PC Tweaks (Mass Effect 2)

Mass Effect 2 is based on Unreal Engine 3 and many settings can be modified in a way similar to Mass Effect, allowing the user to mod, tweak or cheat. Unlike the first Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2's in-game console is locked in a more serious way, but a multitude of effects and in-game commands can be activated through editing configuration files.

Backup Your Career
Using the modifications described in this article may alter your career permanently. It is recommended to backup your career for the option to revert back later on. The career files are located at:

Windows XP: X:\Documents and Settings\%Username%\My Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\Save

Windows Vista/7: X:\Users\%Username%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\Save

Where X is the drive letter where your Windows system is installed on (usually C:), and %Username% - username that you are logging into the system with.

The career folders are named in the format John_31_Soldier_060310 (first name, psych profile/history, class, date of creation). The ME1 folder contains the Mass Effect save files transferred over by ME2 Configuration Utility.

There is also a profile file called Player1.prf under the same folder in %Username%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 2\BIOGame\Profile that you may want to backup. This file stores your achievements and bonus power unlocks.

Enabling console
Mass Effect 2 console can be enabled by using two different methods:
 * Automatically patch main game configuration file (SFXGame.pcc) to remove the lock of game-based console (console use settings from Coalesced.ini). The program for patching can be found here.


 * Manually patch MassEffect2.exe to enable engine-locked console (console use default settings). This method requires HEX editor and recommended for advanced users only. Instructions are here.

Note: press "~", tilde key to open 3/4 console in game. "tab" for single bar console.

Achievements
Full unlock:

Upgrades
Full unlock (with Squad Upgrades):

After using the code, any collected upgrade will be added as an extra upgrade ('10' is upper limit).

Weapon Upgrades
These upgrades can't be normally obtained.

Ship Upgrades
It is highly recommended to not use the codes below, because those may be unlocked but during the Suicide Mission they won't have any effect and squad members will die. Also the facial scars can't be healed.

Configuration file
Coalesced.ini is the main configuration files, designed for easy adjusting the game parameters stored in .pcc files. The file can be found here:

Default location: C:\Program Files\Mass Effect 2\BioGame\Config\PC\Cooked\Coalesced.ini


 * 1) Make a backup before you even move your cursor over it.
 * 2) You cannot edit it with Notepad, or the game will crash on load.
 * 3) Make sure the modified file is exactly the same size as the original, or the game may crash on load. This may depend on your version of the game. You can do this by adding extra spaces to the end of a line, or deleting unnecessary lines from the international keybindings.

If you want to edit the file manually, you will need a text editor that can handle UNIX-format files (e.g., Notepad++) and a way of "rebuilding" Coalesced.ini after your edits; the method is described here. Another rebuilder created by Corvin666 also exists and is known as the ME2Fixer. If you made your changes and can't compile the file try using this one, works great even if you previously edited Coalesced.ini in Notepad. Another approach is using a specific application such as the Mass Effect 2 Coalesced Editor for making changes.

BIOGame
[SFXGame.SFXGame]

BIOInput
This section is where binds can be added to the game (or removed. Be careful when doing this.) There are several subsections which describe key bindings during various "modes" in the game.

Bindings format
To add a new bind to any of the above sections, use the format

Ctrl, Shift, Alt commands are optional, if they are not specified default value is "False". The most common use for this is to bind a command to the press of single or combination of keys.

Example: adding this to the [SFXGame.SFXGameModeDefault] section will allow the player to take screenshots while on foot by pressing F8:

Weapon Properties
In the subsections dealing with weapon properties, there is a "base template" section in [SFXGame.SFXWeapon] that defines general weapon properties, which are then overridden by specific weapon settings in the other categories if necessary.

At least the following settings can be used (added if not existing by default):

Shield Properties
All non-template shield sections inherit parameters from the base section.

Ability to take only certain weapon types
Now you'll be able to pick only certain weapon types like in Mass Effect 3.

[SFXGame.SFXPlayerSquadLoadoutData]

[SFXGame.SFXWeapon]

Change Player Shield Recharge time
You can modify shield recharge time to increase/decrease combat pace to suit your play style:

[SFXGame.SFXShield_Base] The time shield needed to fully regenerate (in seconds).

