Obsidian Entertainment

Neverwinter Nights 2 Technical FAQ

INSTALL ISSUES
1.01: How do I install Neverwinter Nights 2?

MULITIPLAYER ISSUES
2.01: How can I play through a Firewall?

2.02: I’m having problems connecting to Neverwinter Nights 2 multiplayer after applying a patch.

2.03: CD key is “unregistered” when trying to play multiplayer

2.04: I’m unable to connect to GameSpy. I get, "Your connection to GameSpy has been lost, hit cancel and try again."

PATCH ISSUES
3.01: I’m getting a “You do not have enough space on C:” error when I try to patch.

3.02: After installing this 1.02 patch, I get an "Emulator Detected!" error and can no longer run the game.

GENERAL ISSUES
4.01: How can I improve gameplay performance?

4.02: I have lost my CD Key. How do I get it back?

4.03: How do I contact Atari Support?

4.04: How do I obtain replacement media for Neverwinter Nights 2?

4.05: How do I properly download and install new video card drivers under Windows XP?

4.06: How do I create a DirectX Diagnostic (DxDiag) report?

4.07: How do I take and submit a screenshot with my support request?

4.08: What Video Cards are supported by Neverwinter Nights 2?

4.09: "Invalid character - Player Login refused"

4.10: The game client is crashing when I attempt to launch it, and/or the Toolset is crashing with “Loading Resource manager…” on its progress bar. What’s going on?

4.11: After playing a while I start getting “Missing 2d Textures” texture errors.

4.12: When I try to run the game I get the following error:

“nwn2main.exe - Application Error

The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000034). Click on OK to terminate the application.”

or I get:

“nwn2main.exe - Application Error

The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.”

1.01: How do I install Neverwinter Nights 2? (Back to top)

To install Neverwinter Nights 2 just insert the Install Disc into your CD or DVD-ROM drive and follow the on-screen prompts to install the game.

If the AutoPlay screen does not automatically appear after inserting the Neverwinter Nights 2 CD Disk 1 or Neverwinter Nights 2 DVD into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, follow these steps:

1) Close all running programs.

2) Ensure that the Neverwinter Nights 2 Disc 1 or DVD is in your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

3) Double-click My Computer on your desktop.

4) Double-click the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM icon.

5) If Autoplay is enabled, the installer should start. Otherwise, double-click on the Setup.exe icon to launch the installer.

6) Follow the on-screen instructions to launch the game.

*Note: You do NOT need to install Xfire to play Neverwinter Nights 2 on the Internet.

After installing the game, you will be offered the choice to view the readme or play the game. The readme is a text file, which lists additions to the manual since printing.

2.01: How can I play through a Firewall? (Back to top)

If you are trying to play through a firewall, here is some information to help you get connected. Neverwinter Nights 2 uses UDP, not TCP for its connections. If you think that your firewall is preventing you from connecting to the game servers, please make sure that ports 5120 through 5300 are open.
In addition to opening the ports listed above, if you are running a server you may need to allow incoming connections on the port you are running your server on (5121 by default) and forward those connections to the computer running the server.
Check out http://www.portforward.com for detailed configuration instructions for most common brands of router.
(note: not affiliated nor supported by Obsidian Entertainment or Atari)

GameSpy Firewall Ports
When you play on a system that is behind a firewall or proxy, certain ports may need to be opened to connect to multiplayer games. Ports 3658, 3659, 6500 and 27900 may need to be opened so the GameSpy servers can see the game.

Please consult your network administrator or your router manufacturer for information on how to set up these ports. You should also install the latest firmware available for your router from the manufacturer.

For more information regarding the network ports used when playing on GameSpy hosted servers, please refer to the following webpage: www.gamespyarcade.com/support/firewalls.shtml

Opening Ports to Play Behind a Firewall
If you are behind a firewall or proxy, and you are on a system where you are able to change its settings, you may need to open certain TCP & UDP ports to connect to multiplayer games.

