Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition is coming from Beamdog, Linux support confirmed

The NWN sourcecode does exist last I heard. I'd like them to fix the videos and actually recompile the engine. The sad truth of NWN2 is that they cancelled the Linux port when they chose to make an Xbox port of the game, which was then later cancelled. The engine hasn't had Linux support since then. There won't be a NWN2 Linux release.

The NWN sourcecode does exist last I heard. I'd like them to fix the videos and actually recompile the engine. The sad truth of NWN2 is that they cancelled the Linux port when they chose to make an Xbox port of the game, which was then later cancelled. The engine hasn't had Linux support since then. There won't be a NWN2 Linux release.

Didn't they upgrade the engine for the Baldur's Gate games and Planescape Torment for the EE in order to have Linux support? I guess the original versions were Direct3D only and didn't have an OpenGL renderer? If so, would there be more work to do for a Linux port of NWN2?

I'm really curious about the editor too, otherwise the game ran great on Linux. Though they did have some weirdness with the Bink video player, but once you converted the videos to mpg or other standard video format, it worked well enough.

A bit off topic but do you have more infos on this? I'm currently reinstalling the game and while I've found a hack to play the bik movies, it would be better if I could use a better format. I assume the game would look only for the bik movies, do I simply convert them and it'll play whatever is in the dir as long as the file name without the extension is correct? do I have to "cheat" and rename mpg files to .bik? or is there another hack needed to play the videos in a different format?

Sorry for the late response, does look like others answered with nwmovies (which is good, because I had completely forgotten about that!)

The NWN sourcecode does exist last I heard. I'd like them to fix the videos and actually recompile the engine. The sad truth of NWN2 is that they cancelled the Linux port when they chose to make an Xbox port of the game, which was then later cancelled. The engine hasn't had Linux support since then. There won't be a NWN2 Linux release.

Didn't they upgrade the engine for the Baldur's Gate games and Planescape Torment for the EE in order to have Linux support? I guess the original versions were Direct3D only and didn't have an OpenGL renderer? If so, would there be more work to do for a Linux port of NWN2?

Completely different engine for NWN. Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Planescape were all created with the Infinity Engine. NWN was made with the Aurora Engine, which was also used for The Witcher. It was an updated Aurora engine for NWN2 in which they dropped OpenGL in favor of DirectX. Which didn't make any sense to me at the time, since there was no DirectX in the original engine, so they must have had to re-write a whole lot of it. I also seem to recall that the editor for NWN2 was re-written in .Net, but it could be the original was written in .Net as well.

but it could be the original was written in .Net as well.

No, Borland C++Builder.

but it could be the original was written in .Net as well.

No, Borland C++Builder.

Ah, yeah it's been so long... I just remember that nwedit hadn't gotten any updates in a very long time.

I wonder if they'll be able to get Infinite Dungeons working again. That was kind of fun, though it seems to me that Sword Coast Legends did that same thing, not sure if better or worse.

Someone further up asked for a refresh of the UI. OH PLEASE DON'T! NWN had the BEST UI for this type of game and it irritated me that the second one changed it.

Pie menus are fantastic!

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!

Well, I did preorder NWN:EE, and have access to the "headstart" (beta) version now.

The game does come with the standard Bink files. And there's still no Bink support in the Linux client at all, so movies still don't play. That's a bit disappointing.

Audio mixing is weird/buggy now, too, with NPC voices not heard unless I start pulseaudio. And area background music isn't heard, with or without pulseaudio.

Well, I did preorder NWN:EE, and have access to the "headstart" (beta) version now.

Does this also mean you will soon have a whole new set of data files to test xoreos with?

I've had Neverwinter Nights installed on my system for over a decade. I remember the installation process for Linux was a bit convoluted requiring you to manually copy some files from the CD, but it always ran well. I haven't played the game in years, though. I wonder if it will still run on my current distro? Now I'm curious.

Yep. I followed [some links on GOG](https://www.gog.com/forum/neverwinter_nights_series/guidelinux_install_neverwinter_nights_on_any_linux_distribution) and got it working on Ubuntu 16.04 a few weeks ago.

Is there way to use script without building goddamn DEB package? In my case it produced 5 GB deb file, which is just plainly insane.


Last edited by Kuromi on 23 Nov 2017 at 5:25 pm UTC

Is there way to use script without building goddamn DEB package? In my case it produced 5 GB deb file, which is just plainly insane.

If you're talking about the script from ./play.it, I don't think so: its purpose is specifically to make a deb.

You can try to do a manual installation using the guide on GitHub in the link you gave though the files from Bioware might be unavailable. I just did an installation but I had kept the original files. I can share them if needed, with instructions.

Is there way to use script without building goddamn DEB package? In my case it produced 5 GB deb file, which is just plainly insane.

