Neverwinter Nights 2 Fiasco

[Skysect]

I am very angry these days . I have too many reasons for it . My favorite game ruined by publishers . I don't know to start from which fiasco . Come here and take a look . This is my story . I really enjoyed when I playing this series and bought three copy of first game's Diamond Edition . Later I bought two copy of second game's Platinum Edition . Then what was happened ? 5 months ago I saw GOG.com take the distrubition rights of the game from Hasbro . I was very happy these days . Because I will touch first time Neverwinter Nights Complete Edition and Mysteries of Westgate expansion . This is an instant buy for me . But this story not end here and this one hasn't a happy end .

When I got my Complete Edition I started to write scripts for myself . Later I discovered something in the game files . I checked their names , modification dates , hashes/checksums ... What I see ? Game files are  changed after the release of Platinum Edition . Why ? This game is already DRM-free . Thanks god Obsidian did it for us with latest patch . Then I try to find answers for myself .

 

1. I send some tickets and mails to GOG.com and asked to why these files are changed ? This one happened 5 months ago . They said some of them are changed for compability settings and some of are them modified but this is secret info . What ? Which secret ? (It will be TOP SECRET)

 

2. I searched answers many times in BioWare Social Network but no one knows the answers .

 

3. Last couple of days ago , my mail and ticket traffic was started again .

 

4. Firstly I asked in BSN again and they have some suggestions for me . What's are them ? Asking GOG.com or Hasbro . I tried again .

 

5. Secondly I found a wrong e-mail address and mailed Hasbro AU instead of Hasbro US . Because they are changed their mailing system . I asked these infos :

Hi dear Hasbro . I have original boxed copy of Neverwinter Nights 2 Platinum Edition . Later 4 months ago GOG released Neverwinter Nights 2 Complete Edition . I bought it for Mysteries of Westgate adventure pack . Later I installed and checked game files . I discovered some files are changed or modified . They are
nwloader.exe ,
nwn2.exe ,
NWN2Launcher.exe ,
nwn2main.exe ,
nwn2main_amdxp.exe and dialog.TLK ,
NeverwinterIIGDF.dll .
Also I noticed some files in \NWN2Toolset\Plugins\es are different . I asked this to GOG.com . And they said they are compability changes . Then I opened exe files with a hex editor and what I saw ? Only one character changed space in all files . And latest known official patch also removes DRM . It's not related DRM removal issue . Later then I asked why dialog.TLK and other files are changed again , this GOG technical support guys said to me this is a secret info . And we can't give it to you . I am shocked again . After the last official patch , there is no more official changes in game files but what they are changed . I can't get answer from GOG.com . Later I asked it to some community members and anyone knows the answer and they said to me why not asking it to Hasbro . They are the publisher of game . And I am asking these questions to you . Would you answer and help me please ?

 Then I get these answer This is very funny

Hi Cenk,
Unfortunately, I cannot assist you with this enquiry.
Hasbro and Hasbro Interactive no longer manufacture or distribute CD-ROM titles or computer software. We now license Electronic Arts to produce, distribute and support them. Please forward your enquiry to Electronic Arts, their website is www.electronicarts.com.au
For Technical Support in Australia: please call 1902 261 600. Calls are charged at $2.48 (inc GST) per minute. For email support, please email easupport@sirius.com.au  For international web supports please visit http://support.ea.com
The Australian contact number is:02 8569 1201
Regards

6. Later I contacted with EA support and they said it's impossible . They are shocked and said we can't help you . You need to contact GOG.com or Atari . And I said Atari won't help me . They are no longer publisher of this game and they are in bankruptcy . Then I send mails and tickets to GOG.com again and later I get some answers .

