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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> Design and Modding >> MASS EFFECT MOD [Released 1.00]

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MASS EFFECT MOD [Released 1.00] - 7/16/2012 7:28:01 PM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
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This is a mod that introduces ME universe to Distant Worlds. We are doing our best to reflect the greatness of Mass Effect onto a 4X game, bringing as much lore accurate settings to DW as possible. The mod allows you to play with one of ME races and lead your people to greatness rewriting the history of ME Universe as you see fit. The original DW races are still playable in the mod so you can include them in the struggle for the survival of the galaxy if you so desire. The mod is set at the twilight of the cycle known from the ME games. This means that sooner or later the Reapers will invade and it's up to you to unite the galaxy against them or stand fast on your own. Good luck and have fun!

Current mod version is 1.00
Features:
-Twelve playable ME races added to the DW ones.
Alliance, Turians, Asari, Salarians, Quarians, Geth, Batarians, Volus, Vorcha, Elcor, Hanar and Krogan.
-Reapers, (replacing Shakturi)
-Custom made shipart for each of the major races.
-Over 120 customized characters (generic characters form ME games will be included in future releases)
-Customized planets and effects graphics handpicked or made to deliver MOAR EPICNESS
-Sound effects and music matching ME setting and epic atmosphere.
More will be added as the mod develops.

TO INSTALL THE MOD:
-Unpack the 'ME mod 1.00' file into your Customization folder in your DW directory.
-Start the game and enable the mod in 'custom theme' section.
-Start a new game and kick some Reaper ass.
(make sure to enable the RoTs and DW:L events and storyline each time you start a new game to enable Reapers invasion)
To install the recommended addons:
-The files from addons replace original game files so make sure to make a backup before you install anything.
-Unpack 'Graphics addon.rar' into your DW main directory, allow it to override the existing files.
-Unpack 'Sounds addon.rar' into your DW main directory, allow it to override the existing files.
-Start the game, and enjoy. (the addons will work for any mod theme you will play, not only ME)

Mod team and contributors:

-Kalthaniell- shipsets, plantes, effects and character graphics and txt files.
-Quadro7F- character, ui, planets, enviroment and race graphics, race.txt, biases.txt, race balancing, presentation art,

CREDITS:
-Nach77- alliance ships 3d models. You can check out his deviantart profile here.
-Tyrador- protean ships for remnants from the last cycle and mod-to-mod cooperation. (Check out his awesome ME Prothean Cycle mod!)
link
-Tampa Gamer- for his sound effects mod, most of which is used in recommended addons (with minor tweaks). Check the mod here: link
-DW modding community- for being very supportive and their constructive feedback. Thx guys!

STATUS:
-The 1.00 release is ready! We are now working on 1.01 which should improve some minor bugs.

DOWNLOADS:
On Moddb -> link

< Message edited by Kalthaniell -- 11/19/2012 11:07:12 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 9:06:19 PM

ASHBERY76

Posts: 2136
Joined: 10/10/2001
From: England
Status: offline

Cool look foward to it..Lets have a look at those alliance ships.

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RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 9:27:19 PM

Bleek

Posts: 720
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From: United Kingdom
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This thread is useless without pictures!

Sorry. ;)

...but get some pictures online!

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Post #: 3

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 9:36:01 PM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
Joined: 5/31/2011
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That's my favourite two and a space-station. Like I wrote, I won't be posting full previews until the release :) I think they look OK in game, so far however I think I will need new weapons sprites. The ones I use at the moment are not for ME.

EDIT: I know, I'll probably do sth about that cerberus icon.

< Message edited by Kalthaniell -- 7/16/2012 9:38:01 PM >

(in reply to ASHBERY76)

Post #: 4

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 9:39:34 PM

WoodMan

Posts: 1345
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From: Ol' Blighty
Status: offline

The ships are awesome!

I can't really help because I don't really know anything about ME, I own the first game for PC but it is still in its wrapping, lol. Part of an obsessive phase I went through where I tried to buy every RPG before the genre went to pot and the good old stuff wasn't available anymore.

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Post #: 5

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 10:01:39 PM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
Joined: 5/31/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bleek

This thread is useless without pictures!

Sorry. ;)

...but get some pictures online!

True enough... I'll post sth below. Always good to get some early input.

quote:

ORIGINAL: WoodMan

The ships are awesome!

