Steam
Steam
I felt a wave of longing for the past and picked up both Mass Effect 1 and 2 from Steam. I noticed they don’t include the third game—what if I found another way to bring my progress into play? Could I save my files and run through all three titles with just one character?
For ME2 saves to transfer to ME3, the files need to be placed in the right folder: Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 2\Save. As long as it’s there, you can import characters from ME1/ME2 into ME3.
You're just starting out with PC gaming! To move your game files to your new rig, you'll need to transfer the existing files from your current setup. Steam itself doesn't automatically create new files on a new machine; it just loads saved copies. After you re-download the games and sync them via their cloud service, you should be able to access the original files on your new PC. Make sure your transfer method (USB, network share, etc.) is working properly before starting.
I haven't tried Steam Cloud yet. I gave it a quick look, but I'm not sure it's suitable for ME1/ME2. Mass Effect 3 has strict requirements for save file locations, and Steam Cloud doesn't seem to handle files outside the main Steam folder. Quick tips: If you need to move save files between systems, copying your Documents\Bioware folder onto a USB stick works well. I've done this many times before and it's reliable.