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Mass Effect

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Title Screen

Mass Effect

Developers: BioWare (360), Demiurge Studios (PC & Pinnacle Station DLC), Edge of Reality (PS3)
Publishers: Microsoft Game Studios (360), Electronic Arts (PC/PS3)
Platforms: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3
Released in JP: May 21, 2009 (360)
Released in US: November 20, 2007 (360), May 28, 2008 (PC), November 6, 2012 (PS3)
Released in EU: November 23, 2007 (360), June 6, 2008 (PC), November 9, 2012 (PS3)
Released in AU: November 16, 2007 (360), June 5, 2008 (PC), November 15, 2012 (PS3)


GraphicsIcon.png This game has unused graphics.
ItemsIcon.png This game has unused items.
SoundIcon.png This game has unused sounds.
TextIcon.png This game has unused text.
DebugIcon.png This game has debugging material.


Mass Effect is the first game in BioWare's famous space opera action-RPG trilogy. Started off as an Xbox 360 exclusive in 2007 before getting an optimized PC version the next year. While the second and third games were released for the PlayStation 3, the first game didn't get on the console until Mass Effect Trilogy in 2012.

Hmmm...
To do:
Finish putting stats in for items, and put in images.

Debug Menu

Hmmm...
To do:
Find how to enable the menu in-game (has been done by others before - sadly no instructions were provided).

The PC version still includes code for a limited debug menu, though a lot of the functionality seems to be removed.

Fortunately the data for the level select portion is still included - commented/removed parts and all - offering a small glimpse at what was cut from the game.

Listed below are maps mentioned in this level select data that aren't included in the game's files at all, besides some texture/mesh files that are probably shared with other maps.

Planet/UNC (uncharted) Maps

Hmmm...
To do:
Find the developer's post, it included even more info about cut content IIRC.

As stated by a former ME developer on reddit, Mass Effect had a lot more planet maps created for it to be driven around in the Mako, the level-select data seems to agree with a huge amount of commented-out maps included:

Map file name Map title
BIOA_UNC12 Snow - Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC14-16 Snow - Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC18-19 N/A (not listed on level select)
BIOA_UNC22 Firebase Alpha: Sand
BIOA_UNC23 Firebase Theta: Sand
BIOA_UNC26-29 N/A
BIOA_UNC32 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC33 Rock - Firebase Theta (SP106)
BIOA_UNC34-39 N/A
BIOA_UNC40-41 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC43-44 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC45-49 N/A
BIOA_UNC50 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC56-59 N/A
BIOA_UNC60 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC63 SaltFlat - Hive World (RAK02)
BIOA_UNC64-69 N/A
BIOA_UNC70 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC72 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC74-79 N/A
BIOA_UNC85 Uncharted World
BIOA_UNC86-89 N/A
BIOA_UNC91 Uncharted World

Template Maps

Similarly, some template maps for the FRE (Freighter?) & MIN (Mine) map types are mentioned in the level-select:

Map file name Map title
BIOA_FRE13 Light content: Freighter Template 04
BIOA_FRE14 Light content: Freighter Template 05
BIOA_FRE15 Light content: Freighter Template 06
BIOA_FRE16 Light content: Freighter Template 07
BIOA_FRE17 Light content: Freighter Template 08
BIOA_FRE18 Light content: Freighter Template 09
BIOA_FRE19 Light content: Freighter Template 10
BIOA_MIN00 MIN_00 - Light Content: mining Template 01
BIOA_MIN01 MIN_01 - Light Content: mining Template 02
BIOA_MIN02 MIN_02 - Light Content: mining Template 03

Development / Test Maps

Map file name Map title
TEST_BuildCheck1
TEST_BuildCheck2
TEST_MUSEUM_CHAR
zGB_CharGallery Character & Placeable Gallery
BIOA_CoverDemo
BIOA_zCOM10
BIOA_zCOM20
BIOA_CombatTest100
BIOA_CombatTest200
BIOA_zVEH10
BIOA_zCHR10
BIOA_zCHR20
zGB_CombatStressTest Combat Stress Test
characterprep_00
test_into_nor00

Early Names

The level-select data also includes some earlier names/descriptions for maps, listed below (changed names in bold):