I can't really help because I don't really know anything about ME, I own the first game for PC but it is still in its wrapping, lol. Part of an obsessive phase I went through where I tried to buy every RPG before the genre went to pot and the good old stuff wasn't available anymore.

Thx Woodman ^^ I barely touched those, though. They are from the game itself (one of the very few ships in ME I'm afraid). I was thinking of kitbashing the entire set from that cruiser, but figured it will be better and faster to include all the normandies although in ME they are one of a kind uniqe ships. BTW I must say you are missing out on the ME trilogy. It's really worth your time.

As for more pics:
Portraits comparison (this is more or less what I am going for now)

Salarian ships (no lore for it, so I took the liberty to decide how they would look like)

(in reply to Bleek)

Post #: 6

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 11:36:11 PM

Bleek

Posts: 720
Joined: 10/26/2011
From: United Kingdom
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kalthaniell
*snip*

That's pretty good, I really like the last two white ships, they should look really nice in-game!

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Post #: 7

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/16/2012 11:41:48 PM

Mad Igor

Posts: 248
Joined: 6/18/2012
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reapers will be instead of shakturi i guess ? :P
and geth instead of Ancient Guardians but little tweak in behaviour ?
lol,readed OP after posted this.
PS:can we have at very least ship sets ?im hungry for new quality ships :P
PSS: there are few sketchs with solarian ships in google

< Message edited by Mad Igor -- 7/16/2012 11:53:15 PM >

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Post #: 8

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 12:47:30 AM

Igard

Posts: 2282
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From: Scotland
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Love ME, but can't bring myself to play the 3rd game. It would just take too much time, and I've heard the ending isn't very satisfying.

Mr. K, this is top drawer work so far! Love those Salarian ships, they're probably my 1st race of choice for this mod, so really pleased they look so good.

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Post #: 9

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 1:24:52 AM

Shark7

Posts: 7937
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From: The Big Nowhere
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard

Love ME, but can't bring myself to play the 3rd game. It would just take too much time, and I've heard the ending isn't very satisfying.

Mr. K, this is top drawer work so far! Love those Salarian ships, they're probably my 1st race of choice for this mod, so really pleased they look so good.

The ending made no sense at all, on top of not being a happy ending. Definite let down there on what had been a decent game (the game also tended to be a lot more linear with smaller levels and less overall open world freedom). ME1 was the best of the series IMO.

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Post #: 10

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 5:36:27 AM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
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I like these ships... these are good work.
And I really like that space station you put together. That is sharp!
Nice work.

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Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

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Post #: 11

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 7:43:23 AM

HectorOfTroy

Posts: 312
Joined: 1/9/2011
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Cool. Lookig forward to this. DW is perfect for ME universe.

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Post #: 12

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 3:35:51 PM

Kalthaniell

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I've just finished character portraits for the Geth and Quarians. That would make about 140 character pics total... I got a feeling this is going to be a big download when it is done :P. I used ME reference pics to make the Quarians, which were made by Troodon80 and posted on deviantart. Saved me a lot of work extracting those myself, so I'm giving credits where they are due ^^

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Post #: 13

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 8:31:20 PM

Igard

Posts: 2282
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From: Scotland
Status: offline

That's great!! It's definately very nice to have a variety of character pics. Makes that much easier to remember them.

That's a problem with my Picard mod, there are so many generic characters sharing the same portrait, I get them mixed up all the time.

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The Picard Era for Distant Worlds

Igard's Romulan Stormbird

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Post #: 14

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/17/2012 10:18:48 PM

ASHBERY76

Posts: 2136
Joined: 10/10/2001
From: England
Status: offline

If keep the art that consistant it will look pro.Remember nobody can beat the Reapers by conventional means so maybe it should be set after ME3.

ME3 is still a very good game and worth playing.In most sci fi fiction endings are usually weak as they cannot compete with the early exposition.Return of the jedi,Matrix,Battlestar galactica,3001 The Final Odyssey,ect the list goes on for ****ty endings.

< Message edited by ASHBERY76 -- 7/17/2012 10:20:05 PM >

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Post #: 15

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 6:02:30 AM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
Joined: 6/3/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard
That's great!! It's definately very nice to have a variety of character pics. Makes that much easier to remember them.
That's a problem with my Picard mod, there are so many generic characters sharing the same portrait, I get them mixed up all the time.

