Saturday, November 19, 2011

Getting NWN2 expansions working on Mac

Note: A followup blog post about installing NWN2 using Wineskin is here.

One of the irritating things about being a Macintosh user is that the games I am interested in playing usually have little or no Macintosh support, so I have to run Windows in emulation to satisfy the gaming urge. Of course for years Apple has allowed Bootcamp to be used to launch Windows natively on Intel Macs and even before that there were fairly decent Windows emulators for fast PowerPC Macs. Recently some game companies have begun shipping Windows+Mac versions, which are really Windows versions wrapped with an open source product so that they run on a Mac without the need to have Windows installed. These work ok if you don't mind waiting until a +1 patch to fix incompatibility issues that crop up. Where possible I try to play the native Mac versions of games, but I always buy the Windows versions as well since I figure they are likely to have better support and greater longevity.

The original NWN2 is available in a native Mac version published by Aspyr which runs well on Mac OS X. They did release a Mac NWN2 1.23 (1765) patch which is compatible with the Windows 1.23 patch with the exception that the DVD protection requiring the disk to be installed while playing was not removed. Mac NWN2 can also be purchased from the Mac App Store and that version does not require a CD to play. Unfortunately no NWN2 Mac version includes the NWN2 Toolset, which means that you need the Windows version to build mods and the small number of mods that require Toolset use will not work on Mac.

The expansions - Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir, and the Adventure Pack "Mysteries of Westgate" - were only released for Windows though. They are Mac compatible but not directly installable.

There are a few options for getting the Windows versions of the expansions to install on Mac. I've only had success with one way though, so that is what I have documented (here and elsewhere). This way requires that you have Bootcamp running with Windows XP (or 7 though the file locations might be different), and have the Windows version of NWN2 installed on that Windows partition, as well as having the Mac version of NWN2 (from CD or Mac App Store) installed on your Mac OS X partition. Basically you install the Windows versions on the Windows partitions and then copy the files from the Windows partition to the Mac OS X partition. I've done this several times with MotB, SoZ, and MoW and encountered no issues.


Instructions for getting the Neverwinter Nights 2 expansions (MotB and SoZ) and the Adventure Pack MoW to work on Mac (CD or Mac App Store installation):
Last updated by Brendan Bellina aka Kaldor Silverwand Nov 24, 2011

Any use of these instructions is at the user's risk.

Original threads:
<http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=722567&forum=139>
<http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=708158&forum=139&sp=15>
<http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=708158&forum=139&sp=60>

Installation of MotB and/or SoZ:

Requires:

Mac installation of:
- Standard Mac NWN2 OC installation from Disk with 1.23 patch
or
- NWN2 Installation from Mac App Store

- Windows installation (Bootcamp or VM) of MotB and/or SoZ accessible from Mac OS X

Using a Steam Windows install as the source:
When using a Windows Steam install as the source (rather than an install from original game disks) the source folders are named differently:
References to "C:\Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Night 2\Campaigns\Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign\" and its subfolders would on Steam be folder "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\neverwinter nights 2\Campaigns\Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign\" and its subfolders.
The Modules folder for Steam is "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\neverwinter nights 2\Modules".

Using the Mac App Store version as the target:
This works when using the Mac App Store as a target but the folders are named differently than they would be if applying to a version installed from originals disks:
References to the Applications/Neverwinter Nights/ folder and its subfolders would for the Mac App Store version be Neverwinter Nights.app/Contents/ which can be accessed by right (or control) clicking the Neverwinter Nights 2.app icon and selecting Show Package Contents from the context menu.
References to the Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/ folder and its subfolders would for the Mac App Store version be Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Neverwinter Nights 2/. If the Library folder is hidden (by default on Lion) then the easiest way to navigate to this folder is to launch the Terminal.app utility and type the command "open Library" (without the quotes) which will open a Finder window.

Important Note:
Unless you install the Mac App Store version the NWN2 OC CD will still be required to be in the drive in order to play, even though it is not required when playing on Windows.