Internal name Final name Early name
ICE Noveria Noveria
JUG Virmire Virmire
LAV Therum Caleston
LOS Ilos Ilos
STA Citadel Oculon
STA30 C-Sec Marshall's Training Grounds
WAR Feros Feros
WAR50 ExoGeni Base Imperator Camp
UNC10 Klensal Snow - Shepard Unchained (SP105)
UNC11 Xawin Snow - Privateer Revenge (SP101)
UNC13 Mavigon Snow - Hostile Takeover 1 (SP109)
UNC17 Antibaar Snow - Purging the Veil 1 (SP114)
UNC20 Trebin Sand -Lost Research Team (SP100)
UNC21 Rayingri Sand - Purging the Veil 2 (SP114)
UNC24 Altahe Sand - Firebase Theta (SP106)
UNC25 Edolus Sand - Cerberus: The Test (SP122)
UNC30 Chohe Rock - Insanity (SP125)
UNC31 Amaranthine Rock - Hostile Takeover 2 (SP109)
UNC42 Nonuel Lava - Shepard Unchained (SP126)
UNC51 Luna Rock - The Damned (SP110)
UNC52 Asteroid X57 Rock - Bring Down the Sky (SP113)
UNC53 Agebinium Rock - Spectre of the Past (SP121)
UNC54 Presrop Rock - Apocalypse Now (SP119)
UNC55 Solcrum Rock - Geth Base (SP115)
UNC61 Tuntau SaltFlat - Rachni Rebirth (SP107)
UNC62 Nepheron SaltFlat - Cerberus: Finale (SP124)
UNC71 Metgos Lava - Bait and Switch (SP118)
UNC73 Nepmos Lava - Firebase Alpha (SP105)
UNC80 Nodacrux Moss - Ghost in Machine (SP103)
UNC81 Chasca Moss - Zombie Killfest (SP117)
UNC82 Ontarom Moss - Survivor Revenge (SP120)
UNC83 Casbin Moss - Purging the Veil 3 (SP114)
UNC84 Eletania Moss - Simean Fun (SP102)
UNC90 Sharjila Lichen - Slaver Queen (SP108)
UNC92 Binthu Lichen - Cerberus: Research Labs (SP123)
UNC93 Maji Lichen - Purging the Veil 4 (SP114)
FRE31 Tarrus IV Freighter Freighter of Doom (SP116)
FRE32 MSV Ontario Freighter Hostage Situation (SP111)
FRE33 MSV Worthington Freighter CSI (SP104)
FRE34 MSV Fedele Freighter Garrus' Subplot (SP201)
FRE35 Gorgon System Depot Freighter Depot Sigma-23 (SP107)
PRC Pinnacle Station ?

Audio Leftovers

Hmmm...
To do:
Embed some interesting audio files. The extracted unused audio from the PS3 version can be found here: http://bit.ly/ME1Audio

The PC version includes two files that don't seem to be used by the game: x06_player_final.isb & x06_garrus_final.isb.

These filenames indicate they were probably for the demo presented at X06, which featured an entirely different face model for male-Shepard, different VA for Ashley, controllable squad-mates, and a ton of other small changes (remember, this was more than a year before release!)

Sadly those two files only consist of some combat sounds, but luckily 5 years after release Bioware finally ported ME1 to the PS3, where they forgot to remove a lot of the unused audio that was previously stripped from the PC/X360 versions!

Included in the PS3 port are not just the sounds & dialogue audio used in the X06 demo (including audio from the different Ashley VA), but also audio from some areas/missions that never made it into the released game!

Some of this audio is described below, note that there's still a ton more audio still yet to be mentioned here:

X06

Almost all the audio for the X06 demo is here, from music to dialogue to sound effects, even audio which was never heard on the released demo videos.

LAVxx

LAV is the codename for Therum (aka the planet you find Liara on), but during the X06 demo the same planet (then known as Caleston) was showcased in a mission where some miners had to be rescued instead.

The audio files here include dialogue for those miners - even though this dialogue was never actually shown during the demo!

In addition to the miners, there's also dialogue with a group of assassins that were hired by Saren, which it seems would be encountered here in a triggered event.

NORxx

Some Normandy-related audio that went unused, was probably meant for the prologue since Pvt. Jenkins is mentioned.

Kaidan has some dialogue about showing his biotic abilities off, maybe this would serve as a kind of tutorial to help teach the player about those abilities too.

ME designers have mentioned in the past that the starting section on the Normandy was originally longer - presumably this was the audio for it.

PROxx

More unused audio related to the prologue, seems the second section of Eden Prime after boarding the train was originally a lot longer too.

Instead of just needing to defuse charges you could also set up Combine Harvesters to try taking down Geth soldiers first? Sounds a little wacky but seems that's the case.

Jenkins might have originally been a Captain (maybe Normandy's Captain?), since the audio file related to his death is named "pro10_trigger_04_captain_dead".

Apparently this second part was trimmed down due to memory limitations.

ICExx

Audio for some removed sections on Noveria.

The ICE25 files seem to be for a removed part of the map entirely, sounds like it uses different voice actors to the final game too, likely meaning this area was cut early on.

The rest of the ICExx files seem to be for dialogue triggers that were removed, probably late in development as these files use the final voice acting.

GBLxx

There's a bunch of audio files with a ton of dialogue that all start with "GBL" e.g. gbl01_lysander, gbl01_vasilis, gbl03_lystheni_technician...

