Running NWN2 on mac El Captain

[Rawel]

Hello,
I'm trying to get NWN2 running on an older mac (2009) with 512 mb video ram. It's running El Captain. I've tried the porting kit and winetricks, editted the regfiles as recommended in a couple places but I can't seem to be able to actually get NWN2 to work properly. NWN2 is the complete version from GOG.

I get the game running just fine and everything seems great, until the first (Actually second I think) cutscene plays in the tutorial. At that point the game freezes and so does the whole system. I can alt tab to black screen and that's it. I can't log in to the mac remotely so I end up having to do a hard reset.
I also checked the logs from wine which seem to point to some issues with HID sending too many actions.

If anyone has any ideas I would be very grateful. My next attempt on sunday will be uninstalling all wine/portingkit/etc., reinstalling and changing the engine in the wine wrapper.
Rawel

[Invoker]

Personally, I have never done anything on a Mac, so I can't really help...but we DO have a few long-timers using it.

Take a look at this thread, for instance:

viewtopic.php?f=136&t=63802&hilit=Mac

If it doesn't help you find a way to run the game on a Mac (and it seems pretty specific, so probably it won't), you might want to talk to Steve directly.

[Rawel]

Thank you for that link, though I've already searched the forums (as thoroughly as I knew how) and there doesn't quite seem to be anyone with this type of problem. I have also done my best to follow a few different how-to's, but none seem to work. My latest exploration seems to hint that the problem may be with a recent version of the wine engine since the HID problem seems to be a recent bug/issue that shows up in cases other than just NWN2.

I did notice that Steve seemed to be the person to talk to but figured posting a thread would be good if only to close it with some recommendation if we do manage to solve it.

[Steve]

I'll help!

For starters, what is the engine version and Wine version?

[Rawel]

Hello Steve,
so to make it a little easier, I got rid of portingkit, wineskin and winery. I reinstalled the latest WineStable 3.0.2 using the pkg version. I also added specific things for nwn2 native devenum and dxdiagn and the three keys in hkcu\software\wine\Direct3D Offscreenrendering=ofb, VideoMemorySize 512 and UseGLSL enabled. I'm back to just getting pure black screen when running nwn2 after getting the launcher normally.

I'm also using the latest version of NWN2 complete form GOG which is 10.08.2015.

I don't actually know how to figure out the engine version yet, but will try to figure it out.
Thanks for helping,
Rawel

[Steve]

Hey Rawel,
Though you said you are using Wine Stable 3.0.2, what wrapper are you using (example: Wineskin or Portingkit)?

Here is my advice: follow the advice I give in the quoted bit below. I've uploaded a complete Wineskin + engine + NWN2 files "package" to Google Drive, from which you only need to download all the compressed files, reconstitute them using a 7z utility, run Wineskin Utility and get the latest Engine (or manually download, uncompress and add to your Wineskin repository), add your Game Keys for NWN2 + MotB + SoZ and then Direct Connect to BGTSCC and wait a billion years to download the Server Updates.

What I think may be your main issue is that the GOG version of NWN2 + MotB + SoZ (Platinum package) is not working well with the Wine files. The only way I have used GOG copy of NWN2 successfully was with Crossover app emulator for Mac. Which, btw, isn't so bad but costs a pretty penny where Wineskin is essentially free.

The "blank screen" issue you are writing about is something I also sometimes get with my Wineskin package, after I update Winery with a not-working-so-good Wine Engine version. This is why I periodically update the NWN2 and Mac thread, because I often have to burn through a few Wine Engine versions before I come across an actually stable version. What this also means is a keep a copy of a working Wineskin package—much like the one I've posted on Google Drive—as a backup because once you install a bogus Wineskin Engine and you crash to Blank Screen, no matter what I do, I can never repair the package, I simply have to erase and reinstall from my backup, and go take a walk outside while I wait a day for BGTSCC Server Updates to install.

If none of this helps, let me know. There is hopefully a solution for you out there!

Nefris,
You'll need to use an emulator, in this case Wineskin. Below is the link for an older wrapper and engine. After downloading and following the instructions, you can upgrade both the wrapper and engin using Wineskin Winery, which is included in the download torrent file.

Then, you'll need to download the files for this Server, which may happen automatically one you Direct Connect to BGTSCC. If they don't, you can download the complete but not exactly recent set of files, then the Server will auto-update you completely. You can find that download here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4WGk ... WRKYmpLTlk

If you need any help with this, just ask. Good luck! Cya IG soon.

For the Mac lovers and those that love them:

[url=https://pirateproxy.red/torrent/7452768 ... gine_1.5.8[/url]

A complete Neverwinter Nights 2 (OC, MotB, SoZ) Windoze package installed under Wineskin for emulation on the Mac. This package also includes Wineskin Winery, with a few older version of the Wrapper and Engine.

Unpacked, it is 13GB. I broke it down into 100mb segments using 7z compression. You'll need a 7z utility to unpack and un-segment.

I've stripped all the *.ini files of information, so you'll have to provide your own set of 3 CD keys, Gamespy user name, etc.

