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Effect and Cause

"Effect and Cause" is the fifth mission in the single-player campaign of Titanfall 2, a 2016 first-person shooter video game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. In the level, Pilot Jack Cooper and his Titan companion BT-7274 infiltrate a ruined IMC research facility on the planet Typhon to locate Major Elliot Anderson, using a prototype device called the Time Gauntlet that allows shifting between the past and present.^[1] The mission integrates time manipulation into platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat, requiring players to alter the environment across timelines to progress through the ARES Division complex.^[2] It reveals key plot elements about the IMC's operations and advances the narrative of Special Operation 217, while featuring eight collectible Pilot Helmets.^[1] Widely praised for its innovative level design, the mission has been highlighted as a standout in video game history.^[3]

Overview

Mission Summary

In the "Effect and Cause" mission of Titanfall 2, Pilot Jack Cooper and his Titan companion BT-7274 search for Major Eli Anderson in the ruins of an IMC facility on the planet Typhon as part of Special Operation 217, uncovering the IMC's plot involving the Fold Weapon, an experimental alien superweapon central to the game's narrative.^[1] This operation marks a pivotal point in the campaign, emphasizing time-shifting navigation and data acquisition amid a derelict site with remnants of automated IMC defenses.^[4] The mission unfolds in a sequential structure divided into distinct phases: an initial exploration of the facility's ruins to locate Anderson's helmet and holographic records, acquisition of the Phase Shift Time Gauntlet to enable navigation through past and present timelines, and a final sequence requiring time-shifting to extend a bridge and reach the Ark while fighting mutated wildlife and facility defenses.^[1] This progression maintains a focused path toward mission completion, with the time gauntlet serving as a central mechanism for advancing through otherwise impassable sections.^[5] Clocking in at approximately 20-30 minutes, the mission balances linear advancement with integrated puzzle-solving segments to create a brisk yet engaging pace that avoids prolonged repetition.^[4] Players encounter unique environmental hazards, including collapsing structures that threaten structural integrity and hostile wildlife such as dinosaur-like creatures displaced by the time shifts, adding layers of urgency to the traversal.^[6] The mission incorporates time manipulation via the gauntlet as a core gimmick to highlight these dynamic challenges.^[5]

Setting and Context

The mission "Effect and Cause" is set in the ruins of the IMC Dynamic Testing Facility, an ARES Division complex located on the planet Typhon, an IMC-controlled world in the Frontier where the corporation conducted advanced experiments during the Frontier War.^[7] The complex features derelict laboratories intertwined with overgrown jungles and remnants of high-tech installations, reflecting the passage of time since the IMC's operations there. These ruins provide a visually striking environment, with dense foliage encroaching upon abandoned structures that once buzzed with activity. The lore of the facility centers on the IMC's secretive development of the Fold Weapon, an alien superweapon capable of planetary destruction; the player uses a recovered Phase Shift Time Gauntlet to navigate temporal distortions resulting from its testing. Abandoned following the IMC's defeat in the Battle of Typhon, the site now stands as a testament to the corporation's failed ambitions, with scattered evidence of their work left behind in the form of damaged equipment and holographic records.^[7] This research was part of broader IMC efforts on Typhon to weaponize alien technology discovered on the planet, though the full extent of their success remains tied to the war's chaos.^[7] Atmospherically, the setting shifts dynamically between timelines, showcasing present-day overgrowth where vines and mutated wildlife reclaim the space, in stark contrast to the pristine, operational conditions of the past era complete with sterile labs and controlled environments. Audio logs scattered throughout reveal harrowing details of IMC experiments on local wildlife, including attempts to phase-shift animals that resulted in the evolution of aggressive, dinosaur-like creatures now inhabiting the ruins.^[8] These elements heighten the sense of isolation and mystery, blending natural reclamation with technological decay. Typhon's integration into the setting is pivotal, as the planet's exotic environment facilitated the IMC's discovery and testing of the Fold Weapon, contributing to the facility's abandonment after catastrophic failures during the IMC's retreat. The time rifts and altered states result from the destructive testing of the Fold Weapon and the use of phase shift technology.^[7]

