Mass Effect 3: BioWare's Biggest Patch Brings Bug-Fixes to PC, Xbox 360 and PS3

BioWare is all geared up to release the biggest patch for the Mass Effect trilogy, even as Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers eagerly wait to pick up the complete version of the trilogy minus the broken endings.

The biggest ME3 patch to date is poised to go live on all three platforms - PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (PS3) on 4 October.

Meanwhile, Mass Effect producer Michael Gamble has shed some light on the upcoming Mass Effect 3 (ME3) patch and hinting that it holds a big secret for the future of the trilogy.

"We'll be patching me3 on Thursday. It will be our largest patch," tweeted Gamble, adding: "and has been in dev. for months. It also sets us up for future...things".

Mass Effect trilogy was folded up with a spate of controversies surrounding its broken and incomplete endings, much to the disappointment of fans. While most die-hard fans of the franchise are still waking up from a shocking finale with equally disappointing endings, the decisions taken by the players through the course of the trilogy makes no impact on the game's ending whatsoever (despite Bioware's attempts at fixing the endings with the Extended Cut DLC, Leviathan DLC and now Omega DLC).

Though the forthcoming patch may not address the unsatisfactory endings, it is expected to provide some respite for hard-core gamers particularly with multiplayer gameplay bugs and issues. Besides, it brings new feature enhancements addressing texture problems and campaign issues to improve the overall Mass Effect experience of the gamers.

Here is the complete list of bug-fixes and feature enhancements (totaling about fifty fixes), which will be ported to ME3 with due courtesy of BioWare:

• Fixed tutorial tip that didn't properly display an unbound command

• Fixed an issue in multiplayer where if a character has DLC weapons equipped, and the DLC associated to the weapons is deleted, the weapon loadout screen displayed no weapons

• Sabotage power evolution 6 increased tech damage bonus no longer stacks

• Fixed a rare crash in the final mission level involving the firing of the Cain at the Hades Cannon

• Fixed the Encumbrance Bar from not updating correctly for the Earth DLC weapon mods

• Fixed weapons with natural piercing from having their damage reduced with piercing mods equipped

• Incinerate power evolution 5 now gives a damage bonus to frozen and chilled enemies

• Krogan Vanguard Rage bonuses now work properly

• Fixed Shepard's shadow from not appearing after entering and exiting an Atlas

• Fixed quitting/disconnecting while holding Retrieve Object that could cause the Retrieve Object to disappear

• Fixed users logging off or disconnecting during gameplay from not being able to return online until rebooting the game

• Players can no longer grab Geth Pyros over cover

• Fixed issue in which enemies surviving a detonated Stasis blast became invulnerable

• Attempting to equip similar weapon mods will now present a 'Slot Occupied' message

• Asari Justicar passive power evolution 3 power damage and force bonus now works properly

• Disruptor Rounds consumable (all ranks) damage multiplier against shields and barriers increased from 100percent to 400 percent

• Particle Rifle no longer replenishes ammo from ammo boxes and supply pylons

• Fixed an issue when using Biotic Charge before death that caused the match to be unplayable afterwards

• Fixed pathing for Banshees so they don't get stuck in a teleport routine

• Fixed Asari Justicar from not being able to activate Biotic Sphere within range of large enemies

• Fixed dropping Retrieve Objects that could potentially fall under the level

• All Batarian and Krogan kits will now stagger less than other kits

• Ops Survival Packs now grant one second damage immunity when consumed

• Fixed an issue with Firebase Jade giving partial extractions when all players are already inside the extraction zone

• Fixed SMG Ultralight Materials Mod not having impact on power recharge speed

• Fixed Armor Piercing Ammo not applying penetration bonus to secondary weapon

• Fixed player death camera beginning before a sync kill is complete

• Fixed an issue with talent points remaining after a character promotion

• Melee creatures will now completely ignore pets (drones, decoys, etc.) rather than just having a chance to ignore them

