Talk: Collector Ship (mission)/Archive1

On my latest playthru, I have completed every Dossier mission (including Zaeed), and this mission STILL has not become available. My only idea is that the 1.01 patch (which I recently installed) affected this somehow. Does anyone know if you now have to complete a certain amount of loyalty/N7 missions for this to open up? --Crush. 10:03, March 6, 2010 (UTC)

I'm using original 1.0 version and after all Dossier missions I still don't have Reaper IFF mission available - just as you. I'm gonna try a few N7 missions to see what they would change.

Acquisition of mission

You have to do a certain amount of loyalty missions as well. I took the time since Crush's response to test this but a few loyality missions is required to do this mission. I will be fixing the acquisition part shortly.

The number of missions remains the same but at least one loyalty mission is required for this mission to trigger. I tested this a number of times, sorry of the delay but I wanted to make sure. Lancer1289 20:22 March 15, 2010

I don't know if this is the same, but I didn't do any loyalty mission and still I got this mission. Only missions I did was Normady Crash Mission and some 2 N7 missions (N7 Operative and some taking place in mine - need to check Journal).

In multiple games I did 5+ missions, all dossier and N7, but I did one loyalty mission then this came up. I really don't know what happened in your game but after talking with others that have played the game the same thing happens. If it is different then someone please change it but I changed the article because I talked to well over 30 people to get the information, all I trust, so again if it is wrong then someone please correct it. I really don't know what happened in your game so I can't say. All I can say is what I did to get the infomation. Lancer1289 22:02 March 15, 2010 (UTC)

You actually don't believe me? Here's the proof. Journal with Collector Ship mission complete, Reaper IFF active and no loyalty mission done. Here's video of my journal

You would have to wait a little bit before YouTube finishes its processing of the video.

First, I never said I didn't believe you. All I said is what I did to determine if loyalty was required. Second, you didn't have to go through all that and frankly it is very rude that you did. I replayed ME2 and did this seciton well over 7 times, now I have a lot of campaigns that are incomplete and I have talked to other people who played this section. I don't why it doesn't take any loyalty missions for you. Maybe it is because you are running version 1.0, unless you changed it, but all I can say is that every time I did this and everyone I talked to said that they only got this mission after a loyalty mission and at least 4+ other missions. One thing I have learned from playing games is that each has its own problems and maybe that there is a catch that doesn't trip in your game. That is all I will say and if anyone else runs across this then please change it.

Also sign your posts. Lancer1289 16:35 March 16, 2010 (UTC)

You know what? Screw you. I wanted to help you, you deny help. I have nothing else to say to you... How about goodbye? Go to hell...

btw. the video is up - you should check it out now!

I believe you - I don't think loyalty missions are required, though I haven't tested this myself (I did Zaed's loyalty early, so I'd have to redo from the beginning to test. Maybe I'll do that tonight. I still think the key is 5 missions after Horizon AND 8 squad members to trigger, and with your test, loyalty missions are irrelevant. I've updated my mission list from earlier, to now include 5 N7 missions after the loyalty missions (making 11 missions total since Horizon), and no trigger. Immediately recruit Kasumi (8th teammate), and bam, trigger. --Sakaja 22:46, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

Not sure if anyone will care but I think the people saying that at least one additional recruitment mission is required (with waking up Grunt counting) as one of the 5 missions/assignments needed to trigger. My evidence for this would be my most recent play-through where the Collector Ship mission triggered for me before I had even recruited any of the three sqaudmates you can get after Horizon after completing the three assignments where Shepard is alone and two N7 assignments where it made sense to me for Miranda and Jacob to be brought along. Contrast that with my first play-through where I managed to forget to wake Grunt up until after recruiting Kasumi post Horizon and then did two N7 assignments on my way back to recruit Thane and Samara where, right after recruiting Thane I got the Collector Ship mission.

granted it could also be random which would be lame since I'm weird and like to structure the way I play around what I think works as a narrative and that would throw a wrench in that idea--Ohma

I don't think it's random. I am on my 2nd playthrough, i did 4 or 5 loyalty missions after horizon plus 3 N7 assigments plus Normandy (solo), which is surely more than 5 in total - still, no collector ship triggered. I do this in an attempt to go through suicide mission without recruiting Tali, in order to have Legion with me when i do Tali's missions. Which means, i won't have shield upgrade for past omega-4 ship combat. Which means i am to have 1 team member killed, unless i take specifically targeted one with me to fight Oculus. Since i do not know wrether taking such team member with me would allow to avoid any deaths in team whatsoever, or wrether simply someone else (down the list of potential non-upgraded-shield situation) would die instead, - it was the whole point not to recruit anyone whos dosiers appear after Horizon. I took Zaeed before i learned about characters who may be killed without upgraded shield, and he's in the list, but he's the one i can tolerate losing. But all others i could now recruit are both unacceptable to lose (for me), and higher priority in the list of potential victims of non-upgraded shield of the Normandy. That's why i took the time and did 8-9 assigments/missions after Horizon - to be absolutely sure that i can't get Colletor's ship missions without recruiting someone whos dossier appeared after completing Horizon. Sadly (for me), now i am absolutely sure, message here above being last nail to the coffin of my last doubts... :) --Fins

I got it in 5 missions. 8 members are needed. Jacob, Jack, and Miranda loyalty missions. Shadow Broker missions. N7 mission.

Did not open Grunts tank till after horizon. Dont know if it counted as a mission though.

You do not need to recruit the 3 dossiers you get after horizon, those are optional.