Gameplay Mechanics

Time-Shifting Feature

The time-shifting feature in Titanfall 2's "Effect and Cause" mission enables players to toggle between two distinct timelines of an IMC research facility: the past, a pristine and operational environment filled with active personnel, and the present, a dilapidated and overgrown ruin populated by automated defenses and wildlife.^[9] This mechanic functions as a core puzzle tool, allowing players to exploit environmental differences between eras to navigate and solve challenges without altering the fundamental level geometry.^[8] The two timelines are implemented as precisely aligned, stacked maps, ensuring seamless spatial continuity during shifts.^[10] Players activate time-shifting using the Time Gauntlet, a wrist-mounted device acquired early in the mission, which permits instantaneous toggles at will by pressing a button like "X" on consoles, even mid-movement such as jumping or wall-running.^[11]^[12] Transitions occur without interruption to the player's velocity or orientation, accompanied by visual cues like a blue flash and lingering particle markers indicating prior positions in the alternate timeline, as well as audio signals including distortion effects and radio chatter from the companion Titan BT.^[9]^[10] Puzzle integration revolves around leveraging timeline-specific elements to progress, such as shifting to the past to traverse a clear hallway blocked by collapsed debris in the present, then immediately returning to advance.^[8] A representative sequence involves riding an elevator functional only in the past to align with a ledge that has since crumbled in the present, enabling access to otherwise unreachable areas.^[10] Similarly, players can disable or bypass active laser grids in the past by shifting to the present, where structural decay has rendered them inactive.^[11] These applications emphasize observation and timing, with environmental contrasts—like intact doors in the past versus sealed ruins in the present—guiding intuitive solutions.^[8] Technical constraints maintain fairness and focus on puzzle logic: shifts have no cooldown, but players cannot carry items or effects across timelines, necessitating independent actions in each era.^[9] Enemy positions and states are synchronized between maps but do not interact or persist across shifts, preventing exploits while requiring repeated engagements where needed.^[10] The device itself becomes inoperable toward the mission's conclusion, limiting indefinite use.^[11] In the "Effect and Cause" mission of Titanfall 2, combat encounters feature distinct enemy compositions across the two timelines, reflecting the IMC research facility's operational past and its overgrown, post-catastrophe present. In the past timeline, players primarily face IMC grunts and marines armed with standard rifles, alongside spectres—robotic sentries that patrol corridors—and drones that provide aerial support fire. These enemies emphasize coordinated human-AI tactics, with shielded heavies requiring flanking maneuvers to bypass their defenses.^[11]^[10] In contrast, the present timeline introduces feral mutants such as prowlers—aggressive, dinosaur-like scavengers that charge in packs—and automated defenses like malfunctioning turrets and stalker robots, which activate sporadically amid the ruins. Titan encounters are sparse and serve a support role, with BT-7274 occasionally engaging an enemy Legion unit in open areas to clear paths for the pilot.^[11]^[13] Navigation in the mission leverages Titanfall 2's signature pilot mobility system, adapted to the shifting timelines for dynamic traversal challenges. Wall-running and double-jumping allow players to scale vertical surfaces and cross gaps, but these mechanics vary by era: in the past, scaffolding and intact railings provide linear paths for momentum-based runs, while the present offers overgrown vines and collapsed structures for more improvisational climbing. The grappling hook, integrated into pilot loadouts, enables quick tethers to distant ledges or debris, facilitating swings across hazardous voids that differ between timelines—such as laser grids in the past versus fiery pits in the present. These elements combine to create layered routes, where a single wall-run might span both eras via mid-air time-shifts, demanding precise timing to avoid fatal falls or enemy fire.^[14]^[13]^[10] Combat strategies revolve around exploiting timeline differences to outmaneuver foes, turning the time-shifting mechanic into a core tactical tool beyond puzzle-solving. Players can shift to the past to flank IMC patrols undetected, then return to the present to ambush mutants from elevated positions created by environmental decay, effectively creating 4D ambushes. Blue particle trails from recent shifts reveal enemy positions across timelines for a brief window, allowing preemptive dodges or reloads in safer eras.^[11]^[14]^[10] Interactions with BT-7274 are constrained by the facility's tight interiors, limiting full Titan deployment to wider combat phases where its heavy ordnance clears clusters of spectres or prowlers. In narrower sections, protocol synchronization commands via the pilot's helmet allow BT's AI to transfer insights across timelines, advising on enemy weak points or optimal shift timings during intense firefights. For heavy engagements, entering BT enables synchronized time-shifts within the Titan cockpit, coordinating pilot ejections for flanking while BT provides suppressive fire against automated defenses.^[11]^[10]