If you're talking about the script from ./play.it, I don't think so: its purpose is specifically to make a deb.

You can try to do a manual installation using the guide on GitHub in the link you gave though the files from Bioware might be unavailable. I just did an installation but I had kept the original files. I can share them if needed, with instructions.

Hmm, I wonder why the game data packaging team for Debian haven't implemented Neverwinter Nights yet.

So how / where do you pre-order such a thing? Would love to give it a play.

Though to be fair I think this would be my... Nth copy?

1) Original NWN.
2) Diamond Edition NWN
3) 2nd Diamond Edition for a friend.
4) Platinum Edition NWN (through GOG)
5) NWN:EE ?

So okay, 5 copies! And they DO show Infinite Dungeons as a DLC. Any of the original keys work on Steam? Or GoG keys?

Is there way to use script without building goddamn DEB package? In my case it produced 5 GB deb file, which is just plainly insane.

If you're talking about the script from ./play.it, I don't think so: its purpose is specifically to make a deb.

You can try to do a manual installation using the guide on GitHub in the link you gave though the files from Bioware might be unavailable. I just did an installation but I had kept the original files. I can share them if needed, with instructions.

Well, i found another way - "dpkg-deb -xv path/to/packet.deb /path/to/extract"

After that all you need is to fix several paths in start-up "neverwinter-nights" script and...it works :)

I really like build automation, but its sure sad there is no option to produce flat, just directory output.

I seems not gettin sound to work, though, usual Pulse related problem?


Last edited by Kuromi on 24 Nov 2017 at 2:21 pm UTC

Hmm, I wonder why the game data packaging team for Debian haven't implemented Neverwinter Nights yet.

Even if the client files could be packaged (though they're proprietary, I'm not sure what's the Debian policy on this), the data files are quite a bit of a mess to install.

4) Platinum Edition NWN (through GOG)

What's this Platinum edition? I have the Diamond edition on GOG and I don't see a different version on the store. Was it an older version that's been replaced by Diamond?

I seems not gettin sound to work, though, usual Pulse related problem?

I've seen a lot of different installers/patches for the NWN Linux client, some of them being incomplete. I'm not sure what the ./play.it version uses as a base but NWN uses the Miles sound system for audio and maybe the version you have doesn't include the required libs (that might not be in the repositories: libmss). Do you have a "miles" subdir in the game's dir? If so, does the script adds it through LD_LIBRARY_PATH? Also, be sure to delete the old libSDL (in "lib" probably) that might still be included from the Bioware client


Last edited by abelthorne on 23 Nov 2017 at 8:31 pm UTC

Hmm, I wonder why the game data packaging team for Debian haven't implemented Neverwinter Nights yet.

Even if the client files could be packaged (though they're proprietary, I'm not sure what's the Debian policy on this), the data files are quite a bit of a mess to install.

From what I know about it, you have to provide the data files, then it builds up a Debian package. https://packages.debian.org/stretch/game-data-packager

4) Platinum Edition NWN (through GOG)

What's this Platinum edition? I have the Diamond edition on GOG and I don't see a different version on the store. Was it an older version that's been replaced by Diamond?
[/quote]I think you're correct, maybe the original ones I bought were the Platinum Edition. Yup, confirmed: https://www.amazon.com/Neverwinter-Nights-Platinum-PC/dp/B00029QORW?th=1

I think the difference is the Diamond Edition came with Pirates of the Sword Coast and Wyvern Crown of Cormyr. I later had bought those as well to try to encourage Bioware to keep releasing them.

I seems not gettin sound to work, though, usual Pulse related problem?

I've seen a lot of different installers/patches for the NWN Linux client, some of them being incomplete. I'm not sure what the ./play.it version uses as a base but NWN uses the Miles sound system for audio and maybe the version you have doesn't include the required libs (that might not be in the repositories: libmss). Do you have a "miles" subdir in the game's dir? If so, does the script adds it through LD_LIBRARY_PATH? Also, be sure to delete the old libSDL (in "lib" probably) that might still be included from the Bioware client[/quote]
It's been so long, but I think I was the one who wrote up one of the installer documents back on the Ubuntu Forums. Someone else wrote the script, I just wrote how to install it with all the weird things at the time. That's been so many years ago I couldn't begin to tell you the fixes now.

I just wish I could find my old save game so I wouldn't have to start over. But I did pre-order it through Beamdog's site and am downloading the 'Head Start' as well (though I pre-ordered the full digital download copy. Excited for them to bring this back, AND they're working with the community 'leaders' to integrate a bunch of the patches that were never official!)

Well, I did preorder NWN:EE, and have access to the "headstart" (beta) version now.

The game does come with the standard Bink files. And there's still no Bink support in the Linux client at all, so movies still don't play. That's a bit disappointing.