Acquisition again

I removed the bit about having 8 characters because on three campaigns now I have had 11 squadmates, minus Legion of course, and the mission still hasn't come up. After playing a few missions I noticed one commonality but I won't add it without some comfirmation. I did 7 anonomly and dossier missions, even Kasumi: Stealing Memory on one campaign, then I talked with Grunt or Mordin, went to Tuchanka and then when I came back the mission unlocked. Just wondering if this happened to anyone else, because maybe you have to unlock Tuchanka for the mission to trigger after the five, or during it if you haven't reached that magic number. Tested this with doing 5 missions then talking to Mordin, went to Tuchanka, did another mission, then this one unlocked. Lancer1289 19:47, April 14, 2010 (UTC)

08:03, May 2, 2010 (UTC)I don't think unlocking Tuchanka is the key. I have unlocked and finished all missions and assignments on it, finished jacob, garrus jack's loyalty missions, recruited Tali and done her loyalty and handled some 2 or 3 anomalies and still haven't triggered it...it is worth noting that I haven't set foot on Illium though...just trying to help, Illidan

Betrayer...In Truth, It was I who was Betrayed... 08:04, May 2, 2010 (UTC)

Sakaja 10:30, January 8, 2011 (UTC) The trigger for the collector mission is BOTH 5 missions, plus 8 teammates unlocked. You can continue doing more than 5 missions as long as you don't unlock 8 teammates. I did the following test:

• Horizon, with 7 teammates unlocked so far: Miranda, Jacob, Zaed, Mordin, Garrus, Jack, Grunt
  • Jacob Loyalty (Mission 1)
  • Miranda Loyalty (Mission 2)
  • Jack Loyalty (Mission 3)
  • Grunt Loyalty (Mission 4)
  • Mordin Loyalty (Mission 5)
  • Normandy - no trigger
  • Recruit Kasumi (8th teammate), then Normandy - trigger
  • Reload before recruiting Kasumi
  • Garrus Loyalty (Mission 6), then Normandy - still no trigger
  • Recruit Kasumi (8th teammate), then Normandy - trigger
    • Updated --Sakaja 23:13, January 8, 2011 (UTC)
    • Reload to just after Garrus loyalty
    • N7: Archeological Dig Site (Mission 7)
    • N7: MSV Strontium Mule (Mission 8)
    • N7: Blue Suns Base (Mission 9)
    • N7: Javelin Missiles Launched(Mission 10)
    • N7: Captured Mining Facility (Mission 11)
    • Still no trigger after 5 N7 mission. Recruit Kasumi (8th teammate), then trigger.

There may be other conditions necessary to trigger in addition to 5 missions and 8 teammates, but unless someone comes up with a definitive counterexample of triggering with less than 8 teammates, it should stand. --Sakaja 10:30, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

Just pointing out that I have seem many, many games where there have only been six(6) squadmates recruited, or over eight (8). In the case having over eigth, everyone except Legion was recruited, and the mission still didn't trigger. So it is not a requirment that having eigth is a requirement. It is five missions/assignments after Horizon. I have also been looking around and it does seem that five is the trigger, reguardless of the amount of squadmates recruited. Lancer1289 18:39, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

I just proved conclusively that just doing five missions does NOT trigger the collector mission. If you search on the forums, you can also find examples where the 5th mission does NOT trigger. Can you point to a definitive example where someone triggers the mission with having less than eight squadmates (and give the starting squadmates and the mission order, so that we can reproduce)? I think most people recruit eight squadmates somewhere before 5 missions, and then the 5th mission triggers, giving the impression that the 5th mission is the only trigger condition. You have to actually try hard NOT to recruit 8 before the 5th mission. Please let the edit stand unless you prove that the collector mission triggers with less than 8 squadmates (and again, give the starting squadmates and the mission order to trigger). --Sakaja 20:12, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

So the statements, which I initially discovered way back in April mean nothing now? I can't find them anymore because of the time difference, being almost nine months, and some are buried in the BioWare forums and elsewhere. I did however find accounts of people who did five missions/assignments and then had the mission trigger with just six or seven squadmates. I have also repeated this many times on my game for testing purposes. Did five missions/assignments, still had only seven squadmates, Miranda, Jacob, Garrus, Grunt, Jack, Mordin, and Zaeed, and the mission triggered. Some people didn't even have Zaeed so that makes six. The accounts I read over the course of the investigation I did where quite a number of people did have only seven and still the mission triggered. The order of them varied but none of them did dossier missions and they still had the mission trigger. Lancer1289 20:28, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

I'm saying that you can reproduce my result - no trigger until 5 missions PLUS 8th teammate recruited. I'm willing to entertain the idea that the collector mission can trigger with less than 8 teammates (remember, Grunt not being woken up doesn't count as a teammate), but in my many many hours of searching and testing, no one has provided enough info to reproduce triggering with less than 8 teammates. My guess is that most people don't realize they have 8 squadmates and trigger on the 5th mission - it takes a contentious effort not to recruit 8. I'm not the 1st one to say 8 teammates required (search the forums), but I did verify and now anyone else can reproduce those results. Now, there may or may not be some additional conditions necessary to trigger (visiting Illium, Tuchanka, etc.), but I'm positive you need 8 teammates to trigger. Once again, please let that edit stand, until proven wrong (and if I'm wrong, what better way than to have the community as a whole try to find a definitive counterexample). --Sakaja 23:13, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