Narrative Integration

Plot Synopsis

Following the events of the "Into the Abyss" mission, Pilot Jack Cooper and his Titan companion BT-7274 enter the ruins of an IMC research facility on the planet Typhon, where temporal anomalies caused by experimental IMC technology immediately disrupt their surroundings.^[2] As they advance, the facility exhibits erratic shifts between its intact past state and the overgrown, decayed present, revealing the aftermath of IMC's failed experiments with time manipulation.^[11] Early in the mission, Cooper encounters time-displaced dinosaurs—genetically engineered creatures resulting from the IMC's tampering with local wildlife to create bioweapons—which have been scattered across timelines due to the rifts.^[4] These anomalies force Cooper to navigate hazardous terrain, including a dramatic scene where a pterodactyl-like dinosaur attacks another in the present, highlighting the chaotic fusion of eras.^[10] Proceeding deeper, Cooper retrieves critical data from Dr. Hammond's laboratory, where audio logs detail the IMC's genetic modification efforts and the unintended consequences of combining them with temporal tech.^[15] Tensions escalate with confrontations against IMC remnants, some of whom have become aware of the time shifts and patrol aggressively across both timelines, attempting to contain the breaches.^[8] A pivotal mid-mission twist occurs when Cooper activates a time-shifting device from Major Eli Anderson's helmet, unveiling the Fold Weapon's origins as an IMC superweapon capable of bending time to erase targets from existence.^[11] BT analyzes the growing rifts, warning Cooper of their instability and the risk of permanent timeline collapse, while holographic recordings from Anderson explain how the weapon's test disrupted the facility, scattering IMC forces and experiments alike.^[2] This revelation ties directly into the broader campaign's conflict over the Fold Weapon, underscoring the IMC's desperate tactics against the Frontier Militia. The climax unfolds as Cooper and BT fight through collapsing sections of the facility, evading intensified IMC assaults and dinosaur threats amid destabilizing rifts that threaten to trap them in a single era.^[4] They secure the retrieved data on the Fold Weapon's activation sequence just as the primary rift begins to implode, forcing a narrow escape to the facility's Ark vessel.^[11] In the resolution, with the data transmission complete but the time device shattered, BT remarks on the mission's success while affirming their partnership, emphasizing the deepening bond between Cooper and BT amid hints of the weapon's imminent larger-scale deployment.^[13]

Ties to Titanfall 2 Campaign

The "Effect and Cause" mission serves as a critical juncture in Titanfall 2's single-player campaign, building directly on the events of prior levels such as "Into the Abyss" and "Blood and Rust" by shifting the narrative focus from frontline assaults to infiltration and intelligence gathering at an abandoned IMC research facility. Here, protagonist Jack Cooper and his Titan companion BT-7274 uncover evidence of the IMC's catastrophic experimental failures, including a botched space-time manipulation project that devastated the site years earlier, transforming it into an overgrown ruin teeming with mutated wildlife. This revelation underscores the IMC's desperate pursuit of technological superiority in the Frontier War, providing key data on the Fold Weapon—a planet-destroying superweapon of alien origin—that propels the duo toward the subsequent "The Ark" mission to sabotage its deployment.^[11]^[16] In terms of character development, the mission markedly advances Cooper's evolution from a novice rifleman to a resourceful Pilot capable of independent operation, as he navigates the facility's dual timelines without BT's direct physical support, relying on quick thinking to manipulate past events for present-day survival. This solo exploration highlights Cooper's growing confidence and adaptability, forged through his earlier bond with BT following the death of the Titan's previous Pilot. Simultaneously, BT's tactical contributions—such as analyzing threats across timelines and enforcing loyalty protocols to protect Cooper—reinforce the AI's role as a steadfast partner, with dialogue evolving from formal address ("Pilot") to personal familiarity ("Cooper"), symbolizing deepening mutual trust amid the war's chaos.^[11]^[16] Thematically, "Effect and Cause" mirrors the campaign's broader critique of war by delving into causality and unintended consequences, using the time-shifting mechanic to illustrate how IMC experiments unleashed irreversible ecological and temporal devastation, paralleling the Frontier conflict's cycle of destruction and escalation. Players witness the facility's pristine past devolve into a hazardous present, critiquing militarized innovation's long-term fallout without altering history. This aligns with the game's overarching narrative of human-machine partnership versus corporate imperialism, emphasizing time's unyielding flow as a metaphor for the war's escalating toll.^[16]^[9] Foreshadowing elements are subtly embedded throughout, with audio logs and environmental storytelling hinting at the IMC's advanced weaponry, such as the Fold Weapon's arc energy, which anticipates the climactic destruction of the planet Harmony in the finale. References to Vanguard-class Titans in past recordings also allude to BT's origins and the Apex Predator elite's involvement, building tension for confrontations with antagonists like Commander Slone and Viper, while escalating the Militia-IMC rivalry toward all-out planetary assault. These cues ensure the mission not only advances immediate objectives but enriches the campaign's trajectory toward moral and strategic reckonings.^[11]^[9]

