I've had a string of bad luck installing new games lately. My PC is getting old, but I'm running windows XP sp2. The result is that games are either too new to play on my hardware or too old to run with my operating system.

I've never had a problem with either the IWD or BG2 series. Is this a good sign that NWN will probably also work, given that it's from a similar generation?

Lymond

What are your system specs?

Infinity Engine games (e.g. BG2 and IWD) were almost purely CPU based games (apart from adding pretty graphical effects and blending, which didn't affect frame rate).

The Aurora Engine (which powers NWN) actually requires 3D acceleration (few games don't these days!), using both CPU and GPU (the detail at which you can play the game being limited by the performance of both). I wouldn't therefore assume that because you can play BG2 and IWD, you will be able to play NWN, since the engines are completely different. As White Lancer says, if you provide your system specs we'll be happy to help you further.

OK, I'm not good at this, but I'll give it a shot.

Operating system is Windows XP Pro SP2
Hard Drive 120GB
Memory is 256MB
The processor is an Intel Celeron 82810 (a "value" chip, I know)
I don't think I have a separate video or sound card.

It sounds like the 3d acceleration is going to be a problem.

Lymond

Certainly seems that way. I can tell you the minimum erquirements which are printed on the box, but mostly these are just guidelines, and they can be fudged a little. Anyways, here we go, minimum requirements:
</font>

• Operating system: 98/ME/2000SP2/XP</font>
• Processor: Pentium II 450MHz (recommended:</font>
• Pentium III 800MHz)</font>
• RAM: 32MB (64MB for WinXP)</font>
• Video Card: 4MB windows compatible card.</font>
• Hard drive space: 40MB free space</font>

Thats printed on the box. Doesnt mention any 3D acceleration... but im pretty sure you'll need it.

Whast speed is your CPU rated at? You can also probably get a video card that is good enough for 50 bucks (astralian currency, YMMV).

They must have screwed up on the box White Lancer (doesn't really surprise me since the manual tends to be utter shash anyway!) - the minimum requirements from Bioware's website show:

</font>

• 96MB RAM for Win98/ME, 128 for XP MINIMUM (128/256 recommended)</font>
• Minimum 1.2GB Hard Disk space, 2.0GB recommended</font>
• 16 MB TNT2-class OpenGL 1.2 compliant video card required, NVIDIA GeForce 2/ATI Radeon recommended</font>

So without any kind of 3D acceleration this game is a definate no unfortunately. As White Lancer has said, what is the frequency of your Celeron? The 3D card looks like the only let down (unless it's a very slow Celeron) provided you can find a compatible AGP graphics card.

IF he does not have an AGP slot, you can usually still hunt down PCI graphics cards for under $120 CDN which will be more than powerful enough to run NeverWinter Nights.

How, exactly, does one find out if their graphics card is TNT2-class OpenGL 1.2 compliant? I've got a nn ancient POS graphics card, and I'm curious if it's a problem with my hardware or a driver issue that I'll have to figure out. I'm looking into NWN and don't really feel like forking out cash for something I can't use.

Easiest way it to go My Computer -> properties -> Hardware/Device Manager and see what Display Adapter you have. We should be able to tell you if it is OpenGL 1.2 compliant.

Get a geforce 2 if you wish only to play this game and nothing more. $15-$20 online, $30-$40 in stores, It won't play amazingly but it will play. I played NWN's on a PCI geforce 2 for months, worked fine for me.