And I have reproduced your result many times, don’t think I didn’t, which is what you are implying, but you seem to be forgetting is that you can also reproduce mine. I did try this before during my investigation into unlocking this mission, and I found that you can recruit only seven squadmates and still get this mission. I found two of the old forum posts, 1, and 2 where people have only had seven squadmates and still the mission triggered. I know I had better ones, much better ones, and I can't find them that say people have had only seven, or even six, squadmates and still the mission triggered. I even tried that myself a few times, recruited one, equaling seven, and the mission triggered, recruited none, making six, or even recruiting none, post-Zaeed, making seven, and the mission still triggered. Frankly you seem to want me to consider only your side of the story, while you ignore my side and that isn't the best way to make an argument. You must consider every point of view. Lancer1289 01:19, January 9, 2011 (UTC)

You say you have reproduced it, but can't give a specific example that that demonstrates it. That's not being very scientific. I read both of the links you provided, and people claim seven squadmates needed to trigger but provide no proof either. The closest one was the post from hgroce15 in 1giving a mission list and saying that he had yet to recruit Samara, Thane, and Legion. However, this leaves Zaed and Kasumi - did he recruit one of them (especially since after Garrus loyalty, you end up at Kasumi recruiting advertisement, which seems a logical point to recruit her)? In any case, I spent the last day making a new character and reproducing his mission order exactly:

• Recruit: Mordin, Garrus, Jack, Grunt (Miranda & Jacob there of course)
• Loyalty: Miranda
• Completed 5 N7 Missions
• Recruit: Tali
• Loyalty: Garrus

That's 8 missions after Horizon, and the collector mission did NOT trigger. As soon as I recruit Kasumi (either right after recruiting Tali, or after Garrus's Loyalty), the collector mission triggers. Kasumi would be the 8th teammate. You accuse me of not being open minded, but I'm perfectly willing to believe less than eight teammates are needed if you or anyone else can provide a reproducible mission order where the collector mission triggered with less than eight teammates. All I've seen so far is empty claims - where is your proof? I, on the other hand, have now given two examples of triggering on the eighth teammate, with one of those refuting a claim that it triggered with seven (and if you don't believe me, I'll provide a video with the mission list). Why don't you be open minded that perhaps people's memory of how many they recruited was flawed (I know I didn't pay much attention the first couple of times I played). Give me evidence that less than eight is needed, and I'm more than willing to believe you. I'm the second person who tried to put in 8 teammates required (of course, now we know 5 missions are also required), and you remove it without solid evidence. --Sakaja 02:07, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

And if you had read the time stamp on that post more carefully you would have seen that it was posted, and modified eleven months ago. This means sometime in January or February of last year. So what does this mean? It means that Kasumi's pack wasn't even out yet. However that was one of the ones I came across and while not the best, it does prove that you can trigger the mission without having eight squadmates as you claim. He probably had seven squadmates, the six plus Tali making seven, since no mention of Zaeed. And since you want proof I did do this, I did dig up one of my files and it is pre save before the Collector Ship and before returning to the Normandy. I had seven squadmates, including Zaeed, didn't recruit Kasumi yet, did Jacob's loyalty mission, then three N7 assignments, then Miranda's loyalty mission. Samara's, Thane's, Tali's, and Kasumi's dossier missions were still active in my Journal. Upon returning to the Normandy after Miranda's loyalty mission on Illium, the mission triggered. Somehow I only had seven and the mission still triggered. I have even older files that only have seven, or even six, no Zaeed or Kasumi, and still the mission triggered. The majority of those trees are similar but different in composition. A mix of loyalty, one (or no) dossier missions, and N7 assignments. Every time the mission triggered after the fifth mission and each time below the eight squadmate threshold you claim. Lancer1289 02:27, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

Ok, on the file you dug up, you had seven squadmates, including Zaeed, going into Horizon. Then you did Jacob's loyalty, 3 N7, then Miranda's loyalty, returned to Normandy, and the collector mission triggered, correct? Can you do me a favor and verify in the Team Status in the Private Terminal (next to galaxy map) that you have only seven teammates when you get the collector mission triggered? Also, what N7 missions? I want to try it - if I can reproduce it, I have another theory on a possible trigger. BTW, are you on PC or Xbox 360? I'm on 360. Thanks. --Sakaja 02:53, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

(edit conflict)Yes that is correct and yes only seven squadmates are there when I return From Miranda's loyalty mission,, then as I approach the Galaxy Map and activate it, Joker and Kelly tell me the Illusive Man wanted to see me. I really can't see how I can pick up another squadmate when I said I only had seven to begin with. But I did see only seven active characters on the screen in the Personal terminal. Four active dossier missions, Kasumi, Tali, Samara, and Thane's dossiers were still waiting. N7 Assignments completed, N7: Lost Operative, N7: Archeological Dig Site, and N7: Quarian Crash Site. Console: 360. Lancer1289 03:41, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

Forgot to ask - Zaeed loyal? If so, I assume done before Horizon, right? --Sakaja 04:10, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

No, Zaeed is not loyal. Although I do have another file where he is. Order there is: Miranda Loyalty, N7: Lost Operative, N7: Blood Pack Communications Relay, Mordin Loyalty, Jacob Loyalty. Kasumi, Samara, Thane, and Tali not recruited. Loyal Squadmates at time of trigger, Zaeed, Miranda, Mordin, Jacob. Lancer1289 04:18, January 10, 2011 (UTC)

I've been working on a Vanguard insanity playthrough because this talk has intrigued me. I've made a detailed log of patch conditions as well as assignments and missions done in order (Including the ones done before horizon that were not necessary, like Zaeed and Kasumi). As soon as trigger occurs I will post the log and possibly a video if I have time. Ilovetelephones 10:22, January 12, 2011 (UTC)