GBL seems to be the codename for a series of missions (GBL01 through GBL03) that were cut from the game, likely near the end of development as the audio uses the same VAs as the final game.

Seems some of the concepts mentioned in the dialogue here were recycled in alternate ME media too.

  • The Lystheni are introduced in a ME comic, but this audio implies they could have originally been met in-game.
  • Joker might have been involved with these missions, maybe uses a different VA for him too.
  • A place called "Nexus" is mentioned, which has someone called Lucan working for it (many years later Mass Effect Andromeda would be released that takes place aboard the Nexus, which also has a Chief Lucan aboard, funny coincidence!)

bar1

Audio for a bar scene, has audio tagged as krogans/salarians/turians/asari which sound nothing like they do in the final game.

This might have been used for the E3 2006 demo which has some dialogue inside a bar - sadly the dialogue for that demo doesn't seem to be included.

battlecry

Features some lone Bioware developer saying a series of different battle-related dialogue, e.g. "engaging target", "they've got me pinned down", "aha! take that!", etc...

Likely used during early stages of development.

Hidden Manufacturers

There are several item manufacturers in the game whose items can only be accessed by using console commands to equip their weapons/armor.

Batarian State Arms

In-game description: "Batarian State Arms is a military-controlled hardware manufacturing company. The batarian government does not trust private industry to create their military hardware. BSA is a vast nationalized institution infamous for its waste and corruption. It produces effective, if unethical, chemical weapons and a line of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological (NBC) protective armor."

Note: This is the only one of the hidden manufacturers with an item that can (rarely) be seen without console commands; the Terminator rifle can sometimes be found during the Bring Down the Sky DLC in the PC version.

Weapons

Batarian State Arms' weapons don't seem to have any specific theme naming going on, except perhaps just being generally ominous.

Terminator Assault Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 150 37.5 1
II 160 39 3
III 170 40.5 5
IV 180 42.3 7
V 190 44.1 10
VI 200 46.2 13
VII 210 48.5 15
VIII 220 50.9 17
IX 230 53.7 20
X 240 56.8 23
Executioner Shotgun
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 128 3.4 60
II 140 3.5 61
III 152 3.6 62
IV 164 3.7 63
V 176 3.8 64
VI 188 3.9 65
VII 200 4 66
VIII 212 4.1 67
IX 224 4.2 68
X 236 4.3 69
Judgement Pistol
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 112 14.4 52
II 120 15 53
III 128 15.5 54
IV 136 16.2 55
V 144 16.9 56
VI 152 17.6 57
VII 160 18.5 58
VIII 168 19.4 59
IX 176 20.4 60
X 184 21.5 61
Lightning Strike Sniper Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 102 1.3 41
II 114 1.3 42
III 126 1.3 44
IV 138 1.3 45
V 150 1.3 46
VI 162 1.4 47
VII 174 1.4 48
VIII 186 1.4 50
IX 198 1.4 51
X 210 1.4 52

Armor

Batarian State Arms' Partisan and Skirmish armors are available in human, turian (light/medium only), and krogan (medium/heavy only) variants. The two sets of armor have the same stats and models, with the heavy armor model being used for all three armor weights.

Light Partisan/Skirmish Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 12 77 20
II 14 99 22
III 16 121 24
IV 18 143 26
V 20 165 28
VI 24 187 30
VII 26 209 32
VIII 28 231 34
IX 30 253 36
X 32 275 38
Medium Partisan/Skirmish Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 24 99 10
II 26 121 12
III 28 143 14
IV 30 165 16
V 32 187 18
VI 34 209 20
VII 36 231 22
VIII 48 253 24
IX 50 275 26
X 52 297 28
Heavy Partisan/Skirmish Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 40 132 0
II 42 154 2
III 44 176 4
IV 46 198 6
V 48 220 8
VI 50 242 10
VII 52 264 12
VIII 54 286 14
IX 56 308 16
X 58 330 18
(Source: Mass Effect Wiki)

Cerberus Skunkworks

In-game description: "The operatives of Cerberus produce their own specialist hardware for black ops wetwork. Their weapons are advanced particle beams with excellent shield penetration, damage, and accuracy. Their field hardsuits feature advanced protective measures and sophisticated anti-hacking measures."

Weapons

All of Cerberus Skunkworks' weapons are named after monsters in Greek mythology.

