Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

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Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

Unread post by Deathgrowl »

Given the somewhat increasing popularity of Linux in gaming, and with the Steam Machine (and SteamOS) on the horizon, I figured I'd post how I managed to get Neverwinter Nights 2: Platinum with the Client Extension on steam to run in Kubuntu Linux with Proton Experimental.

If you're on a Fedora or Arch based distro, some things will be different. It is also possible some of this is applicable to NWN2:EE with client extension, or might even work with the GOG version of NWN2.

If you want to run NWN2 with Client Extenion in Linux, I hope this at least gets you started on solving it. I am by no means some Linux expert so the bash script below probably could be done much better, but this legitimately works both on my old desktop and my laptop.




  • Install Steam with the official .deb binary. Don't use snap like Ubuntu defaults to. This caused me a lot of problems.
  • Make sure the files hdlinstall.reg, ClientExtension.hdl and the NWlauncher.exe is in the install folder: (...)/steamapps/common/Neverwinter Nights 2/
  • Edit the nwn.ini file in the install folder and set the following:

    Code: Select all

    [Display Options]
    FullScreen=0
    AllowWindowedMode=1
  • Get proton to register hdlinstall.reg to the prefix regedit in the (...)/steamapps/compatdata/2760. Paste this into a terminal (The "(...)" is your path up to your steam library):

    Code: Select all

    STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam/steam" \
    STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="(...)/steamapps/compatdata/2760" \
    "$HOME/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton - Experimental/proton" run regedit "(...)/steamapps/common/Neverwinter Nights 2/hdlinstall.reg"
  • Create a script called nwn2ce.sh that does the following inside the install folder:

    Code: Select all

    #!/bin/bash
    
    GAME_DIR="(...)/steamapps/common/Neverwinter Nights 2"
    STEAM_APPID=2760
    
    cd "$GAME_DIR" || { echo "Game folder not found!"; exit 1; }
    
    # Backup original exe
    if [ -f "nwn2main.exe" ]; then
        mv nwn2main.exe nwn2main.exe.original
    else
        echo "No nwn2main.exe found to back up!"
        exit 1
    fi
    
    # Replace with launcher exe
    cp NWLauncher.exe nwn2main.exe
    
    echo "Launcher installed. Starting Neverwinter Nights 2 via Steam..."
    
    # Launch game through Steam, non-blocking
    steam steam://rungameid/$STEAM_APPID &
    
    # Wait for a bit to let the game start
    sleep 15
    
    # Restore original exe
    mv nwn2main.exe.original nwn2main.exe
    echo "Original executable restored."
    
    exit 0
  • Make sure the script is executable. Navigate to the install folder in the terminal and run:

    Code: Select all

    chmod +x nwn2ce.sh
  • Add the script as a non-steam game in steam.
  • Set launch options on the actual NWN2 game in steam to

    Code: Select all

    PROTON_NO_ESYNC=1 PROTON_NO_FSYNC=1 %command%
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Re: Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

Unread post by Aspect of Sorrow »

The current Skywing CE won't hook to the EE version at this time as it targets endpoints that are not their equivalents in the new NWN2 binary.
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Re: Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

Unread post by Tantive »

This works?! I'm going to have to try it with my Steam Deck. It's using an arch distro with kde however, which hopefully wouldn't be an issue.
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Re: Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

Unread post by Pimple »

I have been saying it doesn't work, and my attempts have been crashtastic indeed. But I thought I'd give it another go. I'm running the GOG version through Lutris, and I guess so far so good? So long as I don't use gamescope as then it crashes on launch - which it doesn't without the client extension. Or maximize my window which crashes with this message:

Hidden: show
err: D3D9: Cannot create texture:
err: Type: 0x1
err: Format: D3D9Format::A8R8G8B8
err: Extent: 4462976x196702x1
err: Samples: 4
err: Layers: 1
err: Levels: 1
err: Usage: 0x1
err: Pool: 0x0 warn: Device reset failed: Device not reset Monitored process exited.
Exit with return code 0
Anyway, evidence!

Hidden: show
Image

Image
I did also install DXVK and .NET 4.6.2 in the prefix.

Since AOS says there's no benefit to going higher than 60 FPS, I've capped mine to 120 by adding the launch parameter DXVK_FRAME_RATE=120. And just so no one thinks everything is wonderful, I get an error message when I launch, and ignore it.

Image

It still crashes when I maximize window so I'm playing in non-maximized window mode. But it runs. With Wine-GE-8-26. Wonder if maybe it'll run better with Proton and through Steam, but I can't be bothered finding out just now. Oh, also, this is not the "enhanced" edition.
Tantive wrote: Fri Nov 14, 2025 4:54 pm This works?! I'm going to have to try it with my Steam Deck. It's using an arch distro with kde however, which hopefully wouldn't be an issue.
I'm on Tuxedo OS (Ubuntu 24.04) with KDE Plasma 6.4.5 and running Wayland. Almost forgot and don't know if it matters but I also run the launcher with -d3d9 just because I was getting errors and flailing around with no clue why anything.
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Re: Neverwinter Nights 2 with Client Extension in Linux

Unread post by Aspect of Sorrow »

The launcher enforcement for dx9 wine is a good idea in the event people are using non isolated wine profiles.
Hidden: show
Pimple wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2025 3:51 pm I have been saying it doesn't work, and my attempts have been crashtastic indeed. But I thought I'd give it another go. I'm running the GOG version through Lutris, and I guess so far so good? So long as I don't use gamescope as then it crashes on launch - which it doesn't without the client extension. Or maximize my window which crashes with this message:

Hidden: show
err: D3D9: Cannot create texture:
err: Type: 0x1
err: Format: D3D9Format::A8R8G8B8
err: Extent: 4462976x196702x1
err: Samples: 4
err: Layers: 1
err: Levels: 1
err: Usage: 0x1
err: Pool: 0x0 warn: Device reset failed: Device not reset Monitored process exited.
Exit with return code 0
Anyway, evidence!

Hidden: show
Image

Image
I did also install DXVK and .NET 4.6.2 in the prefix.

Since AOS says there's no benefit to going higher than 60 FPS, I've capped mine to 120 by adding the launch parameter DXVK_FRAME_RATE=120. And just so no one thinks everything is wonderful, I get an error message when I launch, and ignore it.

Image

It still crashes when I maximize window so I'm playing in non-maximized window mode. But it runs. With Wine-GE-8-26. Wonder if maybe it'll run better with Proton and through Steam, but I can't be bothered finding out just now. Oh, also, this is not the "enhanced" edition.
Tantive wrote: Fri Nov 14, 2025 4:54 pm This works?! I'm going to have to try it with my Steam Deck. It's using an arch distro with kde however, which hopefully wouldn't be an issue.
I'm on Tuxedo OS (Ubuntu 24.04) with KDE Plasma 6.4.5 and running Wayland. Almost forgot and don't know if it matters but I also run the launcher with -d3d9 just because I was getting errors and flailing around with no clue why anything.
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