Thanks - would love to see your log if you can trigger with less than 8 squadmates. --Sakaja 23:53, January 12, 2011 (UTC)

Ok, I spent the last few days testing and testing and testing. I CANNOT get the collector ship to trigger with less than 8 teammates. I followed your first mission list. I tested the following:

• Test 1 - try to duplicated 7 squadmate trigger - unsuccessful.
  • Pre-Horizon: Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Garrus, Grunt, Jack, Zaed (not loyal)
  • Post-Horizon: Jacob Loyalty, N7: Lost Operative, N7: Archeological Dig Site, and N7: Quarian Crash Site Miranda Loyalty - no trigger - Another N7 - no trigger - Recruit Kasumi (8th squadmate) - trigger.
• Test 2 - Zaed loyalty variation.
  • Pre-Horizon: Pre-Horizon: Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Garrus, Grunt, Jack, Zaed (loyal)
  • Post-Horizon: Miranda Loyalty, N7: Lost Operative, N7: Archeological Dig Site, and N7: Quarian Crash Site Jacob Loyalty - no trigger - Another N7 - no trigger - Recruit Kasumi (8th squadmate) - trigger
• Test 3: Testing if updates/downloaded content changed things.
  • Removed all downloadable content, cleaned system cache (removes game updates). This should simulate the game first coming out.
  • Pre-Horizon: Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Garrus, Grunt, Jack
  • Post-Horizon: Jacob Loyalty, N7: Lost Operative, N7: Archeological Dig Site, and N7: Quarian Crash Site Miranda Loyalty (5th mission) - no trigger - Recruit Tali (7th teammate, 6th mission) - no trigger - N7 mission (7th mission )- no trigger - didn't bother to recruit 8th teammate.
  • Post-Horizon 2: On 5th mission, recruit Tali (to get 7 teammates on 5th mission) - no trigger - N7 mission (6th mission) - no trigger.
• Test 4: A post describing [why 8 teammates are needed]. Trying to trigger off of 7th teammate, with all ship upgrades.
  • Pre-Horizon: Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Garrus, Grunt, Jack. Thanix Cannon (Garrus), Heavy Ship Armor (Jacob), Advanced Mineral Scanner (Miranda - not needed, but to speed up my mineral scanning).
  • Post-Horizon: Recruit Tali (7th squadmate) & get Multicore Shielding, 4 N7 missions, Jacob loyalty (5th mission) - no trigger - Recruit Kasumi (8th squadmate) - trigger.
  • This shows that getting all three ship upgrades needed not to get anyone killed in the final mission didn't help in reducing the number of squadmates needed to trigger.

I can't think of what else to test. I'd appreciate it if anyone can post a video actually showing the collector mission triggering with less than 8 squadmates and then showing the ENTIRE mission and assignment list - I'm more than willing to try to duplicate it. I've gotten the test runs down to 4-5 hours from a fresh start (all my runs used an imported a Mass Effect 1 character, on casual). I think my testing supports the [post of why 8 teammates are needed]. --Sakaja 23:53, January 12, 2011 (UTC)

Forgive me if this question sounds stupid, but I really haven't been following all of this discussion: What about if you don't have the Zaeed and Kasumi DLCs? From the little bit I've seen, I don't recall anyone trying it that way. It seems to be assumed that everyone has Zaeed and Kasumi, but this is not the case. After all, they are both only available if you download the relevant DLCs. SpartHawg948 00:00, January 13, 2011 (UTC)

I had the same question, and thought for sure that removing all the downloadable game content and updates would let me to trigger with less than 8 squadmates. That was my Test 3 above. Once you clean the system cache (Xbox 360) and start Mass Effect 2, Xbox live tells you there is a game update available. I declined the update (and you automatically get logged out of xbox live). Unfortunately, it didn't seem to make a difference. --Sakaja 03:28, January 13, 2011 (UTC)

I'm starting to find this pretty hard to believe. I'd have to check, but I'm fairly certain I've gotten the mission with less than 8 squad members. And we do have others stating that they too have gotten the mission with 7. Something just doesn't sound right here... SpartHawg948 03:39, January 13, 2011 (UTC)

Tell me about it. I know people have said that they triggered with less than 8, but I sure would like to be able to reproduce it so that we can get to the bottom of this. If anyone can rerun an old save (or a new run, for that matter) and show how to reproduce triggering with 7, I'd be very grateful. I'm going to go back to playing my "golden" adept insanity run for now - the whole reason I started looking into this. --Sakaja 07:16, January 13, 2011 (UTC)

I think Sakaja is onto something, I'm changing the acquisition data, if anyone can produce a video of the mission acquired without 8 squad members I'll gladly back down, if anyone wants to dispute my findings I'll gladly make a video if necessary.