I am not sure there is an easy way around that, IGard.
I hav ebeen trying to cut the number of photos a bit with multiple character in one photo, but if you play the game long enough, I do not know how you can not end up using stock, generic characters...

_____________________________

Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

(in reply to Igard)

Post #: 16

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 9:06:17 AM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
Joined: 5/31/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard
That's great!! It's definately very nice to have a variety of character pics. Makes that much easier to remember them.
That's a problem with my Picard mod, there are so many generic characters sharing the same portrait, I get them mixed up all the time.

I am not sure there is an easy way around that, IGard.
I hav ebeen trying to cut the number of photos a bit with multiple character in one photo, but if you play the game long enough, I do not know how you can not end up using stock, generic characters...

Yeah, I wish there was a way to tell the game to "pick one of the following for randomly generated character: hero1.png, hero2.png etc". It's probably not so easy to implement though, or it would be in the game already :(
I've made some geth ships btw ^^

(in reply to tjhkkr)

Post #: 17

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 12:56:58 PM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
Joined: 6/3/2010
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Kalthaniell

quote:

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard
That's great!! It's definately very nice to have a variety of character pics. Makes that much easier to remember them.
That's a problem with my Picard mod, there are so many generic characters sharing the same portrait, I get them mixed up all the time.

I am not sure there is an easy way around that, IGard.
I hav ebeen trying to cut the number of photos a bit with multiple character in one photo, but if you play the game long enough, I do not know how you can not end up using stock, generic characters...

Yeah, I wish there was a way to tell the game to "pick one of the following for randomly generated character: hero1.png, hero2.png etc". It's probably not so easy to implement though, or it would be in the game already :(

I think it could be done easily enough, BUT, I think the trouble would come in as to when to use the random picture draw versus the pre-defined characters. DW does a good job of taking ship sets randomly during the game; I suspect a similar technique could be used for random pictures... but again, it would be instructing the game when to use the random as opposed to the player defined characters...

_____________________________

Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

(in reply to Kalthaniell)

Post #: 18

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 1:44:19 PM

Bleek

Posts: 720
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From: United Kingdom
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This is looking better by the day!

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RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 2:09:14 PM

Igard

Posts: 2282
Joined: 3/29/2010
From: Scotland
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kalthaniell

quote:

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard
That's great!! It's definately very nice to have a variety of character pics. Makes that much easier to remember them.
That's a problem with my Picard mod, there are so many generic characters sharing the same portrait, I get them mixed up all the time.

I am not sure there is an easy way around that, IGard.
I hav ebeen trying to cut the number of photos a bit with multiple character in one photo, but if you play the game long enough, I do not know how you can not end up using stock, generic characters...

Yeah, I wish there was a way to tell the game to "pick one of the following for randomly generated character: hero1.png, hero2.png etc". It's probably not so easy to implement though, or it would be in the game already :(

I think it could be done easily enough, BUT, I think the trouble would come in as to when to use the random picture draw versus the pre-defined characters. DW does a good job of taking ship sets randomly during the game; I suspect a similar technique could be used for random pictures... but again, it would be instructing the game when to use the random as opposed to the player defined characters...

I meant that all my generic character portraits look the same, whereas here, you've at least given some of them a bit of variety in their colours, it should help matters alot.

To have the game select a random portrait, I think we'd need a seperate folder for each race inside the characterImages folder. Then entering a '?' in the character image field will tell the game to select from the race pool of images.

Hero character images would be stored outside of the race's folder (where they are now) so as not to be randomly selected.

Anyway, I think that would work. Also, it would be really nice to have the ability to enter a '?' for random values for all the fields. This would make the generic characters every bit as varied as the stock ones.

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The Picard Era for Distant Worlds

Igard's Romulan Stormbird

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Post #: 20

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/18/2012 2:17:12 PM

Data

Posts: 3909
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bleek

This is looking better by the day!

Yeah, that's the Kalthaniell effect

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Post #: 21

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/19/2012 2:30:44 PM

Njordin

Posts: 3
Joined: 7/19/2012
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i�m really looking forward to it !

nice to see that this community is still active and so much productive : )

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Post #: 22

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/19/2012 3:19:01 PM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
Joined: 5/31/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Data

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bleek

This is looking better by the day!