The time before shield start regenerating (in seconds).

Change the values to 0.0 will cause shield unable to regenerate.

This also affects your squad members shield.

Carrying upgrades to New Game+
[SFXGame.SFXGame] You can grab upgrades plot variables above.

Editing Shepard Template Face Codes
You can add or remove custom Shepard pregenerated codes in the game:

[SFXGame.BioSFHandler_NewCharacter] {Facecode} {Facecode}

If you have Kasumi DLC installed removing standard face codes will not work, because of rewriting section by DLC .ini file. In this case you have to modify DLC .ini directly.

Changing Power Cooldown Time
Go to appropriate for your difficulty section:

[SFXGame.SFXDifficulty_Level2]

Set the values to 0.0 to completely remove cooldown.

Unlocking Weapons
There are three ways of unlocking weapons:


 * 1. By setting weapon boolean parameters to true:


 * [SFXGame.SFXGameModeDefault]


 * To unlock all normal weapons, add:


 * To unlock all heavy weapons, add:


 * To unlock all Collector Ship weapons, add:


 * Unlocked weapons will stay unlocked for subsequent play-throughs for the current career, and it is possible to get all Collector Ship weapons (although you must still have the proper class to actually equip them).


 * 2. By removing or changing weapon dependency conditions:


 * [SFXGame.SFXPlayerSquadLoadoutData]


 * Remove  and   parameters.


 * If you want to make a special weapon available to your squadmates only when you've unlocked the weapon change the line to:




 * You can use the method to unlock all special weapons for your companions. The M-300 Claymore's (SFXWeapon_FlakGun) code is  and the M-98 Widow's (SFXWeapon_MassCannon) is.


 * 3. By typing in the command "SetIntByName Wpn_[WEAPON NAME] 1" into the console, with [WEAPON NAME] being whatever the game names the guns. (M-3 Predator is HeavyPistol, etc.)


 * To unlock the Revenant Machine Gun, type into the console:


 * To unlock the M-98 Widow, type into the console:

Unlocking Bonus Powers
[SFXGame.BioSFHandler_NewCharacter] Change the AchievementID parameter to

Unlocking Squad Appearances
[SFXGame.BioSFHandler_PartySelection] Change the PlotFlag parameter to

If using the ME2 Coalesced Editor SFXGame.BioSFHandler_PartySelection is located under the BIOUI tab

Changing Squad Weapon Loadouts
You are able to define which weapon classes are available to which player classes and companions.

[SFXGame.SFXPlayerSquadLoadoutData], located under the BIOGame section

Replace a LoadoutWeapons_* value to one of the following:

Unlimited Ammo
There are four ways to enable unlimited ammo: By using second and fourth you won't able to reload your weapon. That will result in inability to make progress in the Lazarus Project medbay (the door won't unlock until you reload). The bInfiniteAmmo tweak will force you to empty your clip in order to leave. Once your clip is empty, the Shepard will reload the pistol and the door will be opened.
 * 1) Open the properties of a weapon (e.g.,  section under for the M-15 Vindicator) and change   into  . The weapon will now spend ammo from the magazine and has to be reloaded, but spare ammo will never decrease. Other weapons are unaffected.
 * 2) In the  section change   into  . None of your weapons will spend any ammo when firing and don't need to be reloaded. For M-920 Cain do the same in [SFXGameContent_Inventory.SFXHeavyWeapon_NukeLauncher].
 * 3) Changing the "reload" binding to  in the [SFXGame.SFXGameModeBase] section.. This will refill spare ammunition every time the reload button is pressed. This affects only non-heavy weapons.
 * 4) Changing the "shoot" combat binding to read  will reset the player's spare ammunition every time the fire trigger is pressed. This affects all weapons.

Toggle Command Menu
Modifying this line of code inside Coalesced.ini may crash the game's API or prevent it from loading if you are not careful. See note above about config file size.

The default method to view the HUD screen is to press and hold a key until you want to return to the "action". A different approach is to toggle the HUD so it will stay on by pressing a key, and return to the game when the same button is pressed again. To enable Command Menu toggle find the line in [SFXGame.SFXGameModeBase] section.

