) default; 2) mod; 3) copy of your current file;
- compare default file and mod file: use Compare plugin > find differences (ignore iniversion strings);
 [ adding changes to your file ]
 switch to your file > copy code from mod file to your file;
 [ notes ]
> if mod adds new stuff > use mod values instead of yours;
> if mod is require specific code to run properly - that code takes priority over the code from another mod;
> if some setting has greater/lesser value in compare to your file > read mod description about this value > choose one variant (not both);
 [ finalizing ]
- save your file > set read-only file attribute (right mouse button click on file > properties > click read-only checkbox > ok) >
> delete default file from Mass Effect\Config folder > move your file there > done!



======== Screenshots =========

Resolution: 1920x1080
AA (Anti-aliasing): none
SweetFX, Reshade, ENB: none
MEUITM, ALOT: no
+ Screenshots with explanations of post process effects and shadows properties.

====================== My Mass Effect trilogy mods ======================

ME1 Gameplay tweaks

ME2 Graphics tweaks
ME2 Gameplay tweaks
ME2 Weaponry tweaks
ME2 Armory tweaks

ME3 Graphics tweaks
ME3 Gameplay tweaks
ME3 Weaponry tweaks