Mass Effect 1 Difficulty Question

[Darth Payne]

(yes, i know i've recently started two other question threads about ME1)

Today i started my first Hardcore playthrough of ME1 as i want the Geth Pulse Rifle to be available in ME2, and of course i want the last few achievments for the 360.

While looking about the Mass Effect Wiki's Combat area i noticed a curious line of text.

spoiler:

Once a playthrough on Hardcore is completed, the Insanity difficulty will be unlocked, provided the difficulty is not changed at any point (players can scale up or down the difficulty, until the end of the Eden Prime mission).

Is the part about Eden Prime true?

If so, can i change the difficulty setting on a level 60 casual playthrough i've recently finished, and still get the achievement?

[DarthParametric]

Yes, you can change the difficulty before leaving Eden Prime and it won't affect unlocking Insanity. Also, the Geth pulse rifle in ME2 has nothing to do with ME1 as far as I know, only the difficulty setting (only available on Hardcore or Insanity).

And do you really need to start a new thread for all these things? Especially given that they are probably already answered in the existing main game thread/s.

[Darth Payne]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

Also, the Geth pulse rifle in ME2 has nothing to do with ME1 as far as I know, only the difficulty setting (only available on Hardcore or Insanity).

Eh?

It says in the combat area of the Mass Effect Wiki:
While playing on Hardcore:
Most enemies are scaled up based on player's level
All enemies have protection
Bosses have immunities
*In Mass Effect 2, the Geth Pulse Rifle will be available for pickup*

And i never even knew about the GPR before now.

Edit: Well, just tried to import a level 60 Adept and change the difficulty setting to hardcore and i find that i can't do it. Do i have to start a fresh playthrough for this to work?

Is there a specific place where i can do this? At the beacon, maybe?

[stoffe]

Originally Posted by Darth Payne

*In Mass Effect 2, the Geth Pulse Rifle will be available for pickup*

The pulse rifle will be available in Mass Effect 2 on Haestrom in the room you encounter Tali if you play Mass Effect 2 on Insanity. What difficulty level you played the first game on does not matter.

[Darth Payne]

Ah well, i guess i can still get the last few achievements, as well as the gamerpictures.

Edit: Huh, i just got to the beacon on Eden Prime and i *still* can't change the difficulty level on my lvl60 Adept replay.

[DarthParametric]

The changing difficulty thing on has to do with unlocking Insanity. You have to complete a Hardcore playthrough first while not changing the difficulty after Eden Prime. After that, the Insanity difficulty will unlock, after which you must complete another playthrough again not changing the difficulty after Eden Prime. The Insanity achievement will then unlock.

[Darth Payne]

Ohhhh...that...is not so good.

I'm having a fair bit of trouble getting through the hardcore playthrough, and i only got started like 3-4 hours ago.

I have no idea how i'm gonna get through the Insanity setting, *if* i somehow manage to get through the hardcore one.

Thanks for the help though DP and stoffe.

[DarthParametric]

Play a Soldier on a second playthrough (i.e. lvl 40+) with Immunity maxed out. Step 1, activate Immunity. Congratulations - you just won the game.

[Darth Payne]

Ah, nuts...

That means i'd have to start yet another playthrough.

Ah well, can't be helped i guess.