BioWare explains Mass Effect save usage

By Tom Bramwell Published 24 July, 2009

Tiny details in first game to make an impact.

BioWare has explained how your Mass Effect save-game will be put to use by the sequel, which is due out next year.

"When you're playing the first game, everything that you do is setting a variable so that as the story progresses we know that you did a certain thing on a certain planet, and then internal to the game, we can reference those things. Your Mass Effect save-game contains all of that information," lead producer Casey Hudson told PC World (thanks vg247).

"When you import it into Mass Effect 2, now we can continue mining all that information. And it's not just what your ending was, or a couple of the big choices, you know, where we could have stuck a conversation at the beginning and asked you what you did and moved on. This is literally hundreds of things."

Mass Effect was conceived as a trilogy, and it sounds as though decisions made right at the beginning have the potential to dramatically reshape your experience later on in the series, rather than simply across the course of each game.

"The save-game has every variable that you've set as a player, and as we delve into the detail levels of things like actual words that are spoken, art that appears in levels, sounds and music and subtle things as such... those can all be looked at, and how they comprise the world of each sequel can be affected by your choices in the prior ones," Hudson explained.

We had a chance to check out Mass Effect 2 at E3. The verdict? It seems to be balancing refinement with continuity, and should be perfectly playable even if you never got round to the enormously enjoyable original.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ChthonicEcho #1 3 years ago

    If such attention to choices made in the first game is truly being given, then Mass Effect 2 is now even harder to wait for.

  • hiddenranbir #2 3 years ago

    Yes, hopefully they really provide some dramatic shifts and possibilities.

  • kevwinter #3 3 years ago

    Damn! I played an evil run through last. I hope i didn't overwrite all the previous saves.

  • f1r3storm Verified Redakteur, Eurogamer Deutschland #4 3 years ago

    There are separate saves for each character.

  • Spanky #5 3 years ago

    They better hurry it up because i've pretty much forgotten what i did in the game.

  • jonbwfc #6 3 years ago

    Hmm.. Will that include the fact I couldn't conclude one of the quest chains because of a sodding bug?

  • DFawkes #7 3 years ago

    I love this kind of game inter-opperability. I was told about Suikoden II, which allowed you to import all the cast from Suikoden 1. When they turned up in the plot, they're the same level so you're nigh on invincible :)

    I love anything like that. I'll have to buy the first one now - I was going to start with the second, but I can't now knowing I might be missing out important stuff.

  • RedSparrows #8 3 years ago

    WANT WANT WANT

  • Sharzam #9 3 years ago

    The changes in ME2 due to your save, will either be really over the top like planets distroyed because you didnt save person A. Or so subtle that wont matter or really be noticed, like you were nice to person A and so he says hello in ME2 when you pass by.

    I dont know which i would prefer to be honest.

  • PearOfAnguish #10 3 years ago

    Hope that crazy fan is back, the big cry-baby.

  • Pirotic #11 3 years ago

    Not sure I like the idea to be honest, I'm glad for a game to diverge depending on the choices I make, but I wouldn't want to think that how a game even starts now is dependent on how I played a previous game. Not to mention I have so many save games with so many characters I wouldn't remember which 'story' it was continuing anyway.

  • kangarootoo #12 3 years ago

    @Sharzam

    I'm sure there could be a mix, but for the most part I would expect it will be subtle changes that work best (and allow the devs creative freedom on the direction of the sequel).

    I quite like little "No need to introduce us, we've met before on PLANETX" type references. They give life to the game, which is important for titles of this type I think.

    Another way of using this might be replacing one NPC character with another within the story, depending on whether the first character survived the prequel or not. It is little things like that which get gamers chatting and comparing stories.

  • kangarootoo #13 3 years ago

    "I wouldn't remember which 'story' it was continuing anyway."

    But if you don't know, it won't make any difference surely :)

  • DaemonSpawn #14 3 years ago

    And that's another reason to play Mass Effect again - this time with responsibility in mind.I'm excited about this game which is pretty rare nowadays.

  • MightyMouse #15 3 years ago

    How accessible will it be for those of us who haven't played the first one?

    Yes I know I have no excuse etc.

  • riz23 #16 3 years ago

    Great idea, I love it. I can see it now..