Also, there are no PW files, so you'll have to download those as well. I guess that goes without saying, but....

Furthermore, after stripping the package of all extraneous and incriminating information, I haven't actually tested if it works.

Good luck!

Or, you can use Bootcamp, and/or something like Parallels.

[Rawel]

Thank you for the information and link. I have managed to get the download done overnight and reconstituted the archive using https://www.keka.io/en/ keka. I will see if I can get it running this evening and give feedback then. Thank you.

[Rawel]

Hmm sorry for being thick but I figured before I got my install all messed up and had to try and clean it again I would ask. In the download I see directions but those seem to be for the wrapper and not the actual nwn2 .app which is a part of the download. That seems to contain an "installed" version of nwn2. Do I just run the app? Or do I just move the stuff from the app to wine's C drive?
Sorry for the thickness.
Rawel

[Steve]

Yes, just run the NWN2 app in the folder that is made after you reconstitute the .7z files (there is also a Wineskin Winery app next to/inside the folder with the NWN2 app.

But first, you need to find the .ini files and plug in your CD Keys. To do that, you need to Right-Click the NWN2 app and choose “Show Package Contents.” Search out the .ini in...I think it is My Documents or the Neverwinter Nights 2 folder.

After adding your keys, get out to the top of the folder and run the NWN2 app. This package is setup to use Skywings Client Extension (cause it works good).

You’ll have to still download all the Server Files once you Direct Connect to BGTSCC (the Server address is listed at top this Forum, btw).

Let me know if you can progress!

[Rawel]

Hmm apparently I'm doing something wrong. I added the CD keys in the package but running the NWW2 "Neverwinter Nights 2 (2.5.5 and WS9Wine 1.5.8)" by ctrl clicking and having it open just makes it verify the package for a while then ask if I really want to open it, and lastly to jump up and down in the launch bar for a while before settling down without any windows open and without the "running dot" below it. Right clicking on it shows it as application not responding. I wonder if I should deinstall wine before I try to run it?
Rawel

[Rawel]

Ok could not get the package running but ended up getting a working (so far didn't get to test much yet) installation afterall.

I used winery to install a couple engines, then created a wrapper from scratch installed vcrun2005, directx9, devenum and dxdiagn using winetricks.

Next I installed the GOG version of the game using wineskin to run the setup by choosing choose setup executable and running the normal setup downloaded from GOG (getting the usual runtime error at the end of the installation).

Then I tried using wineskin to install the clientextension by using move folder but that didn't seem to work so I ended up just moving all the client extension files inside the wrapper app and into the GOG games/NWN2 complete/ folder where I installed the game in the first place.

Finally I downloaded the 1.5.28X engine and ran the nwlauncher from the client extension with it. The result it is I got past another cut-scene dialog. I haven't tried updating or dealing with bgtscc server yet though.
Will add more info when I get it,
Rawel

Edit: Ok things seem to be working. Still haven't tried more of the game, but I did manage to get multiplayer working at least to the point of successfully connecting to bgtscc and starting to update. That will take a while to complete it seems though.

Edit2: successfully downloaded updates from bgtscc and entered game. WOOt.

[Steve]

Well done! You made your own Wineskin Wrapper!

It’s good to know that the GOG files can properly install on a Wineskin Wrapper. I’d be curious to test out your version myself, and compare to my stupidly old wrapper. So please consider if you could remove the Server files and wipe your CD KEYS and upload the Wrapper zipped so that I and others could download it.

Cheers!

[Rawel]

See now you think I know what you want me to do, but I really don't. In particular I'm not sure what I can remove. Let me try and explain what I think you want:

I take the NWN2.app that I created. I make a copy of it. I open it using the strange mac "open package" and delete all files in /GOG/nwn2 or wherever I actually installed the game (this actually deletes the keys too, I think they are in that directory).

I upload the result which should be much smaller someplace you can download it?

Did I get the idea right?

I might actually try to make one more version just so I'm sure the steps I explained are correct I was messing with some things a bit.

Thanks,
Rawel

Edit: Hmm rereading your posts I think you might want me to just delete parts of the nwn2 directory? Maybe just the stuff that got downloaded from BGTSCC? If that's the case I'm afraid I don't have a reasonably strong uplink anywhere I can think of easilly to upload that. Well maybe I can come up with some way but it will surely take some time (read week+) to get it anywhere.

[Steve]

Yes, all I was thinking is that your remove the BGTSCC servers files —about 10 GB worth!— from the module and hak folders found in users\wineskin\My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\.

The upload would entail both the Wineskin app and the NWN2 files (also a couple of Gigs).

But yeah, don't worry about it, if you're not really understanding the process. I can try and find time to make my own GOG-Wineskin Wrapper...once I clean off some HD space.

Cheers.

[Rawel]

Oh I'm understanding enough of the process now you clarified. The issue I do still have though, is pure and simple bandwidth. My upload at home is pretty miserable. I will try and get it done though I will have to cut it up into pieces as you have done just to not have to to rerun the whole thing every time the upload breaks for some stupid reason. I will take a look at it in the evening. A couple nights might get the file uploaded.
Thanks,
Rawel