• Fixed an issue with Private Lobbies not staying private after the match has begun

• Krysae no longer ignores enemy shield gates

• Fixed various weapon sound-replications for clients

• Fixed issue where enemies in Stasis surviving a biotic detonation would become un-synchronized for clients

• Fixed Leviathan DLC Weapon Mods not carrying over to New Game +

• Marksman will instantly reload weapon ammunition when activated

• N7 Shadow Sword Mastery power evolution 5 and 6 now apply to Shadow Strike damage

• Fixed Atlas rocket applying damage over time on N7 Paladins using the Omni-Shield

• Fixed automatic revive at a specific spot in Firebase White

• Fixed an issue with ammo boxes causing players to be unable to fire weapons after attempting to refill grenades

• Fixed an issue with the Krysae Sniper rifle not functioning properly on squad members (Firefight pack)

• Can now headshot Banshees, Geth Primes, and Brutes for an extra 40 percent weapon damage. Can now shoot the Atlas' exhaust port on his back for an extra 40 percent weapon damage

• Fixed the health bar position of Tactical Scan on Swarmers

• Fixed an issue with enemies approaching a downed player to execute, but showing mercy and leaving

• Fixed seeking projectile powers occasionally failing to impact targets even though it appeared to impact

• Successfully extracting from a match gives 10 percent bonus credits. This reward does not depend on your squad members - you must extra personally to get the reward

• Fixed an issue that caused the Retrieve Objective wave to not recognize the recovery of the object when it enters the retrieve zone

• Fixed bleedout effect that was disappearing when another player used an Ops Survival Pack

• Fixed Decoy that was blocking the use of ladders to NPCs and squadmates

• Fixed Flamer power of Vorcha from being activated simultaneously with the Reegar Carbine

• Fixed icons of powers disappearing from the Character Screen

• Fixed an issue with Ken/Gabby and Tali/Garrus ambient dialogues not triggering in Normandy engineering

• Fixed an issue in which purchasing multiplayer card pack purchases would not complete

Singularity power re-designed:

• Singularity no longer has a maximum number of charges and will only be destroyed when the time runs out

• Performing a biotic combo on someone floating in the singularity no longer ends the singularity

• Base cool down changed to 8 seconds

• Base duration of the singularity changed to 8 seconds

• Base power now does 100 points of damage per second to all targets that are in range, even if not floating in the singularity

• Base power sets up biotic combos on everyone that comes into range (only 1 combo added per enemy per cast of singularity)

• Rank 3 changed to a damage over time bonus (used to be a radius and duration bonus)Evolve 1 changed to singularity duration bonus (used to be a hold duration bonus and number of charges increase)

• Evolve 5 changed to damage over time bonus (used to be a radius increase mechanic)

• Evolve 6 now detonates biotic combos when the singularity explodes

Concussive Shot changes:

• Evolution 3 damage and force bonus now applies to frozen and chilled targets

• Evolution 5 changed to increase damage by 50 percent and radius by 1 meter (used to take on the properties of your ammo power, but this did not work)

• Evolution 6 damage bonus to organics increased from 100 percent to 200 percent over 10 seconds

Exploits Fixed:

• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to be invincible and invisible to enemies

• Fixed an exploit where players were able to use rockets from other weapons

PC Only

• Fixed the hint popup to update mouse left click and right click bindings

• Fixed an issue that made Origin users display their game as joinable

PS3 Only

• Fixed an issue on PS3 where after accepting an invite, a player could get stuck in a multiplayer screen by entering the store from the promo screen and then exiting without purchase

• Fixed a crash when pressing PS button during the game's boot sequence

Xbox Only

• Fixed a rare crash (black screen) on Xbox 360: Upon booting up the game and attempting to reach the title screen, players will now be able to get to title screen to recover their save games. Progress to locked achievements will be reset. Achievements already unlocked will remain unaffected.