Development

Design Concept

The design of the "Effect and Cause" mission in Titanfall 2 originated from Respawn Entertainment's desire to push the boundaries of single-player storytelling in a franchise initially known for its multiplayer focus, drawing inspiration from the time-swapping mechanics depicted in the Nightcrawler scene from X-Men 2 and the contrasting decayed versus pristine environments depicted in the Life After People documentary series.^[9] These influences shaped the core concept of a space-time experiment gone awry, allowing players to alternate between past and present states of a research facility to solve environmental puzzles and navigate combat.^[9] Senior designer Jake Keating led the vision for the level, aiming to create a "mind-bending" experience that highlighted the potential of single-player campaigns within the Titanfall series, with early prototypes developed in 2015 using an adapted multiplayer map to test dual-timeline mechanics.^[9] These prototypes focused on seamless time-shifting without cooldowns, enabling fluid traversal and interaction between timelines, and underwent multiple iterations to balance puzzle-solving with action elements.^[10] The mission builds on the parkour and movement systems established in Titanfall (2014), incorporating a temporal layer to differentiate the campaign and emphasize player agency in a sci-fi setting that evolved from the series' roots in modern military shooters.^[9] Positioned as a mid-game highlight, it was intended to re-engage players following the more combat-intensive early levels by introducing narrative surprises and mechanical innovation.^[9] This culminates in implemented features like mirrored level layouts for past and present, which enhance the time-shifting gameplay without relying on excessive tutorials.^[10]

Implementation Challenges

The implementation of the time-shifting mechanic in "Effect and Cause" presented substantial technical challenges, particularly in rendering two distinct timelines within the constraints of Titanfall 2's modified Source engine. The level was constructed as two vertically stacked maps—one representing the intact past and the other the ruined present—requiring millimeter-precise alignment to prevent glitches such as players falling through floors or teleporting into inaccessible areas during shifts. This dual-layer approach initially caused frequent bugs and performance issues due to the engine's handling of overlapping geometry and dynamic state changes, leading the team to start with simplified, low-detail models for rapid prototyping and flexibility. Final artistic details were deferred until late in development to accommodate ongoing tweaks, ensuring the timelines felt interconnected without overwhelming the engine's rendering pipeline.^[9] Artistic and audio design further compounded these hurdles, as creating visually cohesive yet differentiated past and present environments demanded extensive iteration to avoid an "incomprehensible" mess, as described by Environmental Art Director Todd Sue regarding the initial concept. The team layered environmental details like overgrown ruins in the present against pristine structures in the past, using particle effects and lingering holograms during shifts to guide player orientation without explicit tutorials. Sound design addressed rift transitions through immersive audio cues, including distorted echoes and narrative audio logs that played across timelines, adding humor and context while reinforcing the temporal disorientation—elements refined to maintain audio fidelity under the engine's multithreaded processing limits. These choices prioritized perceptual clarity over complexity, drawing from the level's origins in a scrapped Titanfall single-player prototype.^[3]^[9] Playtesting revealed early versions with overly confusing shift mechanics, prompting at least two major revisions based on focus group feedback that emphasized intuitive discovery over heavy guidance. Developers adjusted puzzle balance, such as fine-tuning the timing of environmental hazards like spinning fans to strike a "perfect" difficulty curve that rewarded experimentation without inducing frustration, while freezing enemies in alternate timelines was retained for engaging, non-lethal interactions rather than technical necessities. Internal iterations in 2016, informed by broader campaign beta testing, helped streamline navigation and combat integration, ensuring shifts felt empowering rather than disorienting.^[9] Resource limitations shaped the level's scope, as its multi-year development—spanning from an early pitch for the first Titanfall—demanded a focused effort amid the overall two-year cycle for Titanfall 2. A small core team, led by designer Jake Keating, prioritized iconic setpieces like the parkour sequences and time-locked puzzles, reallocating staff from other areas to address the unique setup's demands, which extended production longer than any other mission. This constrained approach involved cutting extraneous timeline interactions to maintain momentum, allowing the level to fit within Respawn's broader pipeline without derailing the release schedule.^[3]^[9]