Change it to

More Fuel and Probes for Normandy
Locate [SFXGame.SFXInventoryManager] section in BIOWeapon module and set appropriate values for these variables:  and.

Do this before starting a new game and these values will be actual for free: just forget about refueling for whole game. Changing in the middle of the game also works, but with necessity of filling new capacity and spending (a lot of) money.

Collect More Resources From Planets
Locate [SFXGame.BioPlanet]. It should contain four variables,,  ,  , and. Multiply the values of all of them by the same value, such as 20, to then get that many times more resources from every probe launched onto a planet.

Bind Storm To A Different Key Than Use/Cover
Using this tweak may crash the game's API or prevent it from loading if you are not careful. See note above about config file size.

Locate [SFXGame.SFXGameModeBase] section in BIOInput module, and find the line reading:

Change it to:

This will remove storming from the use/cover key. Now, locate the [SFXGame.SFXGameModeDefault] section, immediately below. Add a new line to the bottom of this section: Replace  with whichever key you prefer to use.

Note that this change will significantly change the config file's size; if this causes crashes for you, you may have to adjust the file's size using padding spaces or removing lines for unneeded keybindings.

Skipping Dialogue without Choosing an Unwanted Answer
On the second and subsequent playthroughs, you may want to skip already-seen dialogue by pressing Spacebar. But there is an unfortunate side effect of accidentally choosing a dialogue option when the dialog wheel appears. This tweak modifies the behavior of Spacebar to only skip dialogue.

Locate  in   and change the following line:



into (all in one line):



Or, alternatively, find  in   and change the following line:



into (all in one line):



Reference Table
This section contains a list of possible parameters for commands.

Power List
Note: Not all powers work on all characters.

Companion Usable Powers
These powers can be assigned to your companions and work correctly.

ALL Powers
SFXPower_AbominationExplosion

SFXPower_AIHacking SFXPower_AIHacking_Engineer SFXPower_AIHacking_Heavy SFXPower_AIHacking_Infiltrator SFXPower_AIHacking_Legion SFXPower_AIHacking_Radius SFXPower_AIHacking_Tali

SFXPower_AnimatedReactionPower

SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Garrus SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Heavy SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Infiltrator SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Soldier SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Squad SFXPower_ArmorPiercingAmmo_Thane

SFXPower_WarpAmmo_Player

SFXPower_AdrenalineRush SFXPower_AdrenalineRush_Evolved1 SFXPower_AdrenalineRush_Evolved2

SFXPower_Barrier SFXPower_Barrier_Adept SFXPower_Barrier_Damage SFXPower_Barrier_Heavy SFXPower_Barrier_Mordin SFXPower_Barrier_NPC SFXPower_Barrier_Samara SFXPower_Barrier_Sentinel

SFXPower_BioticCharge SFXPower_BioticCharge_Radius SFXPower_BioticCharge_Slam

SFXPower_Carnage SFXPower_Carnage_Heavy SFXPower_Carnage_NPC SFXPower_Carnage_Radius SFXPower_Carnage_Soldier SFXPower_Carnage_Vanguard

SFXPower_Cloak SFXPower_Cloak_Damage SFXPower_Cloak_Enhanced SFXPower_Cloak_Infiltrator SFXPower_Cloak_NPC

SFXPower_ColossusPulse

SFXPower_CombatDrone SFXPower_CombatDroneAttack SFXPower_CombatDroneDeath SFXPower_CombatDrone_Engineer SFXPower_CombatDrone_NPC SFXPower_CombatDrone_Rocket SFXPower_CombatDrone_Tali SFXPower_CombatDrone_Tech

SFXPower_ConcussiveShot SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Garrus SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Heavy SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Infiltrator SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Radius SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Soldier SFXPower_ConcussiveShot_Zaeed

SFXPower_Crush

SFXPower_CryoAmmo SFXPower_CryoAmmo_Evolved1 SFXPower_CryoAmmo_Evolved2

SFXPower_CryoFreeze SFXPower_CryoFreeze_Mordin SFXPower_CryoFreezeInstant_Evolved1 SFXPower_CryoFreezeInstant_Evolved2

SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Grunt SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Heavy SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Infiltrator SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Legion SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_NPC SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Soldier SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Squad SFXPower_DisruptorAmmo_Vanguard

SFXPower_FirstAid

SFXPower_Fortification SFXPower_Fortification_Grunt SFXPower_Fortification_Heavy SFXPower_Fortification_NPC SFXPower_Fortification_Soldier SFXPower_Fortification_Squad

SFXPower_GethJuggernautDeath SFXPower_GethPrimeDeath SFXPower_GethPrimePulse SFXPower_GethTrooperDeath SFXPower_GethTrooperDeath_Red

SFXPower_GunShipRocketSlow_Left SFXPower_GunshipRocketSlow_Right SFXPower_GunshipRocket_Left SFXPower_GunshipRocket_Right SFXPower_HeavyMechExplosion SFXPower_HeavyMechRocket

SFXPower_HeavyPunch

SFXPower_HuskMelee_Left SFXPower_HuskMelee_Right SFXPower_HuskTesla

SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Grunt SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Infiltrator SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Jacob SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_NPC SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Radius SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Soldier SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Squad SFXPower_IncendiaryAmmo_Vanguard

SFXPower_Incinerate SFXPower_Incinerate_Engineer SFXPower_Incinerate_Garrus SFXPower_Incinerate_Heavy SFXPower_Incinerate_Mordin SFXPower_Incinerate_Infiltrator SFXPower_Incinerate_NPC SFXPower_Incinerate_Radius

SFXPower_KasumiCloakTeleport SFXPower_KasumiCloakTeleport_Evolved1 SFXPower_KasumiCloakTeleport_Evolved2 SFXPower_KasumiUnique SFXPower_KasumiUnique_Evolved1 SFXPower_KasumiUnique_Evolved2 SFXPower_KasumiUnique_Player

SFXPower_KroganCharge SFXPower_KroganMelee SFXPower_KroganRegen

SFXPower_Lift SFXPower_Lift_Adept SFXPower_Lift_Heavy SFXPower_Lift_Jack SFXPower_Lift_NPC SFXPower_Lift_Samara SFXPower_Lift_TwrMwA

SFXPower_LightMechShock SFXPower_LoyaltyRequirement SFXPower_MechDeathExplosion SFXPower_MechDogTaser

SFXPower_NeuralShock SFXPower_NeuralShock_Radius SFXPower_NeuralShock_Heavy SFXPower_NeuralShock_Mordin

SFXPower_Overload SFXPower_Overload_Garrus SFXPower_Overload_Heavy SFXPower_Overload_Kasumi SFXPower_Overload_Radius SFXPower_Overload_Engineer SFXPower_Overload_Miranda SFXPower_Overload_Sentinel SFXPower_Overload_Tali

SFXPower_PhaseShift SFXPower_PlayerMelee SFXPower_PlayerMeleePistol SFXPower_PraetorianDeathChoir

SFXPower_Pull SFXPower_PullProjectile SFXPower_PullProjectile_Heavy SFXPower_PullProjectile_Radius SFXPower_Pull_Adept SFXPower_Pull_Heavy SFXPower_Pull_Hench SFXPower_Pull_Jack SFXPower_Pull_Jacob SFXPower_Pull_Radius SFXPower_Pull_Samara SFXPower_Pull_Vanguard

SFXPower_RobotDeathExplosion SFXPower_RocketDroneAttack SFXPower_Sabotage SFXPower_ScionTesla

SFXPower_ShieldBoost SFXPower_ShieldBoost_Advanced SFXPower_ShieldBoost_Engineer SFXPower_ShieldBoost_Hardened SFXPower_ShieldBoost_NPC

SFXPower_ShieldJack

SFXPower_Singularity SFXPower_Singularity_Adept SFXPower_Singularity_Heavy SFXPower_Singularity_Radius SFXPower_Singularity_Liara

SFXPower_SpiderBloodSpray

SFXPower_StasisNew SFXPower_StasisNew_Evolved1 SFXPower_StasisNew_Evolved2 SFXPower_StasisNew_Liara

