REQUIREMENTS
- An Intel Mac with OS 10.5, 10.6 or 10.7
- Neverwinter Nights 2 (basic), Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir's original cd keys.
- Some files you're going to install during the installation process. It is all explained below.
KNOW GENERAL ISSUES
Since there is no Toolset version for Mac, you won't be able to use the Toolset, not whit the first installation method, nor with the second.
INSTALLING NWN2 ON A MAC
There are two ways to get Nwn2 working on a Mac and play on BG:TSCC server.
I suggest to read both the solutions to find out what's the option that is going to fit better your pc.
Anyway, I suggest to consider the second option (installing Nwn2 with Wineskin) as the main option.
Reading this guide you will know why.
FIRST OPTION: NATIVE INSTALL
INSTALLATIONFirst option will require a Nwn2 for Mac Dvd. You can install normally as a Mac application.
After doing this, you will need to update Nwn2 to Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir expansions. They were not published in Mac version by Atari and won't be ever published.
So you must pick up expansion's files from somewhere else, even if you won't ever be able to play the campaign (you are going to download the files, not the campaign modules). Notice that you'll need valid cd keys anyway: picking up just expansions' files does't mean you can steal them: to play on online servers, you will just need valid cd keys; otherwise Nwn2 won't allow you to play online, And this does not depends on BGTSCC.
To download the files (approximately around 2 GB), get here: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1smV4 ... WJ2S3JYMDA
Please notice that the file is really big and google's antivirus won't scan it. Download it anyway, since I can assure that it's free from any kind of viruses or malwares.
Then, please follow the following steps:
1) Get in your application folder, than Neverwinter Nights 2 folder, then "Data" folder. Please notice that this "Data" folder contains another folder named "Data" too. You must not open this for the moment, simply open the first "Data" folder (which contains other folders named, for example, "Ambient", "Movies", "effects"…).
2) Open the folder that you just downloaded that contains the files you need to update the game, and drag and drop the following folders from the downloaded folder to the original "Data" folder: Ambient_X1, Ambient_X2, Music_X1, Music_X2.
3) In the downloaded folder, you will find three folders named UPDATE_Campaign; UPDATE_Data; UPDATE_UI. This means that these folder contains files to update the folders named "Campaing", "Data", "UI" you can find in the original folder. So, open the "UPDATE_Campaign" folder and drag and drop its content to "Campaign" original folder. Than open "UPDATE_Data" folder and drag and drop its content to the original "Data" folder. At last, open "UPDATE_UI" folder and drag and drop its content to the original "Data" folder.
4) In the downloaded folder, you have some other files, named nwn.ini, dialog,tlk, nwn2,ini, nwn2player.ini, nwnpatch.ini, nwnplayer.ini, nwncdkey.ini. Drag and drop them in the original folder, substituting the files of the previous installation you did with cd.
5) Open nwncdkey.ini and write your cd keys there. Notice that you have to copy the "-" too, an example of the full edited file can be:
[CDKEY]
Key1=A0A00-A0A00-A0A00-A0A00-A0A00-A0A00-A0A00
Key2=B1B11-B1B11-B1B11-B1B11-B1B11-B1B11-B1B11
Key3=C2C22-C2C22-C2C22-C2C22-C2C22-C2C22-C2C22
6) You're done.
Remember to put all files in the right folder; and to modify the nwncdkey.ini file writing your cd keys in it.
PATCHING THE GAME
After this (and only after this), download Aspyr's 1.23 patch from here: http://support.aspyr.com/entries/207020 ... v1-23-1765. You will need this to play, so it's really necessary to install it. Don't try to install it before installing Storm of Zehir expansion. It won't work.
After this, start the game and play.
Notice that you'll always need the Nwn2 for Mac cd to play the game.
CURRENT ISSUES
If the game won't load (meaning that it will crash after few seconds), this means that you will need to erase the file named "scripts_X2" in the Data folder.
Notice that I'm trying to resolve this issue, but since i cannot contact some old Nwn2 players, i think we won't ever be able to play with scripts_X2 file.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: You won't have to install third part applications, it's just Nwn2 and your Mac, you will be able to get window view as you wish.