Mass Effect 2: Fully patched as of January 9th 2010

Pre-horizon

(Team mates recruited; Mordin, Jacob, Miranda, Garrus, Kasumi, Zaeed, Jack)

(Grunt asleep)

Missions/assignments outside of the main campaign (Missions not required for Horizon trigger):

Missions

• Dossier: The Master Thief
• Dossier: The Veteran
• Kasumi: Stealing Memory
• Zaeed: The Price of Revenge

Assignments:

• Normandy Crash Site
• Omega: Archangel: Datapad Recovered
• Omega: Batarian Bartender
• Omega: Struggling Quarian
• Omega: The Patriarch
• Omega: The Professor: Missing Assistant
• Citadel: Krogan Sushi
• Citadel: Crime in Progres
• N7: Wrecked Merchant Freighter
• Normandy: FBA Couplings
• Normandy: Serrice Ice Brandy
• Normandy: Special Ingredients
• Project Firewalker: Geth Incursion
• Project Firewalker: Prothean Site (Labelled Project Firewalker: Prothean Ruin on the Galaxy Map)
• Project Firewalker: Rosalie Lost
• Project Firewalker: Survey Sites Located (Labelled Project Firewalker: Artifact Collection on the Galaxy Map)
• Project Firewalker: Volcano Station (Labelled Project Firewalker: Recover Research Data on the Galaxy Map)
• Project Overlord
• Overlord (Labelled Investigate Project Overlord on the Galaxy Map)
• Overlord: Atlas Station
• Overlord: Prometheus Station
• Overlord: Vulcan Station

Post Horizon:

Jacob: Gift of Greatness (Mission 1, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Releaseed Grunt (Mission 1, Squad 8) - No Trigger

Reloaded to before Grunt release (Mission 1, Squad 7)

Jack: Subject Zero (Mission 2, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Landed on illium:

Illium assignments done:

• Illium: A Troublemaker ? Illium: Conrad Verner
• Illium: Blue Rose of Illium
• Illium: Gianna Parasini
• Illium: Indentured Service
• Illium: Medical Scans

Miranda: The Prodigal (Mission 3, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Landed on illium: Illium: The Prodigal: Lost Locket Found

Lair of the Shadow Broker (Mission 4, Squad 7) - No Trigger

N7: Anomalous Weather Detected (Mission 5, Squad 7) - No Trigger

N7: Archeological Dig Site (Mission 6, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Released Grunt (Mission 7, Squad 8) - Trigger

Reloaded before Grunt's release (Mission 6, Squad 7) - No Trigger

MSV Strontium Mule (Mission 7, Squad 7) - No Trigger

N7: Blood Pack Base (Mission 8, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Garrus: Eye for an Eye (Mission 9, Squad 7) - No Trigger

Dossier: The Assassin (Mission 10, Squad 8) - Trigger

Ilovetelephones 15:17, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

So currently it is 2 vs. 2 saying that it can be triggered with less than eight and you have to have eight respectively, so when was a changed called for when we are clearly divided on the issue? Usually 2 vs. 2 means nothing is done since there is no agreement. I did another run, without recruiting Zaeed, and guess what I found, I did trigger this mission without eight squadmates. I avoided Zaeed and Kasumi, which I did regret as I like the Locust, and I did the following missions and after the fifth the mission triggered.

1) Dossier: The Assassin

2) N7: Eclipse Smuggling Depot

3) Miranda: The Prodigal

4) N7: Archeological Dig Site

5) Jacob: The Gift of Greatness

6) This mission.

So by both logic, the mission shouldn't have triggered, and yet it did with seven squadmates, Jacob, Miranda, Mordin, Garrus, Jack, Grunt, and Thane. Frankly I think the trigger is 5 missions, but requires one recruitment mission, or releasing Grunt from his tank, after Horizon for the trigger. However, that requires confirmation. Lancer1289 17:43, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

Doing nothing is clearly wrong, we've established that Grunt triggered the ship missions, the nature of this trigger and whether it is related to the recruitment missions is interesting and, I believe, should be noted as a possibility. You may think of it as speculation but it is clearly closer to the truth than what is on the page which is dismiss-able by the very fact that Grunt's released was a trigger. (I would have also kept back Zaeed or Kasumi for testing but I like the locust and Zaeeds loyalty power) I like your idea and I only said that Sakaja is 'onto something', perhaps my undo was not the right answer, but we should add a note in the acquisition area on this development, I don't know much about the standards for speculative information here but I think this development is relevant and far less speculative than just saying 8 missions, isn't it? Ilovetelephones 20:07, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

Well until we have more information, we leave it with the information we have established as fact, which is a five mission trigger. Right now we hve no confirmation that it is eight squadmates, or that done recrutiment mission is required, so we go with the information that is confirmed. Since you opened Grunt's tank, that might count as a recrutiment mission, but that has yet to be confirmed. Right now we have only one bit of confirmed information, that it requires five missions, we have no confirmation on eight squadmates, or one recruitment mission. Right now it is speculative information, and just as speculative as saying that eight squadmates is a trigger as well. In walkthough, epecially ones with triggers, it needs to be researched and documented by more than just one person. I also checked some old saves and this mission still triggered with less than eight. I did a lot, a lot of research on this, which is why I started this section. Lancer1289 20:21, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

But surely we've established it as definitely false, and thus misinformation which in my opinion is worse than speculative, by showing that the 5 missions by themselves didn't trigger it until Grunt was added, when we take your results into account the idea that doing one recruitment mission is required is speculative but supported, whereas 5 missions as a sole trigger is definitely a lie. At the very least what would you suggest to confirm it?

