reinstalling NWN for HG

[Yrini]

After a few too many crashes I decided to buy a new machine. Of course, this means reinstalling a lot. Reinstalling NWN (I still use a couple of CD's for that), is not difficult, and speaks for itself. But after that I was getting confused a bit. Doing this once again after say 5 years, doesn't help to make this an easy job. I tried to write down (partly from memory) what is needed to at least be back on the game after that. The installation guide of HGwiki helped with it.

1. I think I should get the critical rebuild patch 1.69. It's a bit lost, maybe ARF2 does this for ye after CEP is installed. The link for this patch for Windows in the installation guide isn't working, but I'm smart , I found it somewhere else.
Facing this problem I'd say:
- If ARF2 is doing this for ye, then the order is easy: CEP then ARF2
- If it is important, it should be somewhere where you can get it easily, all the time.
- It also is really useful if it is said what to do with that critical rebuild. Save it somewhere, run a copy of it, put it in the NWN folder and run it, put it somewhere else and run it? So much choices.

2. Install CEP is, again, I think, next on the list. Since ARF2 is, alas, not bringing that in, you have to do that yourself (too). I got it from Sabre (stored a copy now, but so much thanks Sabre). Then what? Hak in Hak, Tlk in Tlk it adds, but how to get there anyways? I have a cep_23_full_c.7z. I understand it needs to be unzipped. but when I do so, I get a lot more, not only a hak and tlk to replace. And do I unzip it somewhere and then copy all into the NWN folder, or do I unzip it in the NWN folder and just let it overwrite everything? Is this just trial and error or doesnt it matter?

3. Following the Installation Guide, I think ARF2 should be next now. The installation guide claims ARF2 is doing the critical rebuild as well. Could be, not sure. But ARF2 works great and smooth. It also explains what to do with it itself in a tekst file, that's really nice and clear.

4. Again, following the Installation Guide, Higher Ground Enhanced. Def need that. Again I have a copy of it. Woot! It has a txt file as well. Explaining somewhat what to do with it. Not too clear, I think, but at least it tries to explain what to do to get to HG Enhanced. This could be improved I think, but I hope I did this well, so on with the next step.

The next steps, I followed because it NWN wasnt working on HG like I want it to work.

5. Ah yes, my old portraits. I bravely just copied the old portraits (from the old NWN folder) into the new NWN folder. Should I perhaps also have done this with the other maps? I didnt dare to, I'm not that brave.

6. The HG updater, not mentioned in the Installation Guide. Not very clear to me as well what to do with it. Isnt ARF2 doing all the updates? What does this updater actually do what ARF2 isnt doing? And how to handle this zipped file? Do I unzip it in the NWN folder, or do I unzip it somewhere else and copy it into the NWN folder? No idea, actually. I think I unzipped it in the NWN folder, and tried to follow the instructions.

7. Still not there, patience my friend. The HG enhanced link, leads to some more, luckily. You might find something to override the override file in the NWN folder, the hghak_override-beta18.rar. Omg, what is this? Do I want this? How to handle it? No idea, but luckily this only contains one map, so I unzip it, and quickly replaced it in the NWN folder, like it says at HG Enhanced.

8. To be sure, I decided to do ARF2 again, you never know. It did indeed get quite a few other files, no idea why.

9. I could enter the game fairly easy now. I kept my -inis and all apart, just copied them into the NWN folder, checked the paths and online I was. Oh wait, there's still a line about Simtools. Indeed voicebind isnt working. Did I still miss something? Where do I get those simtools? The link isnt working.
Thanks to Paradoom they are safe on my computer now, but what should I do with them? Just copy them unzipped into the NWN forlder again? Or do I just have to relog, or wait for a reset perhaps? Again I face something I do not know, and is not explained anywhere.

Is everyone facing these issues once in a say 5 years? I'm quite sure a lot of people did a very good job trying to make it as easy as possible to get back n the game again. Some improvements could be useful here. Especially exactly what to do with the found files (like the simtools) must be mentioned near or in the found files.

[sabregirl]

I just copy my install folder. Drag to C drive. Tada, installed. And I keep multiple copies of my install around on backup hard drives, just in case.

-S

[Yrini]

Copy your install folder? Drag to C drive?
As far as I can understand this, I think you "trick" your Windows by telling it you "installed" a new program.
Let's see if i can find that install folder. I think that could save me tons of time.
*EDIT* What should be the name of that install folder? Program Files, Program Files (x86), ProgramData or something else which I cant see? And which files and in what map do you copy into there, only a few .ini like nwnplayer.ini etc?
I didnt change any names, so it's just the original Windows names.

[Growly]

There should be a file named NeverwinterNights. That contains all the files for the game. just copy the whole folder and put on your new machine on the C drive

[Yrini]

Thanks for that answer Growly.
But nor on the new C: with the new Windows (for which my new NWN should be installed now), or on the old C: (now named E:) is a file with that name (did a search with Explorer)
I did redo the reinstalling to find out more about the issues I faced. And the order is indeed CEP, and then ARF2. ARF2 asks for the critical rebuild itself, and you can show him where to get that. A really great timesaver, ARF2. So I (and with me new players as well...) can at least skip one step.

After ARF2, I copied all my old portraits (I saved those) into the portrait map of the newly installed NWN, and did my best to follow the instructions to install the Standard Enhanced Hak. The confusing part here is in the text file coming with this, the readme-hg.txt. Saying: make a backup of three files, and then (!) placing the same files somewhere in the NWNfolder. Not too clear for me, but I think there is meant take the old ones somewhere for security, and replace them with the ones coming with the enhanced Hak. For the one coming for the hak-map, that is logically, but the tlk-map, contains three files. Here the txt file from the hak tells you to place cep21 in the tlk-map, but there is no cep21 coming with the hak. Theres cep22, and cep23 and a new dialog.tlk. Another issue. Seeing my old tlk map contained 4 files, I threw them in all 4.

After this I installed the modified Executable for a the modified nwmain.exe for HG. Also not sure what to do with the nwmain.exe from Rooj for multiboxing now.

The game is running now, ARF2 is running smooth, not complaining, but I am. How do I install the Simtools, such a crucial thing in the game. I cannot find anything about this. Placing the simtools.erf in the NWN folder does not give any reaction.
So no voicebind. And no colored icons either, all grey they are. Maybe I should use the Gui enhancement?
And the command line (the bar behind the party/whisper/talk etc) is flickering, distracting a lot.
A new player, I don't think they would come this far. But they do not know what they are missing

[Methes]

Put the simtools file into ./NWN/override

[Yrini]

Putting the the simtools file in the override folder didnt work, alas. To solve this problem I reinstalled the game, and copied all the files from my old override folder into the new. This seems to work fine. Have my colors back, and I can use simtools, including voicebind. Still no idea how to really "install" the simtools though, couldn't find this anywhere.
Only problem that is left is the constant flickering and fading of the pop up sreens. This might be my new videocard, I'll my retailer ask about this.