A series of role-playing computer games Mass Effect was released in three full parts. At the moment, a new game is being prepared for release in this series, which will mark the restart of the space saga. Therefore, this moment is an excellent occasion to go through the original trilogy anew and recall all the events of the virtual universe. For those who have problems with the game, this article is written. Below you will find out why Mass Effect does not start, and how to fix it.
System requirements
To begin, check the configuration of your personal computer with the minimum and recommended requirements that are drawn up by the developers.
So, to run the game at the minimum graphics quality settings, you need approximately the following system: a minimum 2-core Intel processor or AMD processor with a frequency of 2.4 GHz or higher, 2 GB of RAM, a video card with 512 MB of memory on board and 12 GB to install on your hard drive. Since the game came out a long time ago, it supports the Windows XP and Vista operating systems. Therefore, Mass Effect does not start on Windows 7. Read more about solving this problem.
To play at maximum graphics quality settings, you must have a personal computer configuration of at least the following: 2-core Intel or AMD processor with a frequency of 2.5 GHz for each core or more, 3 GB of RAM and 12 GB of free hard disk space .
If your computer does not meet even the minimum requirements, then Mass Effect does not start. If the PC fits the description, but the game still doesn’t work, then go to the next step.
Drivers
First of all, update the driver on the video card to the current version. Perhaps the last time the software was installed incorrectly. All relevant drivers with the necessary set of programs can be found on the websites of manufacturers of video cards "Nvidia" or AMD.
Before installing, be sure to remove the old driver, and then start all over again. Then you can avoid hardware conflicts.
Additional software
Next, you need to install a package of additional programs that are required for almost all computer games. Even if the utilities are already installed on the PC, they should be updated to new versions. These programs include: DirectX, Net.Framework, Microsoft C ++. Also, the game may require additional programs. Look for them on the official website of developers.
In the case of software, we do everything in the same way as with the drivers: we delete old versions and install new ones. If Mass Effect does not start even after that, then proceed to the next method of solving the problem.
What else can be done?
If you use Windows 7 or later, you may have compatibility issues. To fix them go to the properties of the shortcut of the game Mass Effect and go to the "Compatibility" tab. Select Windows XP or Vista and try to restart the game. Also put the application in run mode as administrator. This will help to get rid of the endless download at the beginning or the black screen (for all this problem is displayed differently).
License or pirate?
If you use a licensed version of the game from the Steam store, then you can easily check the integrity of game files for damage. To do this, go to the game’s properties and click the "Check Cache" button. The program will automatically check all the files and download the damaged or missing again.
With the pirated version, everything is more complicated. First, try to put another crack on the game. If this does not help, then download the repack from other collectors, since pirated versions do not differ in stable operation on all personal computers.
All of the above causes and solutions can also come to subsequent games in the series. If Mass Effect 3 does not start on your computer, then you can solve the problem in any way, except for compatibility mode (since the third part was released for new operating systems).