Reception and Legacy

Critical Acclaim

Upon its 2016 release, the "Effect and Cause" mission in Titanfall 2 received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative time-shifting mechanics and seamless integration of puzzle-solving with fast-paced action, often highlighted as a standout element of the game's single-player campaign. IGN awarded Titanfall 2 an overall score of 9/10, lauding the campaign's level design as a "sprawling platforming playground" that elevates the series' mobility systems, with "Effect and Cause" exemplifying this through its clever environmental challenges.^[17] Similarly, Kotaku described the mission as "really good," noting how it shifts the game's rules, expands the narrative, and ramps up intensity, drawing comparisons to Portal's puzzle depth while emphasizing its unique time-travel implementation.^[11] Critics frequently praised the mission's elegant design, which uses dual timelines to create emergent gameplay moments, such as altering past events to enable present-day progression, fostering high replay value and environmental storytelling. PC Gamer called it a "wildly creative" and "unexpected" highlight that represents a "high peak" in the campaign, appreciating how the overgrown, ruined facility visually conveys the passage of time.^[14] Game Developer provided a detailed analysis underscoring its masterful level design, where time manipulation enhances both combat and exploration without overwhelming the player.^[18] Titanfall 2, including contributions from "Effect and Cause," earned a nomination for Game Design at the 2017 BAFTA Games Awards, recognizing its innovative mechanics amid competition from titles like Inside and Overwatch.^[19] The mission also factored into the game's broader accolades, such as nominations for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2016.^[20] In retrospective coverage, the mission has been hailed as a benchmark for FPS level design. TheGamer, in a 2020 analysis, labeled "Effect and Cause" a "masterclass in game design," praising its pairing of creative time mechanics with precise execution that remains influential.^[8]

Community Impact and Modding

The "Effect and Cause" mission has fostered a dedicated fanbase within the Titanfall community, with players frequently praising its innovative time-shifting mechanics as a pinnacle of FPS level design. On Reddit, discussions highlight its status as one of the greatest campaign missions, such as a 2020 thread where users lauded the seamless integration of past and present environments for puzzle-solving and parkour.^[21] A 2021 Reddit post celebrating a new world record speedrun for the mission's Chapter 2 garnered over 3,800 upvotes, underscoring ongoing enthusiasm nearly five years after release.^[22] Speedrunning communities have extensively analyzed the mission, optimizing time-shift activations to navigate its complex sequences efficiently. Platforms like Speedrun.com maintain separate leaderboards for each chapter, with the world record for Chapter 2 at 2:42.980 as of November 2025.^[23] Dedicated tutorials, such as those on YouTube, break down routes like the "Hell Jump" in Chapter 2, helping runners shave seconds while preserving the mission's core challenge.^[24] The modding scene, powered by the Northstar client—a free modding framework released for Titanfall 2—has extended the mission's mechanics into multiplayer experiences. Custom maps and gamemodes like "Flipside," introduced in 2022, recreate time-shifting duality across two arenas on the same layout, allowing players to flip between timelines during matches.^[25] By 2023, community expansions via Thunderstore integrated these elements with additional assets, enabling broader experimentation with the rift-based navigation.^[26] YouTube cinematic playthroughs, often using HUD-toggle mods for immersive viewing, have amplified this interest; popular videos showcasing the mission's visuals and flow have collectively surpassed 1 million views, including analyses that dissect its design.^[27] The mission's cultural footprint endures through its ties to the broader Frontier universe, influencing fan discussions around shared lore elements like Typhon's anomalies. In 2025 Apex Legends updates, such as Season 23's lore recaps featuring rift phenomena and dimensional travel, these elements echo the mission's time rifts, prompting community speculation on connections to Titanfall 2's events.^[28] While direct indie game inspirations remain niche, the mechanic has drawn comparisons to time-manipulation classics, inspiring fan homages in custom content. Post-launch patches in 2017 refined gameplay balance across the game, including the addition of the co-op Frontier Defense mode with an "Insane" difficulty tier for advanced players. Community guides for collectible hunting, such as detailed walkthroughs on IGN and Polygon, have supported completionists in locating all eight pilot helmets across the mission's chapters, often with time-shift strategies to access hidden areas.^[2]^[29]