(MotB and SoZ instructions adapted from Rhistin's instructions)

Step one: don't get lost with the two Data folders
The Mac-side, holds a (first) Data folder, containing a (second) Data folder. For clarity, I keep on adding (first) and (second) throughout these instructions.

Step two: File copying from the PC-side to the Mac-side.

Copy both Ambient_X1 and Ambient_X2 folders to the (first) Data Folder.
Copy both Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign_X1 and Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign_X1 folders to the Campaigns folder in the (first) Data folder.
Copy the following from/to the (second) Data folder:
- 2DA_X1.zip
- 2DA_X2.zip
- Actors_v103x1.zip
- Actors_X1.zip
- Actors_X2.zip
- AnimTags_X1.zip
- AnimTags_X2.zip
- Convo_X1.zip
- Ini_X1.zip
- lod-merged_X1_v121.zip
- lod-merged_X1.zip
- lod-merged_X2_v121.zip
- lod-merged_X2.zip
- Music_X1.zip
- Music_X2.zip
- NWN2_Materials_v103x1.zip
- NWN2_Materials_X1_v113.zip
- NWN2_Materials_X1_v121.zip
- NWN2_Materials_X1.zip
- NWN2_Materials_X2.zip
- NWN2_Models_v103x1.zip
- NWN2_Models_X1_v121.zip
- NWN2_Models_X1.zip
- NWN2_Models_X2_v121.zip
- NWN2_Models_X2.zip
- NWN2_VFX_X1.zip
- NWN2_VFX_X2.zip
- Prefabs_X1.zip
- Prefabs_X2.zip
- scripts_X1.zip
- scripts_X2.zip
- Sounds_X1.zip
- Sounds_X2.zip
- SoundSets_X1.zip
- SoundSets_X2.zip
- SpeedTree_X1.zip
- SpeedTree_X2.zip
- Templates_X1_v122.zip
- Templates_X1.zip
- Templates_X2.zip
- VO_103x1.zip
- VO_X1.zip
- VO_X2.zip
- walkmesh_X1.zip

Copy the following from/to the Modules folder:
- A_X1.mod
- B_X1.mod
- C_X1.mod
- D_X1.mod
- E_X1.mod
- F_X2.mod
- G_X2.mod
- M_X2.mod
- N_X2.mod
- O_X2.mod
- S_X2.mod
- T_X2.mod
- X_X2.mod
- Z_X1.mod

Copy the complete content of/to the Movies folder

Copy both Music_X1 and Music_X2 folders to the (first) Data Folder.

Note: TheRealCraze on the Bioware boards posted that he found that the Mac App Store version of NWN2 is not looking in the Music_X1 and Music_X2 folders for the music related to the expansions. So if you want to hear the MotB and SoZ expansion music with the Mac App Store version of the game you have to copy the content of the Music_X1 and Music_X2 folders into the Music folder. 

 Copy the UI folder from/to the UI folder in the (first) Data folder (replacing duplicates).
Copy the dialog.TLK file from PC to Mac side, replacing the old one.

Copy folders from Windows Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\ into Mac Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/:
- portraits
- Documentation

Copy files from Windows Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\ Localvault\ into Mac Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/Localvault/:
- All ".bic" files

Step three: Updating registration keys

Open in TextEdit the file Windows Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\nwncdkey.ini and copy the lines starting with "Key2=" and "Key3=" to the clipboard.
Append those lines to the file in Mac Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/nwncdkey.ini (if you installed NWN2 from the Mac App Store this would instead be the file Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Neverwinter Nights 2/nwncdkey.ini).
-----------------


Installing Mysteries of Westgate on the Mac:

Requires:
- Standard Mac NWN2 OC installation from Disk with 1.23 patch <http://support.aspyr.com/index.php/kb/article/000602>
or
- NWN2 Installation from Mac App Store

- Windows installation (Bootcamp or VM) of MoW accessible from Mac OS X

Using a Steam Windows install as the source:
When using a Windows Steam install as the source (rather than an install from original game disks) the source folders are named differently:
References to "C:\Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Night 2\Campaigns\Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign\" and its subfolders would on Steam be folder "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\neverwinter nights 2\Campaigns\Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign\" and its subfolders.
The Modules folder for Steam is "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\neverwinter nights 2\Modules".

