Mass Effect: Andromeda update gives Scott Ryder another romance option

More room for character customization, too

With the latest patch for Mass Effect: Andromeda, BioWare is fleshing out the character creator (couldn’t help myself) and opening up a path for Scott Ryder to romantically pursue the squadmate Jaal.

For the character editor, there will be two new head types (one male, one female), a complexion option, more skin tones, fully unlocked hairstyles, and good ol’ baldness. Existing players won’t miss out, either, as it’ll be possible to alter Ryder’s appearance right on the Tempest. You won’t need to start fresh.

Also, “for fans of Alec Ryder’s iconic [hah!] appearance, you can now choose to keep the default Alec, rather than having his appearance be based on your custom Ryder.”

As for the new opportunity with Jaal, BioWare says “Scott Ryder did not have a same-sex squadmate available as a romance option, nor could the achievement for completing three romances be achieved with only male same-sex partners. And as the angara have expressed their fluidity in how they perceive gender, it seemed only natural that Scott could have a relationship with Jaal.”

The developers also said that they “consulted with members of the LGBTQ community, both externally and within our own studios. After carefully considering all feedback, we decided this was an important change to make, and one that made sense for Jaal, Scott, and the angara.”

Single-player

• Ryder’s appearance can now be changed onboard the Tempest
• Expanded the range of options available in the character creator
• Jaal can now be romanced by Scott Ryder
• Dialogue for Hainly Abrams was adjusted to change the flow of personal information she discusses with Ryder.
• Fixed issue with Nomad upgrades Shield Crafting quest
• Nexus level and cryo pod points are retroactively granted
• Vendors now carry weapon mods for Level 60-71 players
• Vendors now sell weapon augmentations for automatic fire, burst fire, and single-shot fire
• Improved clarity of descriptions for augmentations
• Plasma Charge system now works properly for shotguns
• Beam Emitter augmentation now causes guns to fire a constant beam with scaling damage based on the weapon’s damage per second
• [PC] Added experimental support for Dolby Vision™ technology

Multiplayer

• Stealth Grid challenge now increments properly
• Fiend no longer sprints when within 10 meters of target, and will decelerate to base speed
• Enabled movement correction during Fiend attacks to reduce incidence of players seeing Fiends attacking in the wrong direction
• Improved movement prediction for some enemies in tight spaces to reduce appearance of teleportation
• Fixed issue that prevented melee attacks if the revive icon was near center screen
• Fixed issue where ammo pick-up audio incorrectly played
• Fixed issue where Backlash could malfunction while moving
• Using Stealth and Recon Visor together no longer increases duration of invisibility for Turian Agent
• Fixed issue where weight reduction modifications wouldn’t reduce weight
• The Revive Pack Transmitter now displays the revive radius in the loadout screen
• Equipping the Cobra RPG now interrupts reloading
• Player turns to Adhi when getting synced to avoid teleportation issue
• Fixed issue where enemies would occasionally enter T-pose when hit
• Improved visual and audio cues for player ready status in Multiplayer lobbies
• Added “Lights” option to customization options