(edit conflit)So thanks a lot for dismissing my evidence altogether in favor of your evidence alone, because that is exactly what you have done. You suggest that I can be the only one who is wrong because you triggered differently, while I have stated repeatedly that I have had this trigger with less than the proposed eight squadmate trigger. I have stated repeatedly that I have had this mission trigger with less than eight squadmates and without doing one dossier mission. I merely suggested that a dossier mission might be another trigger, but that has yet to be confirmed. Right now we have a confirmed trigger, five missions, which is backed up by evidence, yet there is evidence that there might be others, yet that has yet to be confirmed. I have presented evidence that you can trigger it with less than eight, and without doing a dossier mission, and you dismissed it altogether. I'd rather go with what is confirmed, rather than adding speculative information about supposed triggers. Lancer1289 21:03, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

PS:I looked into your Grunt's-missions-not-closed idea, you were right. Ilovetelephones 20:51, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

And that that shows that there may be another trigger, but that has yet to be confirmed. Again I'd rather go with what is confirmed, five missions/assignments, than add speculative information into an article about supposed triggers when there is evidence to say a dossier mission is required, or that you require eight squadmates, as both have also been demonstrated to be false. Lancer1289 21:07, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

I did the N7: Blood Pack Base mission afterwards and it didn't trigger, I didn't dismiss your evidence entirely I said that it supports a recruitment mission requirement, 5 missions alone is misinformation because otherwise it would have triggered with any five missions, not just after I completed Grunts. I didn't dismiss your evidence I'm clearly stating facts. Both of us had recruitment missions complete to trigger (even though yours wasn't the last mission), without the recruitment mission my trigger didn't work, even with five missions or more. Which means that it is misinformation in that it isn't completely true, is it not possible to hit six or seven missions without triggering? Ilovetelephones 21:10, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

When was the dossier mission requirement demonstrated to be false? Ilovetelephones 21:12, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

(edit conflict)So the several saves I presented earlier mean nothing then? I have two saves from earlier where I did not do any recruitment missions and the mission still triggered. You did dismiss that outright as you completely ignored it. So far, the five missions has more support than eight squadmates and a recruitment mission. ANd I'm really getting tired of edit conflicts. Lancer1289 21:18, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

Did you definitely recruit Zaeed and Kasumi before Horizon in those saves? because in at least one save it is unclear as only the loyalty mission is mentioned. Also, while you say that I dismiss your saves both me and Sakaja have demonstrated going over the 5 mission limit in our two save games yet that has somehow become irrelevant? How does Five missions have more support? How is it any more valid when it is disapproved by two save games, which is the exact same premise you have for denying the recruitment theory if Zaeed and Kasumi were recruited pre-horizon. One is as possible as the other so either both possibilitys should be mentioned in the acquisition area or it should be admitted that we are unaware of the nature of the trigger. Ilovetelephones 21:34, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

No in one I did, and the others I did not making six and seven. I would have said if I recruited them or not, I don't leave out information. Spart also brings in that he did not have eight and the mission triggered for him. I have also talked to many other people who have also done this without recruiting missions and doing just five missions/assignments and the mission triggered. NO I'm not just saying this, as someone claimed somewhere, I have seen it with my eyes and I don't lie about this. You tow have so far proven that it may not be possible, yet evidence presented by two others say differently. So I have two links earlier that also show it to be false. I did not dismiss your evidence, I merely stated that five missions has more support because of the time where it has been on the article, usually if information like that will get changed, the extensive research I've done on this issue, and the fact that I have tried to repeat your scenarios myself, and have failed each time. Each time I have tried, I get the mission after five missions/assignments, with or without eight squadmates, and with or without dossier missions. While you can't reproduce my results, I cannot in turn reproduce yours. Right now I have two people saying different things, while I have a lot more saying otherwise. Lancer1289 21:49, January 16, 2011 (UTC)

Make that three people. I only got the mission once the 8th squadmate was acquired. After Horizon: Recruitment: Tali; Loyalty: Mordin, Jacob, Grunt, Miranda, Garrus, Jack = 7 Missions. Recruited Thane -> triggered Collector Ship.87.155.201.60 22:55, January 19, 2011 (UTC)

3-2? Pretty sure thats a definitive sign that it should be changed. Or at the very least noted as a possibility as I have been trying to get for a while now... It's abundantly clear that the 5 mission acquisition theory is not absolute and should be noted as such, it is misinformation in that it is inaccurate and many people have produced contrary results. How many more must announce this before you decide to allow the alterations to the acquisition section that you consistently revert? At the very least there should be a note in the acquisition info of our findings. Ilovetelephones 16:00, January 20, 2011 (UTC)

No it is not on something like this. On a vote, yes 3-2 is enough to make a decisive decision, but three vs. two is enough in this case with regards to a mission trigger. I wouldn’t also say it was enough if it was 4-2 in favor of five mission/assignments alone. Would I be willing to note that as a possibility now, yes, but there is no need for your comments to be so rude, or your attitude to be so combative. That doesn’t lead to good things, and hasn’t in the past. That doesn’t You do realize that we have standards, and a 3-2 is not enough for a trigger in this case. We are heavily divided on the trigger for the Reaper IFF mission for instance. I will modify the note however, considering there are many things in there I have a problem with. I have other concerns about things, but I’ll withhold them for now. Lancer1289 16:59, January 20, 2011 (UTC)

I apologize for the combative attitude but this is what I was going for from the beginning, any aggression was born from preserving the concept the article presented, that five missions was the trigger and that was absolutely true in every case, when people were clearly experiencing other triggers as well.