Using the Mac App Store version as the target:
This works when using the Mac App Store as a target but the folders are named differently than they would be if applying to a version installed from originals disks:
References to the Applications/Neverwinter Nights/ folder and its subfolders would for the Mac App Store version be Neverwinter Nights.app/Contents/ which can be accessed by right (or control) clicking the Neverwinter Nights 2.app icon and selecting Show Package Contents from the context menu.
References to the Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/ folder and its subfolders would for the Mac App Store version be Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Neverwinter Nights 2/. If the Library folder is hidden (by default on Lion) then the easiest way to navigate to this folder is to launch the Terminal.app utility and type the command "open Library" (without the quotes).


Copy folder Windows "Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\AdventurePacks"
to Mac "Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/"

Copy folder Windows "Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\hak"
to Mac "Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/"

Copy from folder Windows "Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\Movies\" files:
Westgate_Credits.bik
Westgate_Intro.bik
to Mac "Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/Movies/"

Copy from folder Windows "Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\" files:
westgate.key
westgate.tlk
to Mac "Applications/Neverwinter Nights 2/Data/"

Copy folder Windows "Documents and Settings\[username]\My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\Campaigns\Westgate_Campaign"
to Mac "Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/Campaigns/"

Copy from folder Windows "Documents and Settings\[username]\My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\modules\" files:
Westgate_AR1500,mod
Westgate_AR1600.mod
Westgate_AR1700.mod
Westgate_AR1800.mod
to Mac "Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/modules/"

Copy from folder Windows "Documents and Settings\[username]\My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\music\" files:
mus_wg_arena_night.bmu
mus_wg_arena.bmu
mus_wg_bat_endbattle.bmu
mus_wg_bat_nightmasks.bmu
mus_wg_catacombs.bmu
mus_wg_evilending.bmu
mus_wg_evilendloop.bmu
mus_wg_garden.bmu
mus_wg_goodending.bmu
mus_wg_goodendloop.bmu
mus_wg_harbor_night.bmu
mus_wg_harbor.bmu
mus_wg_intro.bmu
mus_wg_kajeels.bmu
mus_wg_market.bmu
mus_wg_maskvision.bmu
mus_wg_ruins.bmu
mus_wg_tavern1.bmu
mus_wg_tavern2.bmu
mus_wg_temple.bmu
mus_wg_undergate.bmu
to Mac "Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/music/"

Copy from folder Windows "Documents and Settings\[username]\My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\" files:
westgate.ini
to Mac "Users/[username]/Documents/Aspyr/Neverwinter Nights 2/"

-----------------


Hopefully the above instructions will be useful.

16 comments:

  1. I'm thankful to have found something that seems to work, as I have both the steam version of Neverwinter Nights 2 Platinum and the App Store version for the Mac. I've been following the directions to transfer MotB and SoZ to the Mac version, and I've been able to find everything except the "portraits" folder you mentioned. Could it possibly be in a different location?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It may be that the portraits folder is created by the game as you add characters to your party. The files that are in mine (ico_dove, ico_gann, ico_Kaji, ico_okku, ico_okku1, ico_Rammaq, ico_safiya, ico_wyvern) are also in my folder Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\neverwinter nights 2\UI\default\images\icons_x1. So it is likely that the game plays fine without the portraits folder, although if you wanted to create your own custom portraits you would probably need to create the folder.

    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi. I have the Mac version of NWN2 and been trying to install MoW without success. Since I don't have access to the Win version of NWN2, if I try to install the expansion with Crossover, the installer doesn't recognize the already installed game, if I try to copy the files via the exe file, there are always two files missing, the westgate.ini and westgate.key. Any thoughts of how I could solve this?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid the only advice I have would be to buy the Windows versions. I haven't tried to install MoW any other way. Also MoW has an online activation that has to be done, and I'm not sure it works on the Mac. I've only done it on Windows and then copied things over afterward to the Mac OS.

