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Mass Effect 3 update 1.03 patch notes

New "anti-AFK" system to boot multiplayer cheaters.

Mass Effect 3 will receive a huge list of fixes in the upcoming 1.03 Patch, due today on PC. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gamers get the download on Thursday 31st May.

The list includes a multitude of multiplayer changes, most notably a system that kicks players who have become inactive for more than two minutes.

BioWare's "Anti-AFK system" is designed to penalise players who are deliberately not taking part in the match. Removed players are booted back to the game's menu with zero experience and zero credits.

Other changes include a much-needed fix for the game's Vanguard class, who previously could warp out of the game's scenery and float away from the map. Annoying.

Issues still not fixed by the patch are still being looked at by BioWare, community coordinator Chris Priestly explained on the game's forum.

"I can say that this is not planned to be the final patch and issues not fixed in 1.03 (story issues, PS3 framerate, EMS, etc) are being investigated for the next patch. As with any bug, if it is not fixed, that is likely because it is not an easy fix. That doesn't mean that it won't ever be fixed, just that it was not ready by the time this patch was complete."

The full patch notes lie below.

Patch 1.03 Notes:

Common to all Platforms:

  • Fixed an issue where sometimes facial movement would not match the voice over if a hitch occurred
  • Fixed an issue where taking cover in a certain area of Cure the Genophage mission would cause players to become blocked from progress
  • Fixed Action mode so it will now respect difficulty if set in the main menu
  • Fixed an issue where the player would always be walking forward instead of towards objective in The Return mission
  • Fixed the Ultralight Materials SMG weapon mod in multiplayer so it correctly affects weapon recharge
  • Fixed a rare case where the reinforcement pack purchases could fail and take currency without giving cards
  • Fixed the issue where users logged off/disconnected during multiplayer gameplay would not log back in properly until their game is rebooted
  • Fixed the issue that multiplayer Geth sentry turret flamethrower would endlessly repeat audio SFX
  • Fixed various multiplay maps where a player could fall through the map during multiplayer gameplay
  • Fixed the issue that using an ops survival pack consumable immediately before death could have no effect. It now works as intended
  • Fixed the issue so the Falcon weapon in multiplayer no longer sometimes fire blanks
  • Fixed the issue where enemies who were detonated with a biotic power while in stasis would become invulnerable
  • Fixed the issue where Banshees who got hit with a rocket launcher would not play the correct death animation
  • Fixed the issue where joining a match in progress while a Geth prime turret is active leaves the turret there for the remainder of the game. It now disappears.
  • Fixed the issue when joining a match in progress while the host is performing a combat roll would play firing animation on the client for the host character, for the duration of the match
  • Fixed an issue so Vanguards who are charging as they die are no longer being routed to the ground
  • Fixed Host migration that would sometimes cause players to start on an incorrect wave
  • Fixed the issue when a client quitting a match during deep bleedout causes muted/ducked audio to persist into next match
  • Fixed the issue that when being revived at the same time as being executed would leave players in an T-Pose state
  • Fixed the issue that when a Banshee takes enough damage to stop her charge state, her normal state is not immediately returned
  • Fixed the issue where a player could enter a state when completing cover interactions near a ladder which could lead them to becoming invulnerable and unable to deal damage
  • Fixed game hitching of 1-2 seconds at start of waves
  • Fixed clients occasionally seeing nonstop firing visual effects
  • Fixed evaded projectiles having an erratic course
  • Fixed an issue where selecting resume after death could occasionally cause henchmen to not spawn properly
  • Fixed weapon recoil that could become reversed with a Turian when stability mod and passive power present
  • Fixed the cover slot in Meet the Diplomats mission would cause a player to become stuck
  • Fixed Geth prime and harvesters taking headshot bonus damage when they shouldn't
  • Fixed shooting the atlas in the cockpit with a penetration weapon doing double damage
  • Fixed the Kishock Sniper Rifle that would hit head bone (critical hit) on enemies that should not be possible, such as the Brute, Banshee and Ravager
  • Fixed and issue where clients in cover cannot do any damage to targets at wide angles relative to the cover
  • Fixed an issue where player can glitch their melee combo to only perform cover lean melee animations
  • Fixed an issue where while dying in multiplayer, if the player pressed the prolong life button too quickly they could erroneously die
  • Fixed an issue so Drell Adept Reave audio plays at full volume for all players
  • Fixed an issue that an interrupt could sometimes fail to prevent a Cerberus engineer from building a turret
  • Fixed a crash in conversations after Investigate Sanctuary mission
  • Fixed an issue where gear items from the Rebellion DLC would unequip at the end of each match.
  • Fixed an issue so ammo consumables, such as cyro ammo, would not replicated from host to clients
  • Fixed the Memory Leak going in and out of Multiplayer Menus
  • Added feature to remove AFK players after a set amount of inactivity
  • Added a cooldown to Ops Survial consumable
  • Made ammo consumables insta-reload and damage bonus

PS3 Only:

  • Fixed wrong DLC Text in the Trophy File
  • Added Downloadable Content option to PS3 Main Menu

Xbox Only:

  • Fixed an issue where Mass Effect 3 soft locks in character screen if user unplugs Ethernet at "Checking downloadable content..." after accepting an invitation from multiplayer menu

PC Only:

  • Fixed an issue where the Online Pass Activation screen would appear for users despite PC not having a need for an online pass
  • Fixed the Galaxy Map search and rescue asset GUI not appearing when using eyefinity
  • Fixed an issue where users could not scan on galaxy map when right-click is rebound
  • Fixed an issue where having the PC hud (heads up display) (left shift) up when a player dies in multiplayer and revived would cause player unable to move and the hud to remain active