Neverwinter Nights 2 Guide

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
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Click Next
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PlayOnLinux will automatically download it and save it in this directory:
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux-x86
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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
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Note: PlayOnLinux may also install the compatible version of Gecko also.

Installed
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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
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Setup PlayOnLinux

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

Configure Wine

Applications Tab
Windows Version: Windows 7
Click Apply
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Graphics Tab
Check: Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows
Check: Emulate a virtual desktop
Desktop size: 1024x768
Click Ok
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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
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Installing Steam

Click Browse
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Navigate to your desktop
Select: SteamInstall.msi
Click Open
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Click Next

Click Next

Check: I accept the license...
Click Next

Click Next

Click Next

Click Install

Click Finish

Updating Steam
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More updating, extracting and installing
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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
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PlayOnLinux Shortcut

Select Steam.exe
Click Next
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Name your shortcut: NWN2 Steam
Click Next
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Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next
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More PlayOnLinux Configuration

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure
Select Steam virtual drive

General Tab
Arguments: -no-dwrite
This fixes the font problem
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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
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Wine Tab
Click "Windows reboot"
Close Steam because it will automatically launch when Windows reboots and won't execute -no-dwrite.
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Close Configure

Launch Steam

Select Steam and click Run
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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
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Select Existing account or new account
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Login to your Steam account
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Installing Neverwinter Nights 2

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