Additional Notes

Collectibles and Secrets

In the "Effect and Cause" mission of Titanfall 2, players can discover various collectibles that deepen the lore of the IMC's unethical experiments on the Fold Weapon and the Ark. There are eight pilot helmets hidden across the level, serving as primary collectibles for completionists; these glowing blue items are often tucked into timeline-specific spots requiring precise time shifts to access. For instance, one helmet is located in the past version of the cryogenic storage room, on a raised platform to the left of the entrance, adjacent to an audio log detailing the fate of colonists used as test subjects. Another is found in a hallway in the present timeline, perched above a fiery pit that only appears after the destruction event, necessitating a wall-run from the intact past structure. Collecting all eight contributes to the "Every Nook and Cranny" achievement for finding all 46 helmets in the campaign.^[30]^[31] Complementing the helmets are 13 audio logs scattered throughout the facility, with several focusing on IMC ethics and the moral quandaries of their research. Three logs from General Marder, for example, are particularly revelatory: one on the pedestal where he delivered a speech in the past, justifying the neutralization of the Militia for humanity's "prosperous future" through reproduction control; another in the cryogenic room, describing experiments on IMS Odyssey colonists exposed to the Ark's energies; and a third arguing that individual lives are expendable for the Fold Weapon's deployment against Militia worlds. Other logs, such as those from Dr. Jefferson Boyle, chronicle a scientist's desperate survival post-Ark test, including entries on rationing supplies and ethical doubts about the project. These logs are collectible via interaction and add entries to BT-7274's logbook, providing narrative depth without impacting core progression.^[15] Secret areas leverage the mission's dual timelines for hidden exploration, such as a present-day cave-like alcove in the wildlife research labs filled with militia graffiti visible only after destruction, or a vent in the past turbine shaft containing blueprint sketches of the Ark's casing. These spots often overlap with collectible pickups and require switching timelines mid-jump to reveal them, aiding navigation through shifting environments. Achievement ties emphasize mastery of these mechanics, including "It Was Coming Right For Us," unlocked by entering a broken prowler cage in the present and time-shifting to the past to kill the creature without alerting guards, rewarding stealthy time-shift use akin to avoiding combat. "Following the Footsteps" is earned by viewing Major Anderson's holographic log in a side room accessed via the past elevator shaft, tying into full timeline exploration. Additionally, "Secret Plans" completes upon reaching the Ark after the platforming sequence, encapsulating the mission's puzzle-solving.^[4] Easter eggs add layers of cultural reference, with subtle nods to Half-Life through portal-like time rifts that echo interdimensional travel, and a hidden room featuring three hazmat suits—one with a crowbar beside it, alluding to Gordon Freeman's HEV suit and signature weapon—in a destroyed lab section visible by alternating timelines. The prowler containment in the research labs evokes Jurassic Park's dinosaur behaviors, as the creatures exhibit panicked, thrashing reactions when time-shifted into their cages, mirroring escaped prehistoric animals. A more intricate secret references the 1994 film Timecop: by performing exactly 88 time shifts, a locked door unlocks to reveal a paradox warning sign about timeline contamination.^[32]^[1]^[33]

Known Glitches and Fixes

One notable glitch encountered by players in the "Effect and Cause" mission involves desynchronization during time rift transitions, leading to infinite loading screens that prevent progression through the level's temporal shifts.^[34] This issue, reported shortly after launch, was addressed in an early 2017 patch, which stabilized loading mechanics and resolved desync errors in the mission's rift sequences.^[35] Another common bug affects Prowler AI pathing, where the alien Prowlers in the past timeline fail to navigate obstacles correctly, causing them to get stuck or behave erratically even when observed from the present timeline.^[1] Exploits leveraging the mission's time-shift mechanics have become popular among speedrunners, allowing skips such as clipping through walls by timing precise jumps during temporal transitions to bypass sections like the fiery hallways or prowler enclosures.^[36] These techniques, often involving momentum preservation across timelines, remain unpatched to preserve community engagement and creative playstyles.^[37] Platform-specific problems have also arisen, including PC crashes when using high texture settings, particularly during intense visual shifts between timelines, which were mitigated through graphics driver updates from NVIDIA and AMD starting in late 2016.^[38] On consoles, framerate drops occurred frequently during time shifts, dropping below 60 FPS on Xbox One and PlayStation 4; these were optimized in a November 2017 patch that improved resolution scaling and performance stability across enhanced hardware like the Xbox One X.^[39] Following 2020, rare glitches induced by mods, such as texture flickering or AI desyncs in custom scenarios, have been reported in the Northstar client, a community-driven multiplayer revival tool.^[40] Respawn Entertainment issued a compatibility update in 2023 to address Windows 11-specific launch and stability issues, ensuring smoother integration for legacy titles like Titanfall 2. Further server and compatibility updates in 2023 and 2024 improved overall stability, particularly for modern operating systems and anti-cheat integration.^[41] Community reports of these post-release issues, often shared on forums, highlight ongoing player efforts to maintain the mission's functionality.