EDIT: video of trigger and completed missions/ assignments I uploaded, for anyone who wants proof of my log.Ilovetelephones 11:13, January 21, 2011 (UTC)

I would love to see similar videos where the collector mission triggered with less than eight teammates. --Sakaja 21:28, January 25, 2011 (UTC)

So all this talk about triggering with less than 8 teammates, and no one can provide video proof? --Sakaja 22:54, February 4, 2011 (UTC)

I have edited "true trigger" part a little. I believe about less than 8 crew trigger and some of you fight to the death about it but you kinda must give clues for those players who didn't trigger it with 5 missions only, am i rite? --Malchik 11:28, April 18, 2012 (UTC)

I was trying a fast run on insanity. - Just after Horizon, squad is : Mirranda, Jacob, Mordin, Jack, Garrus. Grunt is sleeping, Kasumi and Zaeed are still waiting me. - After Horizon, I recruited Tali and made 4 loyally missions : Jack, Mordin, Garrus and Tali. So 5 missions and no trigger. Got 6 squadmates : Mirranda, Jacob, Mordin, Jack, Garrus and Tali. - Tried to do anothers mission (Normandy SR1) : no trigger. - But, if I recruit 2 more people, like Zaeed and Kasumi or Zaeed and Grunt, then the Collector Ship mission appears. So I think the trigger is more complicated than just 5 missions. --Sinequanone 16:06, May 1, 2012 (UTC)

Advanced Weapon Training

On my second playthrough, the option for it didn't even come up, I went through the convo with EDI about the protheans right at the beginning and after that there was no interruption asking me which weapon I want. I am a soldier and chose the widow sniper the first time around and was hoping to get the Revenant this time. They probably intended for it to be this way but damn, I want my revenant. -spiderk

I know what you mean, the first time I imported a ME2 playthrough I came salivating on the collector ship. LOL But if you think it makes sense, since every class has a different playstyle. If you've been allowed to do the advanced weapons training every time you'll end with an Adept equiped with Widow, Ravenant and Claymore, wich will levelled every class and make the game less fun, IMHO. Brfritos 21:30, May 13, 2010 (UTC)

Triggering the mission

Is it confirmed that the Collector Ship is triggered after 4 missions? For me was always 5 and even in the official Bioware forum people confirm this. The loyalty aspect I think is less important, since in one playtrough only Miranda was loyal and I still recieved the call from TIM.

I usually play as Infiltrator, Vanguard or Engineer and always follow this path before the mission: Miranda loyalty mission (return to the Normandy for upgrades) > Thane mission (return to the Normandy for upgrades) > Samara mission (return to the Normandy for upgrades) > planet Didara (for Damage Protection upgrade) > then Tuchanka (Mordin and Grunt loyalty missions without return to the Normandy until they are done, of course) If I play as a soldier, I replace the Samara mission for Tali (AR upgrade), but I've always been able to do 5 missions before going to the Collector Ship.

Looking on my earliest playthroughs I've always did 5 missions too. Of course I didn't know the game mechanics good enough, so i ended doing unimportant missions, like "Saving Craship Ship", "MSV Stevanico", etc. But it was always 5.

I think the article needs to correct this information. Brfritos 05:39, May 15, 2010 (UTC)

could you link the bioware people saying it's 5 missions? 12.190.141.141 00:50, June 9, 2010 (UTC)

to add an additional layer of complexity, i reached level 20 on a character and the mission triggered despite having completed no loyalty missions 12.190.141.141 00:53, June 9, 2010 (UTC)

to add another one, i reached level 22 on a character, completed 7 loyalty missions, of them 5 _after_ Horizon, - and the mission still didn't trigger. :) Just in case someone's curious, this is presumably because i yet do not have Thane, Kasumi, Samara nor Tali in my squad (avoided their recuirtment missions intentionally). Zaeed's in and loyal, Grunt's woke up and loyal.--Fins

Husks

I know there ARE Husks but I was talking about the place where is the final battle with the Collectors, not about that one where you face a crowd of Husks charging you. In that place where is the Scion behind the corner, there ARE ONLY abominations, and one Scion. "The room full of abominations and husks" isn't appropriate, as the abominations are just another form of husk, and either "abominations" or "husks" are completely redundant in this statement.Harbinger265 00:08, June 29, 2010 (UTC)

That's in the collector base. This is the mission page for the collector ship (pre-abduction) Finally remember the area you're talking about. Yup, only abominations there. Dammej 00:20, June 29, 2010 (UTC)

Yep I'd have to agree. I misinterperated what room was being discussed, which is sad because I wrote most of the thing, so my reversion was a result of misinterperatation. There is only abominations in that room, no husks. Lancer1289 00:24, June 29, 2010 (UTC)

Glad we came to a conclusion. I'll correct it now.Harbinger265 00:27, June 29, 2010 (UTC)

Walkthrough idea

I have noted that the article header states that the page needs to be cleaned up. After looking at the page, I feel that it needs the walkthrough section split into at least 2 parts for easier reading. I was thinking that I would take a stab at it. Any thoughts on this? GrandMoffVixen 21:31, July 25, 2010 (UTC)

Two parts, the mission is fine on one page. Now I had to split the ME missions on Noveria, Feros, Virmire, and Ilos because those were long. This mission isn't that long, Horizon (mission) is longer, somewhat, but both are fine on one page. If you want a long mission, copy the information from the Noveria: Geth Interest and Noveria: Peak 15 articles into one page, and see that result, it isn't pretty. I think the reason that the cleanup tag is still there because no one removed it, and considering that it is on the same level as most mission pages, I'll be removing that. Lancer1289 21:42, July 25, 2010 (UTC)

Ah, ok then. Thanks! GrandMoffVixen 21:47, July 25, 2010 (UTC)

Top picture: whence?

