Beamdog has announced that Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition [Steam, Official Site] will officially release on March 27th and it's coming with day-1 Linux support.
Announced on Twitter, where they also replied to our question to confirm Linux at day-1. We obviously knew it was already coming to Linux, but knowing it's for sure at the same time as other platforms is indeed great news.
It will cost $19.99 at release and they've confirmed it will support English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Polish with more languages to come. They've said it will not be an Early Access title, but development is still ongoing so it's likely to get some bigger updates after release. Also, so far only Steam (and the Beamdog Client obviously) has been mentioned, GOG has not been.
I actually have pre-release access through the Beamdog Client and I can confirm it runs quite nicely, here's two random shots of it running:
One issue I have come across in the Linux client, is the cursor vanishing in the Video Options menu (which I've been told is already fixed in a newer build). There's also some audio issues, like the audio for torches and other items suddenly popping in at max volume at a certain zoom level and then totally vanishing at another—instead of it fading based on camera distance.
Although I haven't yet had an extensive amount of testing time, but it seems smooth in terms of overall performance.
Here's what's going to be updated:
- Improved Display: Your portrait, combat bar, inventory, and other UI elements adjust in size based on your chosen resolution including 1080p and 4k.
- Advanced Graphics Options: Pixel shaders and post-processing effects make for crisper, cleaner visuals. Enable contrast, vibrance, and depth of field options as preferred.
- Community Endorsed: Original developers have teamed with key members of the Neverwinter Nights community to curate important fan-requested improvements to support players, storytellers, and modders.
- Backwards Compatibility: Works with save games, modules, and mods from the original Neverwinter Nights. A galaxy of community created content awaits.
It also includes all content from Neverwinter Nights Diamond Edition.
Will you be grabbing a copy?
Post updated after publishing with issue information.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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throgh 10 Mar 2018
Waiting better for the final release when there is REALLY a note about GNU-Linux. For now only "Windows" and "Mac" are listed. And of course GOG seems not on the list: I don't know what is far more worse ... the false promise of GOG.com to care for GNU-Linux or the way they treat customers on this system?
0 Likes
SadL 10 Mar 2018
Maybe its time for my maniac priest to pick up his greatsword once more..
Last edited by SadL on 10 Mar 2018 at 11:35 am UTC
Last edited by SadL on 10 Mar 2018 at 11:35 am UTC
2 Likes
Ardje 10 Mar 2018
It works fine on the GPD WIN as far as I could configure.
I still need to configure the controls to have any meaning in NWN.
Another thing is that there is no fullscreen (yet), and the gnome F11 refuses to fullscreen it.
The original NWN seems to be able to do fullscreen, but somehow it messes everything up and displays the neverwinternights halfway the screen.
But it still works.
I still need to configure the controls to have any meaning in NWN.
Another thing is that there is no fullscreen (yet), and the gnome F11 refuses to fullscreen it.
The original NWN seems to be able to do fullscreen, but somehow it messes everything up and displays the neverwinternights halfway the screen.
But it still works.
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Mountain Man 10 Mar 2018
In fact, it was BioWare's original intent to sell just the toolset and rely 100% on the community to create the content. They changed this plan at the last minute and threw together the single player campaign because they feared nobody would buy the game otherwise, which is why the campaign is so lackluster
That doesn't sound accurate at all, the original campaign is hardly lackluster, it's huge in scope with a vast array of voice talent and certainly not something just thrown together at the last minute. While waiting for NWN I don't remember at any point when they were going to just release a toolset, from the very beginning they had the campaign in mind and they even wanted it to run on BeOS. If anything was a bit lackluster it was shadows of undrentide, but hordes of the underdark is another massive story like the original campaign. At no point did they fear nobody would buy the game.
I'm pretty certain what I said is accurate. I remember a lot of game journalists at the time questioning whether or not there was really a market for a pure game construction set. Maybe the campaign wasn't a last-minute addition, but it also wasn't the plan to include it when they started development, so it was started relatively late in the development cycle.
Last edited by Mountain Man on 10 Mar 2018 at 3:14 pm UTC
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bolokanar 10 Mar 2018
Sounds like it won't require GOG or Steam, so I'm pretty confident that I will buy this.
