Installation Help

Idonia · Post by **Idonia** » Sat May 02, 2009 9:19 am

So I'm trying to install NwN Diamond on a Macbook White. I know this is possible because I've looked it up online. At least i think it is. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, my problem is I don't even know how to begin to install it. I put the CD in and if I try to open any files they open up as gibberish.
I also must be the dumbest computer user in the universe because no matter how many ways I type this question out I get no results.

I realize that if I have a certain processor, or whatever, some Intel thing, then I can't run it. I've also read about the Rosetta thing that's supposed to help me run these sorts of things, and have read an account of a person using "rosetta" to play nwn.

The macbook model I have is the newest one, that is, the newest macbook white.

Give it to me straight whether I can run it or not, or what I need to download, or what I need to do

it's 5 am and I'm frustrated

orvarg · Post by **orvarg** » Sat May 02, 2009 10:28 am

not to familiar with macs

Tremayne7 · Post by **Tremayne7** » Sat May 02, 2009 1:57 pm

If you are trying to install NWN Diamond (which I believe is only for Windows), you need to have a copy of Windows installed on your Mac. You need a copy of NWN for the Mac OS (although there is a way to install from a Windows disk. You need to look it up on the Bioware forums as I've never done it. Seamus had to do it for me a looooonnnnnnng time ago). Yes, I play on a Mac, but an older Mac.

If you can borrow a copy from someone, you can use your old CD keys to log in.

Let me see if Seamus can help.

Verandis · Post by **Verandis** » Sat May 02, 2009 2:23 pm

If you're working with a windows copy of NWN you will need two things:

1) Software to make your computer run windows

2) A copy of Windows

I use boot camp for the first which comes with Leopard if you have it.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.html

If this is something you have access to, check the boot camp assistant and see if it will lead you through the process or if you need more help. It looks like the beta copy of boot camp may no longer exist to download, which means either you have leopard or you don't have boot camp :/

If you have both and need more help contact me. I've installed boot camp/windows only the once on a computer but it was not too difficult and I might be able to help you troubleshoot.

Xanthalas · Post by **Xanthalas** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:33 pm

Verandis is pretty much correct.

The expansion data is all cross-platform. And merely require extracting and patching. This assumes you have a working MAC-NWN, However installing the files onto a Mac, with the Windows Client, requires at least a shell program, to emulate the windows processes. Or a program to install a copy of windows onto your Macintosh. (BootCamp that Verandis mentioned, is a perfect example.)

If you are unsure if you have Leopard or Tiger, Go to the upper left of the screen, click the "Apple" and down to "About this Mac" It should state which you have.

If you do have Leopard, then that would be the first step.

You can find out about BootCamp on Leopard. here.

From Bioware's resources.

Bioware Forums wrote:There are currently three ways to use the Windows Diamond edition on a Mac; the first two require an Intel-based Mac.

The first way (and possibly the easiest) is to install virtual machine (VM) software to run Microsoft Windows inside Mac OS X. NWN Diamond is then installed and run from inside the Windows VM. Not all VM software works for this; Parallels 3 has been reported to work (some configuration tips are mentioned in the linked thread); VMWare Fusion appears to work, but not at acceptable speeds at this time. The advantages of this solution are that it allows use of Diamond's normal install/update mechanisms and of the Toolset and included Premium Modules, and that it does not require restarting your Mac to run NWN. The disadvantages are that it requires a copy of both Parallels and Windows, provides lower performance than running Windows directly, and is not officially supported by BioWare.

The second way uses Apple's Boot Camp to start up your Mac using Microsoft Windows. NWN Diamond should install and run natively in such a setup, provided your Mac meets the minimum Windows requirements. The advantages of this method are that it allows use of Diamond's normal install/update mechanisms and of the Toolset and included Premium Modules, offers the best performance, and makes it possible to obtain official technical support. The disadvantages are that it necessitates shutting down Mac OS X and restarting in Windows every time you want to play Neverwinter Nights, requires a copy of Windows, and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later (earlier versions don't include Boot Camp).