Yeah, that's the Kalthaniell effect

Thx Data. It's a Jedi power I got :P Quite handy ;) Always good to know, that what one's doing is worthwhile.

quote:

0, John Godwin, 4, alliance23.png, , 29, 20, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this line? I keep getting this error no matter what I do. It's probably sth obvious that I'm missing :/ ...

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Post #: 23

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/19/2012 4:52:31 PM

Igard

Posts: 2282
Joined: 3/29/2010
From: Scotland
Status: offline

You've just missed the race name after the character image. I did this lots too so I spotted it straight away!

0, John Godwin, 4, alliance23.png, Human, 29, 20, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

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The Picard Era for Distant Worlds

Igard's Romulan Stormbird

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Post #: 24

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/19/2012 5:15:56 PM

Kalthaniell

Posts: 320
Joined: 5/31/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Igard

You've just missed the race name after the character image. I did this lots too so I spotted it straight away!

0, John Godwin, 4, alliance23.png, Human, 29, 20, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

Wow, the manual said it was optional, so I assumed I can leave it blank. Thx Igard, I wouldn't stumble upon this solution for some time ^^

Also, I managed to get some help with shipmaking, which resulted in changed (imo better) alliance ships. I changed colour scheme from red to blue. It's more ME3 and less ME 1 and 2.

EDIT: Quarians almost done. Only stations left.

Next stop the blue squids and their flying space silvery bowls. I'm not expecting to make anything too breathtaking :P

< Message edited by Kalthaniell -- 7/19/2012 8:33:46 PM >

(in reply to Igard)

Post #: 25

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/19/2012 11:12:38 PM

Igard

Posts: 2282
Joined: 3/29/2010
From: Scotland
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kalthaniell

Wow, the manual said it was optional, so I assumed I can leave it blank. Thx Igard, I wouldn't stumble upon this solution for some time ^^

I had no idea the manual said that. I just tested without the race name, and it worked for me, though I know I had this problem in the past, the mod wouldn't start without it.

Does it work after filling the blank field?

BTW, so stoked to see this mod released, those ships look glorious!!

_____________________________

The Picard Era for Distant Worlds

Igard's Romulan Stormbird

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Post #: 26

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/20/2012 12:44:58 AM

Jon Micheelsen

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Oooooh, this is looking better and better by the day

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Post #: 27

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/20/2012 3:55:50 AM

Haree78

Posts: 1269
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I can't wait to see this. Top quality work Kalthaniell.

That 'optional' parameter stumped me for some time on my BSG mod, I forgot all about it!

Regarding the random character images I can't imagine it would be a big deal. The only thing I can think is that modders will forever have improvements they would like and Elliot just decides to draw the line on how much work he will put in to modding.
It's a shame because we haven't quite got to the point where modding allows us to do a real total conversion.
My BSG mod will have characters all looking like Bill Adama after all the defined characters are used up.

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Post #: 28

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/20/2012 4:44:06 AM

ehsumrell1

Posts: 2529
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From: The Briar Patch Nebula
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I remember that Elliot once told me that usually, a defined character amount up to about 500
for a mod was viable before any performance degradation would appear (even on single core machines with
XP-SP3 as the OS platform). Although, as Igard and I found out, one, that is A LOT of work in
defining individual character images and skills/traits in the corresponding character files, and
two, applying the character skills/traits for balance according to their racial biases can be slow
going. But then again, if done correctly, it does enhance the quality of play. Also, it minimizes
the usage of 'generic' characters at least until the late/end game period (since the number of
characters generated in a game is based on population).

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Post #: 29

RE: MASS EFFECT MOD [wip] - 7/20/2012 5:00:20 AM

tjhkkr

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1
I remember that Elliot once told me that usually, a defined character amount up to about 500 for a mod was viable before any performance degradation would appear (even on single core machines with XP-SP3 as the OS platform). Although, as Igard and I found out, one, that is A LOT of work in
defining individual character images and skills/traits in the corresponding character files, and two, applying the character skills/traits for balance according to their racial biases can be slow going. But then again, if done correctly, it does enhance the quality of play. Also, it minimizes the usage of 'generic' characters at least until the late/end game period (since the number of characters generated in a game is based on population).

I am learning this as well.... :) I have only managed 100 so far...

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Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

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Post #: 30