    Shepard wanders into a bar. Some greebo alien gets up in his face. "Hey human! You're the guy that nailed that blue-skinned Asari scientist and thinks he's like the saviour of the universe or something?"

  • thane_jaw #17 3 years ago

    Still guttered that I'm not going to be able to hear Wrex going "Shepherd" every 5 minutes tho...

  • Moribundman #18 3 years ago

    @PearofAnguish They've already cited him as an example in a few of the previews. I'm interested to see what kind of reappearance he makes - I can only assume that if you encouraged him he'll either have modelled himself on you or become an even scarier stalker. If you told him to eff off he'll be back for revenge or somehow make your life more difficult...

  • Moribundman #19 3 years ago

    @MightyMouse Why won't you play the original? This isn't due out for 6-8 months!

  • Moribundman #20 3 years ago

    Wait... This is a hotly anticipated Xbox/Windows exclusive game... Why hasn't SVD_Grasshopper reared his mandibled head to berate Microsoft yet?!?!

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #21 3 years ago

    Me likey. Me likey a lot.

    Always meant to play through ME a second time (mainly for achievements) but now kinda glad I didn't, as my "pure" first run through will be "canonical".

  • Moribundman #22 3 years ago

    The MAIN MAIN MAIN point about those carried over saves that this article fails to unearth is how it imports saves: in other words: 1. Will it import an actual savegame from a character who hasn't completed the game, or just the "game complete" character's profile? 2. If the latter, which version of your character will it import when you have replayed the game? The first playthrough or the most recent?

  • Ranger101 #23 3 years ago

    I can try to emulate a troll:

    *ahem*

    "Mass Effect? More like MASS DEFECT! lol amirightorwut?! whos with me guys! They made a game about the RROD lulz" etc.

    *cough*

    Damn, I 'm good, I nailed that in 1 take. Edit just for bragging rights yo. Ic ould be a troll yet, I just need to picka system to fanboy.
    Edited by 1 at 24/07/09 @ 17:12

  • persus-9 #24 3 years ago

    I really want to know if you'll get to play incomplete side-quests from ME1 in ME2. I mean that could work right? Unless I'm missing something the engine hasn't changed so porting it over should be trivial and the save file knows if you've done them so they could easily bung all that stuff in and have it playable by people who choose to roleplay the game and take the race against time aspect of the main story line seriously and so missed out on most of the little things in ME1.

  • Invisible_Cow #25 3 years ago

    @Moribundman:
    Exactly. I need to know whether it's worth doing another playthrough (to get an 'evil' save), or whether it'll just pick up whichever character I finished last.

  • Velios #26 3 years ago

    I LOVED the first game but was really disappointed by the DLC, I thought the promise was that Mass Effect would have many DLC episodes to keep us all entertained. Big shame, but obviously they must have concluded that they could not generate the sales through DLC as they can with a fully fledged sequel with all of it's surrounding marketing and media hype to justify it.

  • kendoji #27 3 years ago

    The first is one of my all-time fave games. I'm gagging for the next one!

  • Petrarch #28 3 years ago

    I've got full confidence in Bioware for this one, it looks to be shaping up for another asbsolute stunner from the little we know so far. I just watched the E3 video fully and it's made the wait for release day that much harder now.
    Edited by 1 at 24/07/09 @ 19:25

  • IronCladChicken #29 3 years ago

    Shame! I bought ME1 for the PC - I had been intending to pick up ME2 for fthe 360

  • Shrike #30 3 years ago

    Want so very much. But I agree that it would be big help to the fans if they clarified EXACTLY how much control we're going to have over which save they pick. I imagine (hope) that we'll pick a character and it'll pick the most recent completion on that character.

    One thing I find confusing is this comic book that Dark Horse is doing, set between ME1 and ME2 and starring Shepard and Liara. It seems to go completely against the precedent they set in the books of allowing the player's Shepard to be the 'canon' one by not discussing him/her except indirectly. Now it seems like Box Art Shepard is going to be the 'real' one - but what are they going to do about Liara/Shepard's relationship? It seems like a weird move.

    Nerd rant over.
    Edited by 1 at 24/07/09 @ 21:09

  • AphoticCosmos #31 3 years ago

    Just gief, plz :>

  • MangoBen #32 3 years ago

    I don't understand is if, like me, you completed the game 3 times - each playthrough having done different things - which save file will ME2 decide to read and use?!