The following ports may need to be opened for GameSpy servers to see the game: 3658, 3659, 3660, 6500, 27900, 28910

GameSpy Arcade may also need the following TCP ports open in order to function properly:
- 6667 (IRC)
- 3783 (Voice Chat Port)
- 27900 (Master Server UDP Heartbeat)
- 28900 (Master Server List Request)
- 29900 (GP Connection Manager)
- 29901 (GP Search Manager)
- 13139 (Custom UDP Pings)
- 6515 (Dplay UDP)
- 6500 (Query Port)

You will also need to open the server port (5121 by default) and the following port for the game stats to be updated correctly: 29920 (Gamestats Server)

If you have multiple computers behind a firewall and you want to play multiplayer with 2 or more of them at the same time, you must ensure the Client Port setting for each computer is set to a different value. You will find this entry in the file nwnplayer.ini (located in “My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\”). Double click on it to open it, and look for the Client Port= line in the [Profile] section. Change this from the default value of 5120 on each machine. You have to stay in a certain range, so use numbers like 5121, 5122, 5123, etc.

If your server does not appear on the GameSpy game list, verify that it is does not appear for other users. It may not be appearing for you because your game is published by your external IP address, this address may not be valid from inside your firewall.

Verify that the server is accessible from the Internet, have a friend Direct Connect using your external IP address (ie not 127.0.0.1 or 192.168.*.*, these are local addresses).

If you are starting your module from the dedicated server, try starting it from within the application.

If your module is very large or contains very large areas, try breaking it up into smaller pieces.

If you want to make sure that your NAT is set up to allow the game to play here are the packets you should have open to make sure the game can connect properly:
Outgoing packets
Source port: 5120-5129
Destination port: 5121-5300
Incoming packets
Source port: 5121-5300
Destination port: 5120-5129

On the Game Client side, it can be helpful to open the nwnplayer.ini file (located in “My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\”), and find the following section:

[Profile]
Client Port=XXXX

Change XXXX to 5120.

2.02: I’m having problems connecting to Neverwinter Nights 2 multiplayer after applying a patch. (Back to top)

After applying a patch to Neverwinter Nights 2 please ensure that the game has permission to access the internet and also act as a server. If you are running personal firewall software and apply a new patch to Neverwinter Nights 2 the personal firewall may prevent the game from accessing the internet as its executable has been altered by the application of the patch. This is a common defense employed by personal firewalls to combat Worm-type viruses and the personal firewall cannot differentiate between beneficial changes like a patch and malicious programming. Indicators of this issue may include Neverwinter Nights 2 multiplayer not functioning properly or portions of its functionality not behaving as normal (i.e. Favorites).

2.03: CD key is “unregistered” when trying to play multiplayer (Back to top)

This error might be caused by a discrepancy in the CD key entry in the nwncdkey.ini file and the actual CD key on the manual. Go into your Neverwinter Nights 2 install directory, this is usually "C:\Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2" and find a file called "nwncdkey.ini". Right click on this file and select "Open With..." and then choose "NotePad". The contents of the file will then be displayed in notepad. Double check to make sure that the CD key in the nwncdkey.ini is correct. If you make any changes save the file and then exit. You should now be able to play a multiplayer game.

2.04: CD key is “unregistered” when trying to play multiplayer (Back to top)

This might be caused by a conflict with your virus scaner and/or software firewall. As a test, try disabling your virus scanner and/or software firewall software and try again. For more information on properly configuring your firewall and/or router, please see the Readme.rtf file in your game folder.

3.01: I’m getting a “You do not have enough space on C:” error when I try to patch. (Back to top)

Neverwinter Nights 2 requires that users have approximately 5GB free on the same hard drive as their Windows installation in order to install any patches.

3.02: After installing this 1.02 patch, I get an "Emulator Detected!" error and can no longer run the game. (Back to top)

Please deactivate any virtual drives and emulation software you might be running. It is not necessary to completely remove or uninstall them. Other programs, similar to emulation tools (e.g. CloneCD/DVD, AnyDVD and DVD Region Killer, Nero, CloneCD, Daemon Tools, Alcohol, …) can cause this message. Deactivating these tools should solve the problem, if present.

4.01: How can I improve gameplay performance? (Back to top)

The game automatically detects the type of system you have and configures your option settings for optimal gameplay when you first launch the game. You can adjust the option settings later but if you enable or increase options this can cause slowdowns in gameplay.

Defragmenting your hard drive makes saving the game much faster - we recommend you defrag your hard drive prior to installing and occasionally between play sessions.

