Can't Get Neverwinter Nights to Load -- Any Ideas?

[Route44]

Sorry if this isn't the right forum but it does fall into the Software/Game area.

I decided after a long hiatus to install NWN and both expansions on my new PC so that I could enjoy some of the newer community mods. The following are my system specs:

XP w/SP2
Athlon 64 3200+ cpu
2 gigs of DDR 3200 RAM
M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card
X800 GTO 256 meg video card
View Sonic LCD screen

* Both sound and video card have the latest drivers. I've defragged, scanned for viruses and spyware. When I played this on my old PIII system with a 1.2 Ghz cpu, 512 megs of PC 133 RAM and an ATI 9200 video card it ran fine (though I would experience severe FPS slow down from time to time).

I can run Dungeon Siege II, C&C Generals and even Divine Divinity patched with no issues at all. But when I go to load NWN at the Menu screen (not the very first screen that pops up but the one where you have the options of "new," "load," etc.) I keep getting the infamous error report and Windows must shut it down.

By the way, when I stalled this game - twice - I shut down my firewall, spy sweeper, and anti-virus programs before installing.

1. I've tried it in game version 1.59 (the one it shipped as) and the latest 1.67. Same thing.

2. Both installs were clean and all indication was that all files took and it still will not play.

3. I shut down my firewall after installing, but that didn't help.

:bang head

Anyone have any clues? Advice? Atari's tech help is no help at all. Thanks.

[Fireside85281]

I have similar issues. I notice that some parts of the screen flash black blocks at the menu, then before I can begin a game, it crashes. The game worked fine on my last computer, but I've never gotten it to run on my new one. I eventually just gave up on it, but I'd like to know how to make it run if someone has a solution.

[Route44]

Fireside, what audio card are you using and do you have the latest driver? It seems that from my research that others have experienced the same problem with this game and they had to update their audio driver.

This is not good news for me because I have an M-Audio Revolution 5.1 soundcard which is a great card with quality but since they are not in the soundcard business anymore they haven't released a new driver since 2 years ago and they won't be doing it in the future.

The confusing thing is my old P3 system's card is several years older and I haven't ever updated the audio driver. Go figure...

[The_Jizzler]

my play disc got a very, very minor scratch. mustve been in just the wrong spot because now it hangs, wont load, etc etc. have you tried making/finding an image and mounting it? worked for me.

[Route44]

Jizzler, the more I am researching this the more I am coming upon people with newer rigs who just can't seem to make this game work for them. Some suggest the nwn.exe is running when it should be closed down in the text messenger. I'll give it a shot but there are those who have tried it and still no go.

I've thought about getting either the Plantinum or Diamond edition of this game. It is cheap and the slew of free downloadable games will more than make up for the cost. BUT I hesitate doing this because it should work in the current disks I have especially since we have the 1.67 build avaliable.

[XxNightfirexX]

I lost all the paperwork for my orignal of the game (ie-no cd codes), so I picked up the diamond version on dvd for $20 from walmart. It's given me no headaches at all, and its a whole lot more convenient having it all on one disk, and the cd codes being attached to the sleeve, so no worry of losing books/etc leaving you sol.

[Fireside85281]

I was using the Diamond version of NWN. When I was attempting to play the game before I think I was using just my mobo sound. Since then, I've gotten an Audigy 2 ZS. Last time I checked for updates was about 1 or 2 months ago. I'll reinstall the game tomorrow, when I get time, to see if it works now. Thanks for the heads up!

[Route44]

Fireside, I am anxiously (really) waiting to hear if your new sound card makes the difference and any thing else you can tell us. If you go to the NWN forums at BioWare and search under the Self Help Tech forum it is amazing the issues people have with new hardware and trying to get this game to play.

I got a CD/DVD repair kit so I'll give that a shot first and take it from there.

[Fireside85281]

Installed and played it for little more than an hour. Everything ran perfectly, with not one sign of the previous black blocks. Thanks for the tip! I'm guessing it might have done the trick, but it has been awhile since I first tried it on here, so the sound card may not have been the problem. Ah well, it works now! :D

[Route44]

So fireside, what do you think your issue was?