Cons: There are some missing textures on character's hoods; some areas won't load giving you a crash (Nwn2 will close, due to scripts_X2 file missing); you cannot play Mask of the Betrayer or Storm of Zehir campaingns; the gameplay experience is not so good as the Wineskin method (that's the second option); you cannot use Skywings Client Extension (that's a useful tool to play online), no Toolset (even the second option cannot run it), you must play with the cd always in the drive.
Anyway, you will be able to enjoy the server, but i must advise that you will find something really frustrating (expecially crashes).
SECOND OPTION: WINESKIN
INSTALLATION
The second option is to install Nwn2 (Windows version) on the Mac using Wineskin.
Wineskin is an application developed by doh123 that let you play windows games as you're on a windows platform: the application "wraps" the game, telling him it is running on a windows platform. Again, this does not mean cheating or something like that: you will need the game cds and cd keys.
Since Wineskin emulates a windows platform, the version of the game you'll need is the windows version. Notice that if you already have a Nwn2 Mac version Cd, its cd key will work on windows version too. This mean that if you already have a Mac version of Nwn, you won't have to buy Windows version, just borrow it and use Mac version's cd key. Since Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir expansions are published just for windows platforms, this problem won't exists: you'll just need the expansion cds.
First, download Wineskin Nwn2 Wrapper from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?2img3h1oh8j03. This is the ultimate (and last) version of the wrapper. You will find directions directly in the folder you're going to download. Remember to install the basic game, then both extensions, but do not ever try to update: the updates must be done with the "Updater" application included in the Wineskin package.
PATCHING THE GAME
To patch the game, simply use the "Uploader" app included in the Wineskin package you downloaded.
You must get to the final version, that's 1.23. If it doesn't work, run the game first, then close it, than try again. You can always patch it manually, you will be able to find upadate patches here: http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=nw ... tail&id=19 (you will need to identify your game's version than download the files to reach version 1231765). To install it, just drag and drop the patches, in the right order, on the wrapper as you did to install the game and its expansions.
Notice that this installation method is simpler than the first one, because with Wineskin you're going to install the game normally, as a Windows user.
INSTALLING THE CLIENT EXTENSION (thanks to stevebarracuda)
After installing the game, it's hardly suggested to install Skywings Client Extension. You can find it here: http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=nw ... ail&id=231.
To install it, right click in the wrapper and select "Show package content". Double click on "drive c", then "Program Files", then "Atari", then "Neverwinter Nights 2". Drag "NWLauncher.exe" and "ClientExtension.hdl" files you can find in the Client Extension folder you just downloaded and grad and drop them to the "Neverwinter Nights 2" folder you just opened in the wrapper. Then close all folders. "Show package content" again on the wrapper, double click on the "Wineskin" application (got a red icon with a spiral). Select "Advanced", then, in "Windows EXE" line, replace the existing path with:
/Program Files/Atari/Neverwinter Nights 2/NWLauncher.exe
Click "Done", than "Quit".
If when you're launching the game and you see a Dos window (black and white) appear then closing itself after a few seconds, this means that Skywing's Client Extension is working.
CURRENT ISSUES
- Unsupported video cards are ATI X1600 and ATI X1900, even if there can be some drivers to let them work too (just google for it, i do not own any Mac with those cards).
- Video cards that might have problems are Intel GMA950, GMA X3100, HD3000. Again, maybe there are some new drivers published to let them work better. Google for it.
- The first time you run the wrapper, you will have to wait some minutes for the game to start. The next time, it will work in 2-3 seconds, so, don't worry.
- Sometimes you get the error "No wineserver PID found" when launching the game. To solve it, just open the Mac Activity Monitor and close all activities related to Wineskine (can be called either "wine" and "wineserver").
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Gameplay is better; you won't have any crash or missing texture due to missing files; you can play Mask of the Betrayer or Storm of Zehir campaingns; you can use Skywing's Client Extension, you won't need to have the cd in your drive to play.
Cons: You will have to install third part applications, you must get in windows view by hitting cmd+Alt+A, no Toolset (norn the first option can run it).
Anyway, even if I really don't like to have a lot of applications installed in my Macbook, i can really say that it really worths.
THANKS TO:
I must thank stevebarracuda for helping me kindly each time that i needed, without him this guide could not ever been written, doh123 for the wineskin application and support, Skywing for the Client Extension, Erik Breau for trying to solve the "script_X2" issues, Cyberpaws (and stevebarracuda again) for sharing their files allowing the creation of the file folder for users that are going to use Nwn2 natively on a Mac.