If you are experiencing slowdowns or poor performance, we recommend that you try changing Options settings such as:

General Options
Lower Screen Resolution
Lower Shadow Options
Turn on Full Screen
Turn off Normal Mapped Terrain
Turn off Point Light Shadows
Turn off Softer Shadows
Lower Texture Resolutions

Advanced Graphics
Lower Character, High Res. Env. And Low Res Env. Shadow Map Size – especially if any of these are greater than 2048.
Turn off Bloom Effects
Turn off Enable Light Sources from Party Members
Lower Texture Minification Filtering to Point or Linear
Lower Maximum Texture Anisotropy
Reduce Number of Lights per Object
Turn off Water Reflections
Turn off Water Refraction

Some additional possible fixes are:
Drivers - Download and install the latest drivers available for your video and sound card.

DirectX - Ensure you have the latest version of DirectX installed.

Patch - Download the latest patch for Neverwinter Nights 2 using either the “Update” function from the game launcher or by downloading the latest critical update for your install from here: nwn2.obsidianent.com/support/patch.html

Hard drive - Run scandisk and disk defragmenter, this will fix any errors on your hard drive and keep it running smoothly.

Virus Scan - Ensure your machine is virus free. Not only will this keep your machine running properly, many viruses have been known to harvest CD-Keys for popular games.

Spyware - Ensure your machine is spyware free. You can download a free trial of "Ad-Aware" a spyware/adware detection/removal for personal use from Lavasoft USA.

Other - If you have other programs running in the background your machine may not have enough available system resources to deliver a satisfactory play experience. To free up additional resources shut down some of these other programs before you play the game.

Reinstall - If none of the above fix the issue, you may have to uninstall and reinstall the game. Make sure to back up your “My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\” folder.

4.02: I have lost my CD Key. How do I get it back? (Back to top)

Depending on the version of Neverwinter Nights 2, the CD Key is usually printed in the manual, case, or on a sheet of paper provided in the retail box.
If you have lost your game manual but still have the game installed, you can find your CD Key in a file called "nwncdkey.ini" in the directory where you installed Neverwinter Nights 2 (default location is C:\Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2). For replacement media requests (such as new manuals), you need to contact the publisher and follow their policies regarding replacement media:
http://www.atarisupport.com/

4.03: How do I contact Atari Support? (Back to top)

Please visit Atari’s Customer Support Website at http://www.atarisupport.com.

4.04: How do I obtain replacement media for Neverwinter Nights 2? (Back to top)

Replacement media requests are handled by the publisher of a given product, in this case Atari. In addition, there should be contact information for replacement media in your manual. Here is a link to the Atari support page: http://www.atarisupport.com

4.05: How do I properly download and install new video card drivers under Windows XP? (Back to top)

NOTE: Obsidian Entertainment accepts no responsibility for the use of these instructions. Official hardware support is available via your hardware vendor. Use at your own risk.

Click "Start".
Click "Control Panel".
Click "Add or Remove Programs".
Click on your current (old) video card drivers. If you have a GeForce series card your drivers will be listed as "NVIDIA Drivers" or "Nvidia Graphics Drivers". If you have an ATI Radeon Series card your drivers will be listed as "ATI Control Panel" or more likely "ATI - Software Uninstall Utility".
Click "Change/Remove".
A dialogue will appear asking you if you want to remove the drivers, click "Yes". The drivers will now uninstall. Do not restart your computer yet.
Download the latest drivers for your video card from the manufacture's website. If you have a Geforce Series card go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp. If you have a Radeon Series card go to: http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html.
Either save them to your desktop and then double click the install icon, or open them directly after downloading.
At this point you will need to follow the on screen instructions through the installation process. At the end of the process you will be asked to restart your computer. Do so, and when the computer reboots your new drivers will be fully installed.

After re-installing your video drivers you should also download and install the latest version of Microsoft DirectX: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx

4.06: How do I create a DirectX Diagnostic (DxDiag) report? (Back to top)

Use the following steps to create the configuration report:
In Windows XP, click the "Start" button.
Then click "Run..."
Type "dxdiag" in the box provided and then click "Ok".
The "DirectX Diagnostic Tool" window will open and a green progress bar will start to fill.
Wait for the progress bar to fill completely and then click "Save All Information".
In the "Save As" window, type an appropriate file name and choose where you would like to save the report. (The desktop is a good default.)
After saving the report click the "Exit" button in the "DirectX Diagnostic Tool".
You are now able to include your "DxDiag.txt" report as an attachment in support correspondence.

