Mass Effect 2 Shorter Loading Screens Mod 0.1
by Riagu (contact me on Reddit if you have any problems/bugs to report)

Replaces most loading screens in Mass Effect 2 with shorter versions (around 2-4 seconds, from the original 11-20). Since the loading times in ME2 mostly depend on how long the video files are, this greatly speeds them up on modern systems.


Installation instructions:

1. Back up all load_*.bik files in your "Mass Effect 2\BioGame" directory -- these are in:
Movies (the base game)
DLC\DLC_EXP_Part01\Movies (LotSB)
DLC\DLC_EXP_Part02\Movies (Arrival)
DLC\DLC_HEN_MT\Movies (Kasumi)
DLC\DLC_UNC_Hammer01\Movies (Firewalker)
DLC\DLC_UNC_Pack01\Movies (Overlord)

2. Extract the mod to your Mass Effect 2 directory, confirming overwrite.

Done!


Video of all new loading screens at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ZBV9ystgA


Full list of replaced loading screens:

BioGame\Movies
load_f01.bik, load_f80_INT.bik - Generic mass relay
load_f02c.bik - Shuttle landing
load_f02d.bik - Shuttle taking off
load_f03.bik - Normandy landing
load_f03b.bik - Normandy taking off
load_f07.bik - Leaving Normandy
load_f07b.bik - Entering Normandy
load_f08.bik - Illium cab SW
load_f08b.bik - Illium cab NE
load_f08c.bik - Illium cab SE
load_f08d.bik - Illium cab landing
load_f09.bik, load_f09b.bik, load_f09c.bik - Omega cab travelling
load_f09d.bik - Omega cab landing
load_f10.bik - Citadel cab A
load_f10b.bik - Citadel cab B
load_f10c.bik - Citadel cab C
load_f10d.bik - Citadel cab D
load_f11.bik - Generic unlocking
load_f12.bik, load_f12b.bik - Tuchanka truck leaving
load_f12c.bik - Tuchanka truck parking
load_f13.bik - Elevator 1->2
load_f13b.bik - Elevator 1->3
load_f13c.bik - Elevator 1->4
load_f13d.bik - Elevator 2->3
load_f13e.bik - Elevator 2->4
load_f13f.bik - Elevator 3->4
load_f13g.bik - Elevator 2->1
load_f13h.bik - Elevator 3->1
load_f13i.bik - Elevator 4->1
load_f13j.bik - Elevator 3->2
load_f13k.bik - Elevator 4->2
load_f13l.bik - Elevator 4->3
load_f14.bik - Generic Normandy
load_f15.bik - Horizon
load_f17.bik - Collector base A
load_f17b.bik - Collector base B
load_f17c.bik - Collector base C
load_f17d.bik - Collector base D
load_f19b.bik - Illium skyscraper down (WITH SOUND)

BioGame\DLC\DLC_EXP_Part01\Movies (Lair of the Shadow Broker)
load_f08b.bik - Illium cab NE
load_f60.bik - Shadow Broker ship

BioGame\DLC\DLC_EXP_Part02\Movies (Arrival)
load_f02b.bik - Hammerhead taking off

BioGame\DLC\DLC_HEN_MT\Movies (Kasumi)
load_f08b.bik - Illium cab NE

BioGame\DLC\DLC_UNC_Hammer01\Movies (Firewalker)
load_f02_DLC.bik - Hammerhead landing
load_f02b_DLC.bik - Hammerhead taking off

BioGame\DLC\DLC_UNC_Pack01\Movies (Overlord)
load_f02_DLC.bik - Hammerhead landing
load_f02b_DLC.bik - Hammerhead taking off
load_f02e_DLC.bik - Hammerhead


Loading screens that were not replaced:
load_f05.bik, load_f06.bik - Lazarus project, fairly short already and have heartbeats which are hard to make shorter
load_f13m.bik - Special elevator 1->5, reportedly breaks the game if changed
load_f21.bik, load_f22.bik - Joker's loading screens, also breaks the game if changed
load_f19.bik - Illium skyscraper up, has sound and is relatively short anyway


Version history:

0.1 - 2014-11-03
Initial release.