Gorgon Assault Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 210 37.5 70
II 224 39 71
III 238 40.5 72
IV 252 42.3 72
V 266 44.1 73
VI 280 46.2 74
VII 294 48.5 75
VIII 308 50.9 75
IX 322 53.7 76
X 336 56.8 77
Hydra Shotgun
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 179 3.4 88
II 196 3.5 88
III 213 3.6 89
IV 230 3.7 89
V 246 3.7 89
VI 263 3.8 90
VII 280 3.9 90
VIII 297 4 90
IX 314 4.1 90
X 330 4.2 91
Harpy Pistol
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 157 14.4 86
II 168 15 86
III 179 15.5 86
IV 190 16.2 87
V 202 16.9 87
VI 213 17.6 87
VII 224 18.5 87
VIII 235 19.4 88
IX 246 20.4 88
X 258 21.5 88
Titan Sniper Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 143 1.3 82
II 160 1.3 83
III 176 1.3 83
IV 193 1.3 83
V 210 1.3 84
VI 227 1.4 85
VII 244 1.4 85
VIII 260 1.4 85
IX 277 1.4 85
X 294 1.4 86

Armor

Light Freedom/Hoplite Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 38 91 60
II 40 117 61
III 41 143 62
IV 43 169 63
V 44 195 64
VI 45 221 65
VII 47 247 66
VIII 48 273 67
IX 50 299 68
X 51 325 69
Medium Freedom/Hoplite Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 47 117 55
II 48 143 56
III 50 169 57
IV 51 195 58
V 52 221 59
VI 54 247 60
VII 55 273 61
VIII 57 299 62
IX 58 325 63
X 59 351 64
Heavy Freedom/Hoplite Armor
Armor Level Damage Protection Shields Tech/Biotic Protection
I 58 156 50
II 59 182 51
III 61 208 52
IV 62 234 53
V 64 260 54
VI 65 286 55
VII 66 312 56
VIII 68 338 57
IX 69 364 58
X 71 390 59
Hmmm...
To do:
Finish tabulating data.
(Source: Mass Effect Wiki)

Hahne-Kedar Shadow Works

In-game description: "Founded a decade ago, this Hahne-Kedar subsidiary is a place for younger employees to "think outside the box". HKSW supplies weapons and armor to Alliance special forces units. In keeping with the parent company's philosophy, products are rugged, reliable, and require less maintenance than competitors."

Weapons

All of Hahne-Kedar Shadow Works' weapons are named after types of snakes.

Diamond Back Assault Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 165 39.8 10
II 176 41.4 12
III 187 43.2 15
IV 198 45.2 17
V 209 47.4 19
VI 220 49.7 21
VII 231 52.4 24
VIII 242 55.3 26
IX 253 58.6 28
X 264 62.3 30
Viper Shotgun
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 141 3.7 64
II 154 3.8 65
III 167 3.9 66
IV 180 4 67
V 194 4.2 68
VI 207 4.3 69
VII 220 4.4 69
VIII 233 4.6 70
IX 246 4.8 71
X 260 5 72
Cobra Pistol
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 123 15.3 57
II 132 15.9 58
III 141 16.6 59
IV 150 17.3 60
V 158 18.1 60
VI 167 19 61
VII 176 19.9 62
VIII 185 21 63
IX 194 22.3 64
X 202 23.6 65
Python Sniper Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 112 1.4 47
II 125 1.4 48
III 139 1.4 49
IV 152 1.4 50
V 165 1.4 51
VI 178 1.5 52
VII 191 1.5 54
VIII 205 1.5 55
IX 218 1.6 56
X 231 1.6 57
(Source: Mass Effect Wiki)

Jormangund Technology

In-game description: "A rising star of post-contact human industry, Jormangund returns consistent profits through aggressive integration of alien technologies. Mainly known for advanced optical computers and AI "blueboxes", the company has recently developed a "micro gravitic" personal weapon that effectively fires small disruptor torpedoes."

Weapons

Jormangund Technology's weapons do not have any theme naming.

Torrent Assault Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 180 46.4 50
II 192 48.7 51
III 204 51.2 52
IV 216 54 54
V 228 57.1 55
VI 240 60.6 56
VII 252 64.6 58
VIII 264 69.6 59
IX 276 74.4 60
X 288 80.5 61
Savage Shotgun
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 154 4.6 80
II 168 4.8 81
III 182 5 81
IV 197 5.2 82
V 211 5.5 82
VI 226 5.7 83
VII 240 6.1 83
VIII 254 6.5 83
IX 269 6.9 84
X 283 7.5 85
Pinnacle Pistol
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 134 17.9 76
II 144 18.7 77
III 154 19.6 77
IV 163 20.7 78
V 173 21.8 78
VI 182 23.1 79
VII 193 24.6 79
VIII 202 26.3 80
IX 211 28.3 80
X 221 30.5 81
Helix Sniper Rifle
Weapon Level Damage Shots Before Overheat Accuracy Rating
I 128 1.6 71
II 137 1.6 71
III 151 1.7 72
IV 166 1.7 72
V 180 1.7 72
VI 194 1.8 74
VII 209 1.8 74
VIII 223 1.9 75
IX 238 2 75
X 252 2 76
(Source: Mass Effect Wiki)