  • busboy33 #33 3 years ago

    I know this is impossible, but what the hell . . .

    Dear Developers:
    If you can, PLEASE include some method of summarizing what choices you've made in a save game. If players went through several different times, then there's quite a few saved games, each with a different set of choices. Which one was "Save the Council", and which one was "Destroy the Council"? Was my "Pure Renegade" playthrough #2 or #6? One of these I cut a deal with the Shadow Broker . . . which one? It was a while ago, and having put in 100+ hours into the game exploring all the paths, I don't want to have to put another 100+ in to know what path I'm on.
    . . . please?

  • septimus #34 3 years ago

    Will it import my billions of credit and full spec'd kit?

    No probably not, but nice to know the save is used.

  • Alkeno #35 3 years ago

    I don't know how are they going to balance all the branching and keeping it coherent... I mean, most movies and linear games have plot holes as big as the Citadel, making the script of ME2 must have been some sort of nightmare!

    I trully admire the guys at Bioware, but if they live up to the hype they are generating, this game is going to be perfect.

  • Moribundman #36 3 years ago

    From what I've read, (and I'm an observant little vocationally trained nerd) it won't import you at level 60 but there's a little fuzziness that if you've spent a lot of time focusing on a particular aspect of your character it will be retained. Cryptic? Yes. Interesting? Yes aussi. For some good references look at the footnotes here: http://ma sseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Ef...

  • StooMonster #37 3 years ago

    Is the PC version out at the same time as the Xbox 360 ones this time?

  • GiarcYekrub #38 3 years ago

    Well the choices that I think would make an impact are

    Rachni Queen
    Feros Colony
    Geth incursion
    Cerberus
    Shadow Broker opinion
    Drone Rachni Outbreak
    Finale Decisions

  • comissars_handgun #39 3 years ago

    Bioware have said on their forums that you just import your character's decisions- you won't keep your abilities etc. Also you will be able to change your class and appearance before starting a new game.

    Each new character you make in ME1 has their own profile, so I'd assume you just choose which profile with a completed game you want to import. Hopefully there will be a little bio showing what you have done though....

    I'm just glad that space racist Ashley won't be appearing in my ME2. Shame I couldn't choose to let both her and Kaiden die....

  • Xerx3s #40 3 years ago

    GiarcYekrub: Not to mention crewmates that you did or did not pick up and eventually killed off.

  • Mr.DNA #41 3 years ago

    busboy33 said:

    "It was a while ago, and having put in 100+ hours into the game exploring all the paths, I don't want to have to put another 100+ in to know what path I'm on."

    My worry is that my only playthrough of the game was about 18 months ago, and I can't remember much apart from the main incidents. I tried to play through it again recently, but gave up early on.

    Not to turn this into an anti-Mass Effect post, because I liked the first game, but I recently bought KOTOR from amazon to see if it's as good as I remember, and it's just so much more compelling than the first ME. ME1 has a great storyline that trumps KOTOR's, but KOTOR's level design, characters (and characterisation), dialogue options etc is more fully realised and satisfying than that found in ME1. ME2 looks totally rad, though, and here's hoping BioWare can bring back the glory days.

  • JensonJet #42 3 years ago

    I don't understand why anyone's worried about not remembering which decisions they made in the game. You'll know soon enough when you start playing the sequel... someone or something will be missing, or not. And besides, everyone knew from the begining this was going to be part of trilogy and must have thought as soon as a key decision was about to be made it could have an impact on the sequels. Ok admittedly no other developer either cares or has the skill to do such a thing, so I guess it's understandable people just assumed Bioware were like any other developer.

    Personally I've covered all bases. I have a character in every class, and I made sure I chose a different background/history for each, and made sure each character made different decisions on key issues! If you've only created one character, or only played it once, then there's even less to worry about... as you clearly don't care to see how different classes and decisions can play out.