      Delete
  4. I've been playing MotB successfully using these instructions, but now I'm in the Death God's Vault and all my characters are invisible and, more importantly, there's no exit available. I suspect that it's a problem with the door graphic as there's the empty doorway, but no door and no exit symbol shows up. I've double-checked the instructions and I've transferred all of the listed files from my VM. Any ideas as to how I can fix this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like an incompatibility with your video card. I had a similar problem with a couple of the later areas in the game. I suggest you post this in the NWN2 MotB Forums at social.bioware.com and someone may be able to post a script you can run to advance past that spot in the game.

      I don't have any other ideas to fix it.

      Delete
    2. I could understand a video card issue, although my iMac is a late 2009 model, so it's not too much in advance of those in use when the game was published, but why now and not earlier? I went back in and confirmed that no doors are visible at all on the 1st level of the Vault. And neither are the enemies. Very odd.
      I'll follow your suggestion although I was thinking earlier that I'd somehow missed copying over some files specific to the Vault that aren't used earlier in the game.

      Delete
  5. When I tried it, I had some problems with some Icons, which appeared as a Red/Yellow/Blue/Green image with 2D MISSING on it.

    I isolated the problem in the UI/ Folder, it looked like it wasn't finding anything in the images/***_x1 and images/***_x2 folders. Looking at it, the mac version had several *.dds, *.tai and *.att files.

    The *tai files semmed to be references to the *dds and the *att file, to the *tga themselves

    these files are not present on the PC version. Deleting (moving) them seems to have fixed the problem. Anyone experienced something similar? Will it cause problems on the long run?

    I'll leave this here in case it's useful to anyone else, and I'll keep you posted as to how it works

    Thanks for your work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmmm... no prize.

      The AI doesn't work, neither companion nor enemy AI, they just stand there and take it. I don't think this is related to my UI issues, so don't know what I can do.

      The beginning of SoZ doesn't work either, the "passanger manifest" screen won't work. Than *could* be my fault :P

      Delete
    2. You'll need to provide some more information. What Mac version are you using - the App Store or the discs? Have you applied the Aspyr patch? What versions of NWN2 are you trying to install - just the OC, MotB, SoZ, MoW? Are you copying the files from the disc version of NWN2 or the Steam version?

      Usually AI probably are caused by having something in the override folder that is causing problems. Make sure you have nothing in your override folder until you have things working. Then add things one at a time and test for compatibility.

      Delete
  6. For whomever this may help: You may need to replace the underscores in the folder names for the expansion folders to spaces.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey there. So, I am having some issues with NWN2 and I am hoping you can help me out. In MotB and Storm of Zehir, some of the PVP and companion character triggers don't seem to work. Sometimes, Safiya doesn't follow me in the Barrow, during the first fight with Okku, while the cutscene does happen, it doesn't appear like it does in the Let's Plays I've seen. Additionally, hostiles don't appear to approach my PC either.

    In Storm of Zehir, I cannot select any characters in the manifest or add them to the party. What's up with that?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Also, I don't know if this is relevant but, in this area, some things don't render (like open rooms/doors and my PC).

    http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk154/JessicaSideways/Capturedrsquoe3010cran2013-11-14a3000224606.png

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jessica,

    Sorry you are having issues getting it to work on your Mac. I haven't seen these issues, but it is possible that the video drivers for the Mac are causing a problem, at least regarding the display of the doors. I have seen other video related problems with some MotB areas that display fine when using Bootcamp.

    The manifest problem doesn't sound like a video issue though unless the UI isn't appearing properly. I assume you have nothing in your override folder that could be causing a conflict?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brendan,

      Thanks for your swift response. I don't think I have an override folder. I made a video to show my other NWN2 problem, with the PVP issues:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkKVs-96Zls

      Delete
  10. So yeah, I've been working with the NWN2 Bioware forums and I keep capturing my tests on video. Here's the playlist of attempts I've made. :)

    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlXGY-4sdwWwbDP6_jhSEwXgXzN3DHszJ

    ReplyDelete