Anyone know where the first screenshot came from (either in-game, or otherwise)? Or what it is of? --AnotherRho 22:11, October 14, 2010 (UTC)

It's the save screen. There are a few others around like on the Dossier: Tali page. Lancer1289 22:13, October 14, 2010 (UTC)

That's why I asked; it's not what appears on my load screen. Does the Save screen show a different pic from the Load Screen? --AnotherRho 22:18, October 14, 2010 (UTC)

I don't know, I'll have to check later. But for now I have to step out for a half hour. Lancer1289 22:19, October 14, 2010 (UTC)

Ok it's not the save or load screen, so that's my bad. I also checked the art book and it's not in there either. So I'm thinking that this either came from an earlier build of the game, from other concept art, from BioWare's site, or the internet. I honestly have no idea where it came from. Curious. Lancer1289 22:52, October 14, 2010 (UTC)

A glitch - squadmate dying for no reason

I had this glitch yesterday, and I've remembered having it before. Once I walk/fall into a room with a Praetorian, one of my squadmates suddenly drops dead, however, their head isn't greyed out but instead is shown with a red health indicator. On the HUD, this squadmate is shown to be blocked, and they can be revived normally. Did anyone else have this? --Kiadony 08:46, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

This is the first I've heard of this. Never had it happen to me, but I do have my squadmates drop dead in that room. Although it is usually after being hit with the Pretorian's death chior attack. Lancer1289 17:02, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

Heh, well, I guess the glitch I had is caused by some collision detection bug. --Kiadony 12:01, November 25, 2010 (UTC)

I've never had this glitch happen to me but when my brother was playing, he dropped into that room and both his squadmates instantly disappeared, with the having them both grayed out. He decided to use some medi-gel and his squadmates instantly teleported beside him. Maybe his squadmates were too far from the map and they got removed... Freakium 00:04, November 26, 2010 (UTC)

I've encountered this as well. Both of my squadmates were still up at the top of the previous area where you drop down into the pretorian's chamber, they were standing on top of the first of the two steps when I went far enough in to trigger the pretorian's approach. As soon as the pretorian began moving towards me, both squadmates dropped dead at the top of the steps. I reloaded and tested it to see if what I thought had just happened would do it again, and it does. If squadmates are still at that upper level when the pretorian advances this is what happens. I also had problems convincing them to move into the pretorian's area by giving them a waypoint, they refused to move and just stayed up on that top step. --Meddlesom 17:34, February 8, 2011 (UTC)

--Dynamitrios 17:26, February 28, 2011 (UTC)Dynamitrios

So, to have another oppinion (by me) i tend to play the following playstyle: i recruit every character from the Dossiers first (no particular order), do the main plot and leave all the assignments or dlcs for after the last plot mission.

So far, every plot mission was triggerred, as soon as i had recruited the last character on the list. Horizon starts immediatelly after the first batch of dossiers, so does the collector ship, once you acquired Thane, Sammara and Tali, the Collector Ship mission is triggererd... always, no waiting or having to do other missions, it wont trigger unless you have all three chars recruited, and so it did in 5 different playthroughs i have up to now.

Bad Glitch...

I do have a save on my Xbox 360 where it's glitched and I'm stuck on an invisible 'block' on this Collector Ship mission. no way to get unstuck, though lucky I have a save like a minute ago...

It's in that area where there's that scion around the corner on left, though I went up ramp for higher ground to take care of it easier... got stuck near ramp ledge/ledge wall/pillar. something 'popped' my char up on the ledge-wall apparently. Xbox 360. Decrosse 02:13, June 30, 2011 (UTC)

It does happen quite often on other missions, too, unfortunately. You just need to be careful around the corners, containers and suchlike. It's collision detection not working correctly because of MEs' physics (yeah I'm pretty sure it happens in both games). --kiadony 09:12, June 30, 2011 (UTC)

8 squadmate trigger

The mission requires you to have 8 squadmates (including any DLC characters) to trigger. Either try this yourself or consult any number of threads in the forums:

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/3346191/1 http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/1183846#1184453 http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/2313482#2313531 http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/2079842#2087688 http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/105/index/7061469#7063300

For the wiki not to have this information is pretty poor. Centy – reply • contribs – 21:19, January 12, 2013 (UTC)

This is not confirmation. We need confirmation on this wiki is not it. Because of multiple conflicting reports we do need it. Lancer1289 (talk) 22:13, January 12, 2013 (UTC)

http://guides.ign.com/guides/14235018/page_107.html IGN source that number of squadmates matter. Put a note about conflicting reports. However, I have not heard any reports of people triggering with fewer than 8 squadmates. 5 missions after Horizon is self-demonstrably wrong and the wiki should at least state that the number of squadmates also matter, even if you need to caveat it. Centy – reply • contribs – 22:28, January 12, 2013 (UTC)

Also do you have confirmation of the 5 missions line? Because that appears to be something that survived from the first creation of this page. If that is not confirmed, then why not strip out the entire acquisition and put a note about the exact nature of the trigger is unknown?

For example, http://50.7.161.234/may/Guides/Mass%20Effect%202%20Prima%20Official%20Guide%20(Updated%20with%20DLC).pdf (Page 175) Official Prima Guide makes no mention of 5 mission post Horizon. It states 'As soon as Shepard finishes recruiting the additional squad members (Tali, Samara, Thane) the Illusive Man has news for the commander'. That is only 3 missions. If anything, the 5 missions line appears to be speculation to me.

Using a little logic. Both these guides do not include recruiting Zaeed or Kasumi and the Prima guide has you recruiting Samara and Thane in one trip at Illium. If you want the the ultimate hint that it's 8 characters? Page 166 of the Prima guide. "If you still have recruitment missions to undertake, you can pursue those now. Remember; you need at least two of the remaining recruits to have a crew worthy of battling the Collectors.". Without the DLC that is 8 squad mates Centy – reply • contribs – 22:38, January 12, 2013 (UTC)