Mass Effect: Andromeda's Ship Won't Have Loading Screens

New details for Mass Effect: Andromeda have been revealed by way of Game Informer. The information pertains to The Tempest, which is the ship players will be exploring the Andromeda galaxy in.

The Tempest will serve a similar function to the Normandy, the ship players called home throughout the first three games. However, there have been some changes to give it a unique new feel. Chief among them is the way players choose their destination, which is done by standing on the bridge and looking out into the stars in front of you, instead of transitioning to a map.

In another part of the ship is a holographic interface which main character Ryder uses for upgrading. Players can also redistribute ability points and shift around upgrades to suit the mission at hand. There's also a garage where you can admire the Nomad, a surface exploration vehicle similar to the Mako.

The decor of Ryder's quarters can be customised to some degree and there will be various momentos from missions you go on.

Fans of the series will be glad to hear that there are no loading screens within the Tempest, unlike in the Normandy, which means you won't be standing around in lifts or waiting to be scanned while running around the ship. Additionally, developer BioWare says moving from the Tempest to exploring a planet will also be seamless.

"With memory limitations, with loading limitations, there was a real problem [in previous games]; if you wanted to go from one place to another, you had to unload everything, you had to reload everything--it was a long time," explained technical director Harold Chaput.

"It really broke the flow of the game. Now, it’s so much smoother to be on the ship, land on a planet, jump around, go inside a building. It’s all very seamless, so breaking down the barriers frees up the player to explore and do activities. It makes it easier to make a rich and full environment."

BioWare is expected to show more of Mass Effect: Andromeda gameplay footage during The Game Awards on December 1. Andromeda is scheduled to launch this spring for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. While not confirmed, multiple retail listings have suggested a March 21 release date.