The third method (and the only one that works on PPC-based Macs) is to use NWN Diamond simply to provide the resources for a Mac OS X based install of NWN. As discussed on the forum and elsewhere in this FAQ, all NWN game resources are completely cross-platform, so it should be possible to use them if one has the Mac versions of the game's application file (in practice there are also a few other Mac-specific files required). There has also been discussion on how to use the resources of the PC version and the free downloadable Mac Tech Trial of the game. For more information, see the discussions linked above. The advantages of this method are that it does not require an Intel Mac, Boot Camp or rebooting into Windows. The disadvantages are that it involves a possibly tricky install process (for the game itself; the included Premium Modules can only be installed by copying them from a Windows install), does not allow the use of the Toolset, and is not supported by either BioWare or MacSoft.

Forum user crispyking created a shell script to simplify installation of the third method above. To paraphrase from the script's instructions, you need the Diamond DVD in your Mac's DVD drive, the Mac versions of the latest SoU and HotU patches in the same folder as the script, and the "Bink Carbon Library" file and "miles" folder from your existing Mac NWN install in the same folder as the script. The script will then, when run, do the necessary installation work. Neither BioWare nor MacSoft can provide support for this utility.

(Source)

If you can find someone with a Macintosh version of NWN, you can use the CD's from the "Diamond" pack to install the expansions.

A Mac-User wrote:1. Install Mac NWN

2. Buy SoU for Windows/Linux.

3. Open up the "Data_Shared.zip" file on the SoU CD.

4. Extract all the files. Move the files into their appropriate dirs on your Mac NWN install.

5. Open up the "Language_data.zip" file on the SoU CD.

6. Extract all the files. Move the files into their appropriate dirs on your Mac NWN install.

7. Open up the "Language_update.zip" file on the SoU CD.

8. Extract "dialog.tlk" into your NWN dir and overwrite the existing one.

9. Run Neverwinter Nights.

10. Neverwinter Nights will prompt you for your SoU CD Key. This is on the rear of the SoU booklet.

(Source)

Idonia · Post by **Idonia** » Sat May 02, 2009 8:02 pm

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm just a bit confused by the Leopard/Bootcamp thing Verandis, I need both- but I might already have one? Where do I get them both? I believe I have a copy of windows xp somewhere...

This is way more help than the mac forums, they just told me straight out no.

Tremayne7 · Post by **Tremayne7** » Sat May 02, 2009 9:39 pm

We are much nicer here!

HUGS

Verandis · Post by **Verandis** » Sat May 02, 2009 10:16 pm

Question: Do you have Mac OS Leopard?

If so, it comes with Boot Camp. Earlier versions of the OS did not.

I suspect it comes pre-installed with the OS, so look for 'boot camp assistant' on your mac if you have leopard. The assistant should guide you though getting that copy of windows you have installed on your computer.

Idonia · Post by **Idonia** » Sat May 02, 2009 11:03 pm

Aaahh nevermind. Even if I found my windows cd I couldn't find the licensing key

I tried downloading the nwn diamond mac version on torrent
here

I have xtorrent for my mac but once I download it and it's in my downloads window I have no idea what to do with it or how to open it in xtorrent

Xanthalas tells me that'd make it slow but at least I can play in the toolset, it'd only be for a few days, I'll just get a windows laptop for playing

Chemical-Burn · Post by **Chemical-Burn** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:31 am

You could revise this and add nwn to the list of reasons here

Get it fixed tho so I can harass you IG.

Xanthalas · Post by **Xanthalas** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:28 am

Verandis is right, yet again, It has to do with the version number. Idonia's mac does in fact have bootcamp, but other problems persist. Sure in time it'll get worked out.

If others of you have a Mac, and want to know if it has BootCamp.

Click on your "Apple" at the upper left. And look for a version number.

10.4.x would be Tiger, 10.5.x would be Leopard.

Leopard has BootCamp in most cases.

Idonia · Post by **Idonia** » Thu May 14, 2009 5:49 am

So I've got my new computer, installed nwn, all haks, updated (With the critical rebuild)

Except now when I try to log onto any server, password protected or not, it stops on the "Server found. Attempting to log in." and doesn't go anywhere.

Sometimes I also can't connect to the Master Server.

I had some problems connecting to the internet before but now my pages load fast and spiffy.

Any idea what this is?

I was hoping to play tonight, but I guess that's a laughable idea, since the nwn bioware website is down too :/

Idonia · Post by **Idonia** » Thu May 14, 2009 6:03 am

Wait nevermind it just fixed itself.

But I may need help again!