References

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Causality is the science of cause and effect. As identifying causal mechanisms is often regarded as a fundamental aspect of most sciences, causality becomes ...Missing: authoritative | Show results with:authoritative
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### Definition of Causality and Key Points on Cause and Effect
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Causality is our awareness of what causes what, but it's hard to define when one event truly causes another. It is a man-made concept.
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This missions begins in a particularly interesting fashion. Make your way through the facility until a flying dinosaur kills another dinosaur.<|control11|><|separator|>
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The idea for Titanfall 2's most iconic level predates the series itself
The mission Effect and Cause features a mechanic that Respawn senior designer Jake Keating had wanted to explore long before the Titanfall series even existed.
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RESPAWN PLAYS: EFFECT & CAUSE // TITANFALL 2 | News
May 2, 2017 · Hello again. This week, we released our second set of videos in our Respawn plays series. This time, it's based off the level, Effect ...
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Sep 29, 2016 · When an investigation of a research facility on the IMC controlled planet of Typhon goes wrong, Jack and BT are thrown off course and behind ...
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Apr 15, 2024 · The Battle of Typhon is the subject of the single-player campaign of Titanfall 2, as told from the perspective of Militia Rifleman Jack Cooper.
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### Summary of Time-Shifting Mechanic in Titanfall 2's "Effect and Cause" Mission
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Mar 26, 2018 · The "Effect and Cause" level features time-travel mechanics, allowing players to see past enemies and switch between present and past combat ...
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Nov 9, 2016 · “Effects and Cause” refers to the time-travel paradox at the heart of the mission, but it also describes the way that Respawn's designers ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Mar 24, 2021 · Effect and Cause is two maps in one, an entire mission that has been designed with a co-existing parallel universe you can enter and leave at ...
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Feb 17, 2019 · Effect and Cause starts slowly, putting you in a bombed-out facility with no enemies to shoot and the distinct sensation that something has gone ...
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Oct 28, 2016 · This is the fifth mission in Titanfall 2. Below you'll find a walkthrough of each engagement as well as a guide to every collectible in the mission.
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The Titanfall 2 mission Effect and Cause has a number of Audio Logs written by various IMC personnel including scientists and General Marder.General Marder's Audio Logs · Log 2 · Dr. Jefferson Boyle's Audio Logs · Log 5
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### Development Challenges for Effect and Cause in Titanfall 2
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Rating 9/10 · Review by Brandin TyrrelOct 28, 2016 · On The Campaign Trail. Titanfall 2's campaign is the tale of rifleman Jack Cooper, who's unexpectedly given the reins of Vanguard-class titan BT ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
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The Gamasutra team sits down to do a game design analysis of Titanfall 2's most fascinating level, Effect and Cause.
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The nominees for the third annual Game Awards were announced today, with familiar titles like Uncharted 4, Overwatch, and Titanfall 2 up for a chance at awards.
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Effect and Cause is one of the best missions I've played in an fps game
Jan 7, 2020 · It's such a cool concept of having to switch between the past and present in order to maneuver through a level, especially during the parkour stuff.The Making of Titanfall 2's 'Effect and Cause', Revealed by Respawn ...The Effect & Cause Timeline : r/titanfall - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
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[NEW WR] Beating Effect & Cause Chapter 2 in 2m 55s : r/titanfall
Jun 22, 2021 · 3.8K votes, 59 comments. Cooper how the hell did you get here so fast- BT-7274 2021.
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Mar 29, 2018 · ... Effect and Cause ch.2, one of the most challenging and technical levels in Titanfall 2, including one of the hardest single routes: "Hell ...
