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Neverwinter Nights 2 Guide

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Oct 13, 2013.

  • by booman, Oct 13, 2013 at 4:31 AM
  • booman

    booman Grand High Exalted Mystic Emperor of Linux Gaming Staff Member

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    If you have played any RPG that follows the Lore of Dungeons and Dragons, you already know what to expect from it. Neverwinter Nights is another D&D Role Playing Game with team tactics and individual control for each character in your team.

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    The graphical engine has been highly upgraded since the first Neverwinter Nights and so has all of the game capabilities. A lot functionality from the original still exist, but Neverwinter Nights 2 is even more immersive.

    Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Neverwinter Nights 2 in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

    Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Neverwinter Nights 2. Other versions may require additional steps.

    Tips & Specs

    Try SteamPlay before using this guide as Valve now uses a fork of Wine called Proton and should run most Windows games.


    To learn more about PlayOnLinux and Wine configuration, see the online manual: PlayOnLinux Explained

    Mint 14 32-bit
    PlayOnLinux: 4.2.1
    Wine: 1.7.1 (1.7.40 successfully tested)

    Installing Wine

    Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive. Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

    Click Tools
    Select "Manage Wine Versions"

    Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.1
    Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-staging

    Select it
    Click the arrow pointing to the right
    wine01.png

    Click Next
    wine02.png


    PlayOnLinux will automatically download it and save it in this directory:
    /home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux-x86
    wine03.png

    Note: username is where you put your login name

    Its a good idea to backup this directory to another computer because you won't have to keep downloading wine versions when you need them.

    Extracting
    wine04.png

    Note: PlayOnLinux may also install the compatible version of Gecko also.

    Installed
    wine05.png

    Wine 1.7.1 is installed and you can close this window

    Downloading Steam

    Go To: http://www.steampowered.com
    Click Install Steam
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    Do not click "Install Steam Now"
    It will automatically install Linux Steam. Since Neverwinter Nights 2 isn't made for Linux, we will download the Windows Steam instead.
    click "Windows" under the green button
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    Navigate to your desktop
    Click Save
    nwntwo03.png

    Setup PlayOnLinux

    Launch PlayOnLinux
    Click Install
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    Click "install a non-listed program"
    nwntwo05.png

    Click Next

    Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
    Click Next
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    Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive. Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

    Name you virtual drive: nwn2
    No spaces
    Click Next
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    Select all three options:
    • Use another version of Wine
    • Configure Wine
    • Install some libraries
    Click Next
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    Select Wine 1.7.1 or 1.7.40
    Click Next
    nwntwo10.png

    Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive.
    Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

    Configure Wine

    Applications Tab
    Windows Version: Windows 7
    Click Apply
    nwntwo11.png

    Graphics Tab
    Check: Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows
    Check: Emulate a virtual desktop
    Desktop size: 1024x768
    Click Ok
    nwntwo12.png

    Install Libraries

    Check the following libraries:
    • POL_Install_corefonts
    • POL_Install_d3dx9
    • POL_Install_d3dx10
    • POL_Install_devenum
    • POL_Install_dxdiag
    • POL_Install_registeredfonts
    • POL_Install_tahoma
    • POL_Install_vcrun2005
    • POL_Install_vcrun2008
    • POL_Install_vcrun2010
    Click Next
    nwntwo13.png

    Installing Steam

    Click Browse
    nwntwo15.png

    Navigate to your desktop
    Select: SteamInstall.msi
    Click Open
    nwntwo16.png

    Click Next

    Click Next

    Check: I accept the license...
    Click Next

    Click Next

    Click Next

    Click Install

    Click Finish

    Updating Steam
    nwntwo24.png

    More updating, extracting and installing
    nwntwo26.png

    When Steam is done installing the login screen will pop up. You probably won't see any text because there is a font bug.
    Click the "X" to close Steam login
    nwntwo29.png

    PlayOnLinux Shortcut

    Select Steam.exe
    Click Next
    nwntwo31.png

    Name your shortcut: NWN2 Steam
    Click Next
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    Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
    Click Next
    nwntwo33.png

    More PlayOnLinux Configuration

    Back to PlayOnLinux
    Click Configure
    Select Steam virtual drive

    General Tab
    Arguments: -no-dwrite
    This fixes the font problem
    nwntwo34.png

    Note: -no-dwrite only works if you launch Steam from PlayOnLinux. Steam is automatically set to launch when Windows starts, which means if you do a "Windows Reboot" from the Wine tab -no-dwrite won't execute. Just close Steam and try again.

    Display Tab
    Direct Draw Renderer: opengl
    Video Memory Size: size of memory on your video card
    Offscreen rendering mode: fbo
    nwntwo35.png

    Wine Tab
    Click "Windows reboot"
    Close Steam because it will automatically launch when Windows reboots and won't execute -no-dwrite.
    nwntwo36.png

    Close Configure

    Launch Steam

    Select Steam and click Run
    nwntwo38.png

    Error
    You may get an error after clicking the Steam icon
    "Couldn't load a PNG image - file is corrupted or not enough memory.
    Click OK
    nwntwo37.png

    Select Existing account or new account
    nwntwo40.png

    Login to your Steam account
    nwntwo41.png

    Installing Neverwinter Nights 2

    With Steam its as simple as following the steps and letting it download.
    Click Install
    nwntwo42.png

    Click Next

    Click Next

    Click Finish

    Neverwinter Nights 2 is a 11 Gig game so it may take a few hours depending on your internet speed.

    Launching Neverwinter Nights 2

    Click Play
    nwntwo47.png

    The game will automatically start installing Microsoft .NET Framework and Direct X
    Since we already installed them with PlayOnLinux it should continue to the game

    Optimizing Neverwinter Nights 2

    Click Options
    nwntwo50.png

    Click Graphics Tab

    • Screen Resolution
    • Antialiasing Mode
    • Texture Quality
    • Shadow Options
    • Quality Options
    All of these setting can improve or degrade your frame rates.
    Since you are running Wine in a virtual desktop, increasing the resolution will automatically increase the size of your virtual desktop.
    I was able to run Neverwinter Nights 2 at 1680x1050

    The other settings are basically low to high.
    Lower settings = higher frame rates, lower graphical detail/quality
    Higher settings = lower frame rates, higher graphical detail/quality

    Start on low or medium (depending on your graphics chip) and slowly increase after playing a bit.
    Laptops usually have lower performing graphic chips while desktops can have video cards with higher capabilities.

    Conclusion:
    If you are a fan of team RPG's, this is definitely your game! There are actually so many options, upgrades and leveling up that you will spend a lot of time micro-managing all of your characters.
    I found it difficult to follow the quests, but there is a decent amount of dialog and story.
    The controls are very flexible. You can choose between typcial point-n-click RPG, 3rd Person (over the shoulder) control or even a Gods-view strategy-like control.

    Screenshots:
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    Last edited: Dec 12, 2019
    graywolf.theheathen likes this.

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Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Oct 13, 2013.

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