And it's NWN… I mean come on.
I fact it is the only title that makes me excited (Due to other games requiring Steam, ofcourse).
And it's NWN… I mean come on.
I fact it is the only title that makes me excited (Due to other games requiring Steam, ofcourse).
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Feist 10 Mar 2018
Wow, these are some pretty neat enhancements. I was just a little concerned that they'd settle for the "bare minimum", where graphical enhancements are concerned. This level of improvement is above & beyond what I hoped for. (although I assume it'll still be some time before the whole game is up to snuff graphically)
Wow, these are some pretty neat enhancements. I was just a little concerned that they'd settle for the "bare minimum", where graphical enhancements are concerned. This level of improvement is above & beyond what I hoped for. (although I assume it'll still be some time before the whole game is up to snuff graphically)
4 Likes
NotSoQT 10 Mar 2018
I really wish we had more games like NWN and NWN2. As today I'm still unable to drag my D&D gang into NWN, but this is surely a stimulus, with or without toolset (it would slow down the things a lot but...).
Also, I found this some years ago and I guess it's pertinent to share now for anyone who cares:
[A reimplementation of BioWare's Aurora engine (and derivatives). Pre-pre-alpha :P](https://github.com/xoreos/xoreos)
Also, I found this some years ago and I guess it's pertinent to share now for anyone who cares:
[A reimplementation of BioWare's Aurora engine (and derivatives). Pre-pre-alpha :P](https://github.com/xoreos/xoreos)
1 Likes
Expalphalog 10 Mar 2018
I missed Neverwinter Nights the first time around. But as a huge fan of both old school isometric CRPGs and 3rd edition D&D, this is a must buy.
0 Likes
scaine 10 Mar 2018
I really wish we had more games like NWN and NWN2. As today I'm still unable to drag my D&D gang into NWN, but this is surely a stimulus, with or without toolset (it would slow down the things a lot but...).
Also, I found this some years ago and I guess it's pertinent to share now for anyone who cares:
A reimplementation of BioWare's Aurora engine (and derivatives). Pre-pre-alpha :P
DrMcCoy frequently posts here about his endevours on Xoreos! Here's a search of GOL for those articles: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/index.php?module=search&q=xoreos, although he does mention that they're mainly crossposts from the changelogs he writes for the project itself.
Last edited by scaine on 10 Mar 2018 at 3:58 pm UTC
1 Likes
Nanobang 10 Mar 2018
Includes 100+ hours of award-winning adventuresand the tools to create your own!
No tools? Ah well, I'll forget all about them sometime before I finish the 100+ hours(!!!!!) of content I will have.
Haters gonna hate, and kvetchers gonna kvetch, but I'll do a dance every time another truly great game makes it to Linux.
1 Likes
m2mg2 10 Mar 2018
I really wish we had more games like NWN and NWN2. As today I'm still unable to drag my D&D gang into NWN, but this is surely a stimulus, with or without toolset (it would slow down the things a lot but...).
Also, I found this some years ago and I guess it's pertinent to share now for anyone who cares:
[A reimplementation of BioWare's Aurora engine (and derivatives). Pre-pre-alpha :P](https://github.com/xoreos/xoreos)
DrMcCoy frequently posts here about his endevours on Xoreos! Here's a search of GOL for those articles: [https://www.gamingonlinux.com/index.php?module=search&q=xoreos](https://www.gamingonlinux.com/index.php?module=search&q=xoreos), although he does mention that they're mainly crossposts from the changelogs he writes for the project itself.
I've been watching Xoreos for a while, and OpenRW. Unfortunately there is no telling if the experience will ever be close to the original. OpenMW is awesome though.
0 Likes
Liam Dawe 10 Mar 2018
Sure it's a shame we wont get the tools, but this sadly happens quite often. I don't think it's a reason to ignore the game though, it has a huge amount of content out of the box and this will likely get boosted by the updated release.
1 Likes
Can't remember exactly where I read(there forums maybe) it but they were interested in remaking the tools, because even on Windows the toolset has weird issues and is laggy. Having said that though, they wouldn't promise anything as recreating the editor from scratch is alot of work.