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Feb 13, 2022 · New gamemode "Flipside" in the Northstar client inspired by the Effect and Cause campaign mission ... 2 arenas on the same map file.titan fall 2 northstar custom maps?? : r/titanfall - RedditNeed help w some settings & shi for Northstar Client : r/titanfall - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
[29]
FlipSide | Thunderstore - The Titanfall 2: Northstar Mod Database
Flipside is a custom mode and map combination based on the Effect and cause mission from the campaign, This modifier ONLY works on glitch and when enabled will ...
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Titanfall 2: Effect and Cause (Cinematic Playthrough) - YouTube
Mar 15, 2021 · Titanfall 2 Single Player Campaign Gameplay Part 5, Effect and Cause. Cinematic Playthrough using the HUD Toggle Mod and some video editing.
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Apex Legends Lore Recap 2025 – Everything You Missed from the ...
Apr 14, 2025 · From Syndicate power shifts and lost family reunions to deadly rifts and multiverse encounters, Apex Legends' lore exploded in 2024. And now ...
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Titanfall 2 Operation Frontier Shield Update Available Today
Jul 25, 2017 · Choose from Easy / Regular / Hard / Master difficulty. There will be an Insane difficulty as well that will exist in a separate tile as a ...
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Titanfall 2 collectibles guide - Polygon
Jan 6, 2017 · In this guide, we'll show you how to find all 46 pilot helmets. We've organized our Titanfall 2 collectibles guide based on the game's missions ...
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Pilot Helmet Locations - Titanfall 2 Guide - IGN
Oct 28, 2016 · There are 46 Pilot Helmets hidden throughout Titanfall 2's campaign. Here is a video showing the location of all 46 followed by a text guide with accompanying ...
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Titanfall 2 Pilot Helmet collectibles location guide - GamesRadar
Apr 18, 2022 · The second helmet of Effect and Cause's first chapter can be found right after you've collected number 19. From that point, move forwards into ...
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There was a Half-Life easter egg in Titanfall 2 all this time | PC Gamer
Oct 29, 2020 · Effect and Cause is set in a destroyed research facility, which probably sounds familiar, and the time gimmick takes you between the current ...
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Effect and Cause | Titanfall Wiki - Fandom
Effect and Cause is the fifth mission where Jack and BT explore a research complex, using time travel to find Major Anderson and uncover a plot.
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Titanfall 2 Easter Egg Found 6 Years After Release (Timecop Easter ...
Apr 17, 2022 · Titanfall 2 Easter Egg Found 6 Years After Release (Timecop Easter Egg) Time travel 88 times to unlock the door and you will find a Timecop ...
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GAME BREAKING glitch in Titanfall 2 Story Mode "Effect and Cause"
Oct 30, 2016 · The issue is most likely corrupted files. Re-installing/ verifying integrity of game files is like step 2 of basic troubleshooting, right after turning it on ...Game Breaking Glitch in Titanfall 2 PC Version (Effect and Cause ...What are some fun bugs in titanfall 2 - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
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Titanfall® 2 Patches and Updates - SteamDB
Rating 94% (266,593) Curated patch notes for Titanfall® 2 on Steam. Updates and changelogs.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19uZ7IHdtkE
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Anyone else ever find this glitch on effect and cause? : r/titanfall
Jan 2, 2024 · 585 votes, 21 comments. Looks like some weird version of a glitch used in the speedrun sometimes (I know they used to do it for fun, ...
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Titanfall 2 Graphics, Performance & Tweaking Guide - NVIDIA
Nov 2, 2016 · On this page you can learn about each of Titanfall 2's PC graphics settings, examine interactive comparisons highlighting their impact on graphical fidelity, ...
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Titanfall 2 patch improves visual and performance issues on Xbox ...
Nov 10, 2017 · A patch has been deployed for Xbox Only to improve visuals and performance on Xbox One X. We were able to test this out and the game definitely looks sharper ...
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Northstar didn't just save Titanfall 2, it completely transformed it
Jan 11, 2022 · Northstar is a mod that enables fans to run their own custom servers in Titanfall 2—bypassing the game's own servers and, in the process, ...<|separator|>
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Titanfall 2 Got Updated in 2023 | Iniquity - YouTube
Aug 25, 2023 · Titanfall 2 Got Updated in 2023 | Iniquity. 204K views · 2 years ago ...more. Iniquity Games. 129K. Subscribe. 11K. Share.Missing: Respawn Windows compatibility