4.07: How do I take and submit a screenshot with my support request? (Back to top)

You can take and submit a screenshot by performing the following steps:
Find the screen or error message you want to image capture.
Press the “PrtScn/SysRq” key on your keyboard, which is often located near the “F12” and the “Scroll Lock” keys. This will save an image file to your “My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2” Directory.

4.08: What Video Cards are supported by Neverwinter Nights 2? (Back to top)

Neverwinter Nights 2 requires a DirectX 9.0c compatible video card that supports Shader Model 2.0 and has at least 128MB of video memory.

The following cards have been tested and are known to work with Neverwinter Nights 2. If you are having problems running Neverwinter Nights 2 with one of the cards listed below, please make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card.

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro and XT
ATI Radeon X600 series
ATI Radeon X700 series
ATI Radeon X800 series
ATI Radeon X1600 series
ATI Radeon X1800 series
ATI Radeon X1900 series

Nvidia GeForce 6600 series
Nvidia GeForce 6800 series
Nvidia GeForce 7600 series
Nvidia GeForce 7800 series
Nvidia GeForce 7900 series

Here is a non-exhaustive list of video cards that are not supported:

ATI Radeon 7200
ATI Radeon 7500
ATI Radeon 8500
ATI Radeon 9000
ATI Radeon 9200

Intel 82810 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82815 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82830M Integrated Graphics
Intel 82845G Integrated Graphics
Intel 82852 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82855 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82910GL GMA 900 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82915G GMA 900 Integrated Graphics
Intel 82915GV GMA 900 Integrated Graphics

Intel 82855GM Extreme Graphics 2
Intel 82865G Extreme Graphics 2
Intel 82865GV Extreme Graphics 2

Mobile Intel 915GM/GMS Express Integrated Graphics
Mobile Intel 910GML Express Integrated Graphics

Nvidia GeForce 2MX
Nvidia GeForce 2GTS
Nvidia GeForce 4MX

SiS Xabre series video cards

XGI Volari V3

4.09: Invalid character - Player Login refused" (Back to top)

Go into your “My Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\” folder and find a file called "nwnplayer.ini". Right click on this file and select "Open With..." and then choose "NotePad". The contents of the file will then be displayed in notepad. Look for "Single Player ItemLevelRestrictions" and "Single Player Enforce Legal Characters" under [Game Options]. Ensure that both of these are =0 and not =1. Save the file and then exit. You should now be able to continue your game.

4.10: The game client is crashing when I attempt to launch it, and/or the Toolset is crashing with “Loading Resource manager…” on its progress bar. What’s going on? (Back to top)

This error is caused by an incompatibility with either your video card or video drivers. Please verify that your video card has the required 128MB of Video Memory, supports Shader Model 2.0, and is DirectX 9.0c compatible. If it is, please verify that you have the latest video card drivers. If your video card does not meet these requirements, you will not be able to run Neverwinter Nights 2.

4.11: After playing a while I start getting “Missing 2d Textures” texture errors. (Back to top)

This problem could possibly be caused by the system running out of video memory to run Neverwinter Nights 2 based on the current settings. Please try lowering your Texture Resolutions settings under Game Options > “Texture Resolutions” and restart Neverwinter Nights 2.

4.12: When I try to run the game I get the following error:

“nwn2main.exe - Application Error

The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000034). Click on OK to terminate the application.”

or I get:

“nwn2main.exe - Application Error

The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.”

(Back to top)

This problem may be caused by a damaged or old install of the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, a required component for Neverwinter Nights 2. On the root of the Neverwinter Nights 2 CD/DVD there is a “Prereq” folder which contains the file dotnetfx.exe. Running this file will install the .NET 2.0 Framework to run NWN2. (If you have Direct2Drive, find your installation folder and look for the Prereq folder.) If you are unable to find this file:

If you are running Windows XP, you can obtain the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en

If you are using Windows XP x64 you can obtain the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=B44A0000-ACF8-4FA1-AFFB-40E78D788B00&displaylang=en