    What amazes me is after throwing out my first character, having to delete one because it errored, and now having several Sheppards awaiting the sequel, recently a whole new scene appeared that I'd never witnessed before. In fact there are so many tiny little nuances with each play through, only after playing several times do you really appreciate the work that went into the dialogue within this game. If there was ever a game worth playing through a few times, it's definately Mass Effect (assuming you enjoyed it enough). And besides, regardless of the characters I've created, waiting for the sequel, I'm still going to create a few new ones at the begining of the sequel anyhow. If not, just to see how it plays out for newcomers to the series. I have so much respect for Bioware, I think many businesses in the industry could learn a thing or two from them on how to treat a game franchise and make a true sequel!

    Edited by 1 at 26/07/09 @ 05:42

  • IronCladChicken #43 3 years ago

    @commissar\'s_handgun
    It sounds like your decisions will effect the politics of the gameworld (how friendly other people/factions are toward the player)
    Nut not the player itself (in the same way you could transfer characters from Ultima4 to Ultima5 incurring a minor stat hit).

    I'd be interested to see how much it effects gameplay - even if it's only subtle, I think it's a nice idea anyway.

  • dolphan #44 3 years ago

    A lot of potential in this, for everything from whether you got the guy's wife's body back to whether you scanned the keepers.

  • metalangel #45 3 years ago

    Oh good, this means I won't have to deal with Kaiden/Carth's whiny shit ever again.

  • JensonJet #46 3 years ago

    dolphan, I don't think minor details like the guy's wife's body, or even the scanning of the keepers will make any difference to the sequel. Even more so with the benefit of destruction, and the minor time frame supposedly between the sequels, Bioware still have a massive artistic licence to do what they like with characters. The key big issues, ie. who alive and who's not, and who's in power and whether you chose to wipe out or save a species will have an effect on the ME2. I'm really interested to see how these major key decisions will play for people who've not played the original. I doubt there'll be many major issues as the basic story has to unfold pretty similar for everyone. So in an example where there are two characters and the player chooses who survives to the sequel, the two option characters will play out near identically, for the purposes of the story, with a few changes to the dialogue specific to each character.

    If every little detail were capable of branching the game into a different direction we'd probably not see Mass Effect for another couple of years. There has to be some corners cut, if not for the fact the sequel has to work for newcomers to the series. The potential loss of sales if the game only worked for players of the original would be too much to even contemplate for any game. It has to be said it's exciting that this game's sequel is very much like a movie sequel in that there'll be plenty that's identical to the original, with decisions rolling over to the sequel, but the series staying true to the design of the first. Too many game sequels seem to suggest the developers actually admit the first was weak or needed much improving. The amount of identical game mechanics in this sequel will be testiment to how strong and correct the decisions made for Mass Effect were.

    And it's the need to appeal to newcomers, so that new or experienced Mass Effect gamers start off on an equal setting that's behind the decisions to reduce your character to level 1 (hopefully there'll be some clever explanation in the game as to why we suddenly can't shoot for sh*t or can't perform any of the jedi-like tricks we were once able to). As easy as it would be that you bring a level 60 character over, which could then reach level 120 in ME2, what kind of game difficulty would you have to set to make it anywhere near challenging when at the higher levels. And worse still even the most experienced gamers wouldn't stand a chance with a brand new character on any of the harder difficulties which would equate to equally poor game design.

    Saying that I've read that Insanity difficulty will more difficult, and rightly so. It was too easy in Mass Effect (apart from a couple of fights) once you'd reached level 15-20 (depending on the character class admittedly). With no levelled characters able to run through the game multiple times in ME2 and I suppose characters being able to reach level 60 in one play through, it was obvious this had to change. Really I don't think anyone need worry about how Bioware will handle this sequel. I've got a feeling they know what they're doing, and will execute it as good as any developer could (especially seeing as everyone else's sequel never have key player decisions roll over to future games).
    Edited by 1 at 26/07/09 @ 18:18

  • wonton #47 3 years ago

    dang, played ME1 on the pc a long time ago, since then I've uninstalled it and reformatted my PC so my save data is gone.

    Damn you PC, with your data so easily succumbing to my nerd hard disk reformatting tendencies.

  • mashk #48 3 years ago

    I didn't get any pussy in ME1. : ( Guess I won't get any in part 2 now as well.

  • comissars_handgun #49 3 years ago

    Actually mashk they have said there will be more possible romances in ME2 than in the first game, so don't give up yet!