If, like me, you’ve always wanted a more strategic, zoomed-out take on the Mass Effect setting, you’re in luck: The Binary Helix Mod Group (named for the genetic engineering corporation in Mass Effect) is Beyond the Star for Stellaris. Relays (opens in new tab) Project Creation – The total conversion of the space strategy sim to the Mass Effect setting.
As with previous attempts to bring Star Trek (opens in new tab) and Warhammer 40K (opens in new tab) to life in the setting, Stellaris has a history of great total conversion modes. Additionally, talented modders have, in the past, created different addons based on Mass Effect to Stellaris, but Beyond the Relay looks to recreate the entire setting with its political climate and rules of space travel.
In its current 0.7.0 release, Beyond the Relays offers a selection of 24 civilizations to choose from, including sub-versions of major races such as the Asari and Turian, as well as second-string favorites such as the Volus or Vorcha. The project also includes unique ship and location models such as the Citadel and Omega Deep Space Station.
In a particularly exciting move, Binary Helix has recreated the star system and mass relay network from Mass Effect, adding 400 solar systems to the mod’s galaxy map based in the game and official lore. The star systems are arranged in groups connected by Mass Relay, and the map can be played in a basic sandbox mode, or in a scenario that replicates the relative position and prestige of the factions at the time of the Mass Effect series.
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(Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Binary Helix)
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(Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Binary Helix)Image 1 of 5
(Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Binary Helix)Image 1 of 5
(Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Binary Helix)Image 1 of 5
(Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Binary Helix)Image 1 of 5
Binary Helix has some big plans for the mod’s future—a major near- and medium-term priority is adjusting the various factions’ AIs so that Riley’s political simulation more closely matches Mass Effect. An example provided by Arrhenius, one of the team’s leaders, was getting the militaristic Turian to behave more like the patriarchal regulatory force of the Mass Effect series than to conquer the imperialists. Likewise, the team is trying to re-balance the combat for mods to better reflect the Mass Effect series’ UN-esque Interstellar Order. Arrhenius described making military units more expensive to build and losing, encouraging smaller-scale conflict between a more peaceful galactic civilization.
In the long term, Binary Helix seeks to implement a fully voiced mentor for each playable faction, and currently has a writing team gathering material together. The implementation of the larger, pervasive forces of the Mass Effect universe — the Citadel Council and the Reapers — are also in the cards, but Arrhenius has come a long way toward that goal.
Mass Effect really lends itself to further exploration and optimization, and the Binary Helix team is doing a great job presenting the setting’s rich lore and politics in 4X format. You can follow Beyond Riley on the team’s Discord (opens in new tab), ModDB (opens in new tab), and Steam Workshop (opens in new tab), and Binary Helix is actively involved in new writers, Looking for coders and artists. Volunteer on the project.
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