Audio mixing is weird/buggy now, too, with NPC voices not heard unless I start pulseaudio. And area background music isn't heard, with or without pulseaudio.

Ha, a co-worker of mine was irritated that Firefox 57 now requires pulseaudio. I never noticed because I run Gnome-shell anyhow. But I did notice that Firefox 57 on Android was requesting access to record and see pictures! I noped out of that, because why?

Well, at least we know they have been updating some things within the game, it certainly didn't use pulseaudio before.

Edit: Music and sound worked fine for me (running Debian Sid updated to current).


Last edited by slaapliedje on 23 Nov 2017 at 9:27 pm UTC

I think you're correct, maybe the original ones I bought were the Platinum Edition. Yup, confirmed: https://www.amazon.com/Neverwinter-Nights-Platinum-PC/dp/B00029QORW?th=1

I think the difference is the Diamond Edition came with Pirates of the Sword Coast and Wyvern Crown of Cormyr. I later had bought those as well to try to encourage Bioware to keep releasing them.

Not sure what the Platinum edition included, probably just the main game and its two expansions (Shadows of Undrentide & Hordes of the Underdark), or maybe just the first one judging by the description on Amazon? The Diamond edition I have on GOG has, as well as the expansions, the premium modules Kingmaker, ShadowGuard & Witch's Wake. The other modules (Infinite Dungeons, Pirates of the Sword Coast & Wyvern Crown of Cormyr) are not included.

Not sure what the EE will include, as the article only mentions the last three premium modules: the whole bunch (game + 2 expansions + 6 premium modules)?


Last edited by abelthorne on 23 Nov 2017 at 9:16 pm UTC

I think you're correct, maybe the original ones I bought were the Platinum Edition. Yup, confirmed: https://www.amazon.com/Neverwinter-Nights-Platinum-PC/dp/B00029QORW?th=1

I think the difference is the Diamond Edition came with Pirates of the Sword Coast and Wyvern Crown of Cormyr. I later had bought those as well to try to encourage Bioware to keep releasing them.

Not sure what the Platinum edition included, probably just the main game and its two expansions (Shadows of Undrentide & Hordes of the Underdark), or maybe just the first one judging by the description on Amazon? The Diamond edition I have on GOG has, as well as the expansions, the premium modules Kingmaker, ShadowGuard & Witch's Wake. The other modules (Infinite Dungeons, Pirates of the Sword Coast & Wyvern Crown of Cormyr) are not included.

Not sure what the EE will include, as the article only mentions the last three premium modules: the whole bunch (game + 2 expansions + 6 premium modules)?

Yeah, Platinum had the first two. Then the Diamond included the premium modules. Infinite Dungeons was the 'nethack' of Neverwinter Nights and the other two modules I think they ended up releasing for free? Or all three were like 5 dollars originally, but the other premium modules were more. I can't remember...

The 39.99 Digital Deluxe version (that I bought just now) contains the other Premium modules as well.

Under Premium Modules it lists:
Kingmaker
ShadowGuard
Witch's Wake

Under Other Modules
Contest Of Champions 0492
Kingmaker
ShadowGuard
Witch's Wake
The Dark Ranger's Treasure
The Winds of Eremor
To Heir is Human.

And of course the three campaigns;
Neverwinter Nights
Shadows of Undertide
Hordes of the Underdark

I don't see Infinite Dungeons, and if I recall it was the only one that did some sort of 'call out' to their servers for some reason. The others, as long as you had the key, would work forever. Infinite Dungeons lost support at some point and stopped working.

Edit: Okay, depended on how you bought them. If you bought them with one of the editions that included them off the disk (as I did) then it had no authentication requirements. Infinite Dungeons was the only premium module that never had a boxed version.


Last edited by slaapliedje on 23 Nov 2017 at 9:40 pm UTC

Edit: Okay, depended on how you bought them. If you bought them with one of the editions that included them off the disk (as I did) then it had no authentication requirements. Infinite Dungeons was the only premium module that never had a boxed version.

Not sure how they were released but from what I've gathered when installing the game on Linux, the premium modules need to be authenticated and the process generates a .dat file (a keyfile, basically). I guess the versions sold on CD included the .dats so that it didn't need to connect to the servers. The GOG version includes these .dats so that the modules can be played.

The authentication servers are down but there's a (unofficial) software that can generate .dats for the modules using the orginial NWN serial, so it's still possible to play the non-CD versions. Not sure if I can put a link here, as it's pretty much a grey area?


Last edited by abelthorne on 23 Nov 2017 at 10:16 pm UTC

Back in the day I hacked in BINK support by hacking libSDL. I made it so you preload a custom SDL that forces the bink commandline player into fullscreen mode and deletes the cursor. Combined with nwmovies it does the job. Native Bink playback.