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Avehicle7887 10 Mar 2018
Liam (or anyone) can you please check if this game comes with a 32 or 64bit client?
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Stupendous Man 10 Mar 2018
Where did you see this? I haven't seen any indication that the graphics are this enhanced, everything they've shown till date have been very modest enhancements, and barely perceptible in screen shots.
Wow, these are some pretty neat enhancements. I was just a little concerned that they'd settle for the "bare minimum", where graphical enhancements are concerned. This level of improvement is above & beyond what I hoped for. (although I assume it'll still be some time before the whole game is up to snuff graphically)
I'll probably buy the game anyway though as I played it a lot back when it came out (I still have the CDs), and it's a pain getting it to work on Linux these days. The original campaign was very boring, but the expansion packs were great.
EDIT: found the video [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTaG5OaXltQ), however it sounds like the new graphics are merely an experiment and not what will be in the release.
Last edited by Stupendous Man on 10 Mar 2018 at 6:53 pm UTC
0 Likes
bolokanar 10 Mar 2018
Liam (or anyone) can you please check of this game comes with a 32 or 64bit client?I'm more concerned if the game will be 64bit. Didn't think if this one.
But the original is 32 and 64 so I suppose it's a given.
The client if you mean Beamdog's client is 64bit. http://client.beamdog.com/releases/stable
Last edited by bolokanar on 10 Mar 2018 at 7:54 pm UTC
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buenaventura 10 Mar 2018
Wow I love this, I will probably buy on first sale though, just bought Day of Infamy (which I am also totally hooked on) for full price to support linux their work.
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Liam Dawe 10 Mar 2018
The Linux client for the actual game is 64bit from what I understand, going by their patch notes from 5th March where they said this:Liam (or anyone) can you please check if this game comes with a 32 or 64bit client?I'm more concerned if the game will be 64bit. Didn't think if this one.
But the original is 32 and 64 so I suppose it's a given.
The client if you mean Beamdog's client is 64bit. http://client.beamdog.com/releases/stable
We now compile the Linux binaries with 64-bit-only filesystem API support (so that nwserver runs properly inside docker-on-mac/windows).Although it's a little confusing, as the beamdog launcher doesn't seem to have traditional executables for the game. The files in the "bin" directory aren't normal executables (since they go through the launcher) and they're 32bit.
I will reach out to beamdog for an official proper answer.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 10 Mar 2018 at 7:53 pm UTC
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DrMcCoy 10 Mar 2018
We now compile the Linux binaries with 64-bit-only filesystem API support (so that nwserver runs properly inside docker-on-mac/windows).
No, that just means that filesystem operations report 64-bit offsets, sizes and inodes, so that you can run the binaries on large partitions. You might have heard about the problem, that certain 32-bit games fail/crash on large (often XFS) partitions. That's what they fix with that.
From what they said, true 64-bit support is planned, but it'll take a while. The game depends on a lot of 32-bit pointers.
From my xoreos work, I can confirm that: their usual method of reading several files, like for example models, is to just read the whole file into a block of memory, and then operate on that memory as a C struct. The files on the hard disk even have reserved space in them, because after reading the block into memory, the game will put pointers to other structures there. Things like that. I can imagine it'll be very annoying to work around that without completely rewriting half of the plumbing.
The only issue I have come across so far in the Linux client, is the cursor vanishing in the Video Options menu (which I've been told is already fixed in a newer build)
Huh. Can you confirm to me that you have area background music and sounds on Linux in NWN:EE? Because I don't. In fact I have several audio related issues:
[https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/33701#note-3](https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/33701#note-3)
[https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/35851](https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/35851)
Others reported those as well:
[https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/34454](https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/34454)
[https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/35527](https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/35527)
[https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/34564](https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/34564)
1 Likes
Viktualius 10 Mar 2018
Ouhh.. it's indeed a shame, that the linux-version will be without toolset. I absolutely loved the game back in the days... but without the toolset I will wait for a sale, I think. Would have been an instabuy otherwise...
0 Likes
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