SFXPower_ThresherMawSpit

SFXPower_Throw SFXPower_ThrowProjectile SFXPower_ThrowProjectile_Heavy SFXPower_ThrowProjectile_Radius SFXPower_Throw_Adept SFXPower_Throw_Heavy SFXPower_Throw_Jack SFXPower_Throw_Miranda SFXPower_Throw_Morinth SFXPower_Throw_NPC SFXPower_Throw_Radius SFXPower_Throw_Sentinel SFXPower_Throw_Thane

SFXPower_Varren SFXPower_VorchaRegen

SFXPower_Warp SFXPower_WarpProjectile SFXPower_WarpProjectile_Heavy SFXPower_WarpProjectile_Radius SFXPower_Warp_Adept SFXPower_Warp_Heavy SFXPower_Warp_Jacob SFXPower_Warp_Liara SFXPower_Warp_Miranda SFXPower_Warp_Morinth SFXPower_Warp_NPC SFXPower_Warp_Radius

SFXPower_ZaeedUnique SFXPower_ZaeedUnique_Evolved1 SFXPower_ZaeedUnique_Evolved2 SFXPower_ZaeedUnique_Player

SFXPower_AdeptPassive SFXPower_AdeptPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_AdeptPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_EngineerPassive SFXPower_EngineerPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_EngineerPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_InfiltratorPassive SFXPower_InfiltratorPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_InfiltratorPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_SentinelPassive SFXPower_SentinelPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_SentinelPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_SoldierPassive SFXPower_SoldierPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_SoldierPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_VanguardPassive SFXPower_VanguardPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_VanguardPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_GarrusPassive SFXPower_GarrusPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_GarrusPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_GruntPassive SFXPower_GruntPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_GruntPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_JacobPassive SFXPower_JacobPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_JacobPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_JackPassive SFXPower_JackPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_JackPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_KasumiPassive SFXPower_KasumiPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_KasumiPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_LiaraPassive SFXPower_LiaraPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_LiaraPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_LegionPassive SFXPower_LegionPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_LegionPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_MirandaPassive SFXPower_MirandaPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_MirandaPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_MordinPassive SFXPower_MordinPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_MordinPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_SamaraPassive SFXPower_SamaraPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_SamaraPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_TaliPassive SFXPower_TaliPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_TaliPassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_ThanePassive SFXPower_ThanePassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_ThanePassive_Evolved2 SFXPower_ZaeedPassive SFXPower_ZaeedPassive_Evolved1 SFXPower_ZaeedPassive_Evolved2

SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Evolved1 SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Evolved2 SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Infiltrator SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Soldier SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Thane SFXPower_ConcussiveRounds_Vanguard SFXPower_Fissure SFXPower_Fissure_Engineer SFXPower_Fissure_Garrus SFXPower_Fissure_Heavy SFXPower_Fissure_Infiltrator SFXPower_Fissure_Mordin SFXPower_Fissure_NPC SFXPower_Fissure_Radius SFXPower_Flashbang SFXPower_Flashbang_Damage SFXPower_Flashbang_Radius SFXPower_Flashbang_Garrus SFXPower_Flashbang_Legion SFXPower_Flashbang_Soldier SFXPower_Flashbang_Vanguard SFXPower_Negotiate SFXPower_NeuralShock_Miranda SFXPower_NeuralShock_Infiltrator SFXPower_NeuralShock_Engineer SFXPower_NeuralShock_Sentinel SFXPower_Stasis SFXPower_Stasis_Adept SFXPower_Stasis_Damage SFXPower_Stasis_Heavy SFXPower_Stasis_Morinth SFXPower_Stasis_Sentinel SFXPower_Stasis_Thane

Tools and Useful Links

 * ME2Fixer
 * Mass Effect 2 Coalesced Compiler
 * Mass Effect 2 Coalesced Editor
 * Mass Effect 2 Coalesced.ini Mod Manager
 * Gibbed's Save Editor Extended | Gibbed's Save Editor (Original)
 * Texmod
 * List of level codes