Mass Effect 3 Datapad now available on iOS

If you've been wholly absorbed by the Mass Effect universe lately, the newly-released "Datapad" should be up your alley.

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If you've been wholly absorbed by the Mass Effect universe lately, the newly-released "Datapad" should be up your alley. The Universal app--compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch--will give you access to codex entries from across the entire Mass Effect trilogy. You'll also be able to access "breaking news" from BioWare and the Alliance News Network, as well as messages from characters in Mass Effect 3 after you interact with them in the game.

The free app (available here) also includes wallpapers you can use you on your iDevice.

A bonus mini-game included with the app--"Fleet Commander"--will also increase your Mass Effect 3 Galactic Readiness Rating by deploying fleets of ships. However, Touch Arcade points out that the mini-game adds "about 0.90% to your galactic rating every four hours," which all things considered, is "not very rewarding."

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 13, 2012 7:45 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Mass Effect 3 Datapad now available on iOS.

    If you've been wholly absorbed by the Mass Effect universe lately, the newly-released "Datapad" should be up your alley.

    • reply
      March 13, 2012 8:27 AM

      I'm surprised its free!

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      March 13, 2012 8:31 AM

      Loving ME3 and would have checked this out... except I don't own an iDevice.

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      March 13, 2012 9:00 AM

      why do companies limit stuff like this to iOS?

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        March 13, 2012 10:37 AM

        Because that has the largest market share.

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        March 13, 2012 10:44 AM

        What would make it less limited? Release on Android, which has a vastly smaller installed base? Whose install base in some cases is weaker than freaking WebOS?

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          March 13, 2012 11:32 AM

          Wait, I was thinking this was tablet only.

          Oh! Then the reason is that Android has 100+ different phone formats with customization required for all. Apple has essentially had 4 interfaces. Ever. (Ipod, Ipod HD, iPad, iPad HD). Just less resources to make.

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        March 13, 2012 10:58 AM

        ^^^^ Completely wrong. Why do people keep spreading that lie? Android has the bigger market share. You are confusing number of iphones sold to number of android phones.
        http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/shocker-android-grew-us-market-share-after-q2-ios-was-static/

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          March 13, 2012 11:03 AM

          and even though in nov '11 ios was trending up (http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/09/ios-marketshare-up-from-26-in-q3-to-43-in-octnov-2011/), it's still neck and neck to android. I hate that apple has you all brainwashed..it's irritating.

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            March 13, 2012 11:08 AM

            The big difference is purchasing. While Android has more marketshare more people actually buy stuff on ios. Granted this is a free app, but there is a massive difference if you want to sell your product.

            That and QA is significantly higher for Android since there a so many combinations of phones, resolutions, different OS versions.

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              March 13, 2012 11:14 AM

              Your first point has nothing to do with anything regarding this free app. I swear, any time anyone brings up something refuting IOS love, someone has to set up lame straw men regarding a completely different thing like 'but but more people buy on ios'.

              Yes QA is probably higher, but probably not as high as you'd like to believe.

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                March 13, 2012 11:21 AM

                Actually it is higher considering I've had to develop for IOS and Android. For IOS we only need a few devices, for Android you need at least 10 for good support and it takes a significant amount more time.

                Don't get me wrong I don't love IOS by any means. I think Objective-C is awful, but it's closed nature simply makes it much easier and more software houses are going to focus on that because of what I said.

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                March 13, 2012 5:36 PM

                In the context of this app it was easier for them to build it for iPhone because it's easier to QA it. Maybe they'll get around to doing Android, who knows.

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        March 13, 2012 12:01 PM

        because people on iOS actually pay for stuff

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          March 13, 2012 2:12 PM

          It's a free app.

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            March 13, 2012 5:37 PM

            When the quality of apps whether free or paid is better on one platform, that platform will get more people visiting the app store and downloading.

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            March 13, 2012 5:40 PM

            he didn't ask how much this app cost, he asked why companies make iOS-only apps like this.

            I am guessing it will come to Android eventually. its pretty sluggish right now, with noticeable framerate loss transitioning from screen to screen.

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        March 13, 2012 2:49 PM

        [deleted]

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        March 13, 2012 5:24 PM

        because developing for Android sucks donkey balls?

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      March 13, 2012 10:55 AM

      This actually isn't so bad. You get 1% galactic readiness in 5 seconds in one area to start. After that you send fleets (aka point and click a system and hit go) which takes a few hours. However, it's like Eve you aren't actually playing it's just a several hour countdown so do it while you are at work or sleeping.

      Having the Codex with audio is pretty nice as well.

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      March 13, 2012 11:07 AM

      I don't see the Wallpapers the article is talking about. Do they just mean the screen shots in the Media section? Not exactly formatted correctly for iOS if that's what they mean.

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      March 13, 2012 11:13 AM

      Oh neat, I can upgrade a fleet and send it on missions.

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        March 13, 2012 12:30 PM

        And it can take hours. I wish it were a little more involved.

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      March 13, 2012 11:43 AM

      The UI on this app is unresponsive as hell. Or is my iPhone 3 not beefy enough to display static 2d graphics?

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        March 13, 2012 12:19 PM

        Its chugging on my original iPad also.

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        March 13, 2012 12:29 PM

        Oh good, not just my 3GS then.

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        March 13, 2012 4:17 PM

        Janky on the iPad 2 as well.

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        March 13, 2012 4:51 PM

        iPhone 4 here and the codex is slow as shit

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        March 13, 2012 5:22 PM

        Runs fine on the 4Steve

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        March 13, 2012 5:32 PM

        They always put their best programmers on these important side things. /s

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        March 13, 2012 5:42 PM

        No it's just generally shitty. The Galaxy at War section has this weird switch to lower res whenever anything is moving. Like it's a bunch of high res stills stitched together with FMV sequences.

        It's bizarre and unresponsive.

        The Codex seems ok for me though, and that's the only part I'm likely to use I think.

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      March 13, 2012 3:47 PM

      I like that it seems to analyse your ME3 save and send messages from your crewmates depending on what you did.

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        March 13, 2012 7:35 PM

        I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't finished the game before this came out.

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