Hello,
The dialog.tlk file has been changed on my request, to change the contents of some menu items (I think it was some cd-key related stuff). To my knowledge, the other files are as they were when we got them from Hasbro. Our tech wizards did have some trouble removing DRM from Mysteries of Westgate, but I'm not sure if it resulted in any file modifications.
Regards,
GOG.com Support

7. Later I sent same tickets and mails to Hasbro US and get these answers .

Hello Cenk,
Thank you for your email in regards to your Neverwinter Nights 2. I will be happy to help you.
I am sorry you are running into issues with the files. Hasbro does not make this version of the game. You would need to contact GOG directly to discuss the issues you are experiencing with the download.
We appreciate your understanding in this matter. Have a great day!

 And I said this to them

Yes I tried this and asked GOG.com but they are said to me Hasbro directly gave this game to us . Hasbro provide the game files . They said this .

Later I get this one from them

Hi Cenk,
Thank you for contacting us again.
We are sorry but we are unable to assist you with your inquiry. Because this is a Dungeons and Dragons game, you will have to contact Wizards of the Coast handles, our sister company.
Please visit their web site at www.wizards.com/customerservice. You may find the answer to your question in their FAQ section. If you can’t find your answer there, you can submit an e-mail using their E-mail Us system, or call Wizards of the Coast Customer Service at 1-800-324-6496 during their normal business hours.
Thanks!

8. After all of them I asked same ones to the Wizard of the Coast . And get these ones .

Hello Cenk,
Thank you for contacting Wizards of the Coast Game Support!
Unfortunately Wizards of the Coast does not have the ability to provide technical support for Neverwinter Nights 2: Platinum Edition, as that product is no longer in print. We appreciate your patience in this regard. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us again at your earliest convenience.
Take care and good gaming!
We would appreciate your feedback on the service we are providing you.  Please click here to fill out a short questionnaire.
Online Response Crew
Wizards of the Coast
1-800-324-6496 (US and Canada)
425-204-8069 (From all other countries)
Monday-Sunday 7am-7pm PST / 10am-10pm EST

This is really big fiasco for me . Too many companies still selling this game (GOG.com/Gamers Gate/GameStop) but nobody knows the answers . I think this is my last chance to ask all of them here (In developer's website) Ok I starting and my questions are here

 

- I want to know Neverwinter Nights 2 Platinum Edition + Mysteries of Westgate (or Complete Edition) creates which registry entries ? I want to know all of them .

 

- NeverwinterIIGDF.dll what is this file ? Original boxed copy of game have a NWN2GDF.dll but they are completely different . This game really needs this file when Mysteries of Westgate pack installed ? or it's completely suspicious file ?

 

- nwloader.exe ,
nwn2.exe ,
NWN2Launcher.exe ,
nwn2main.exe ,
nwn2main_amdxp.exe ,

dialog.TLK and some of files in \NWN2Toolset\Plugins\es these files are need to modifications after Mysteries of Westgate pack installed ?

 

I think all of my questions are not releated secret info and I think only developers could answers in this situation . I need to thank you for this amazing game . It's my favorite game for all times . And I waiting your answers and thank you again for everything

 

- Cenk ,

Biggest NWN2 Fan

[LadyCrimson]

While I can understand wanting to know what changes were made, I'm not sure I'm seeing the "fiasco" here. What exactly are you worried about? That GoG is spying on you with secret changes to the exe files?

 

Does GoG's version of the game have trouble with some mods that you want to use/create?

[Skysect]

Support departments messages are fiasco for me . This is not GOG.com's problem . This problems related by who and why changed these files and if him/her changed why saying wrong things ? After them all I learned one thing " Don't waste of your time with support mails or tickets "  I worried about this thing " I bought this game many times but don't know which files are latest or best or changed with obselote things . If they don't needs these changes I will stick my original files . I am writing some scripts and modded files and I need to know them .

[Semper]

i highly doubt that the changes of those files interfere with your custom scripts. if so there already would be tons of threads at gog.com mentioning such corrupt behaviour.

[Skysect]

So if they are real changes the answer is yes it will be . But otherwise answers are will be different . I saw many threads on GOG.com but don't know the real reason . Maybe it's about same changes

[LadyCrimson]

I see. Well, sadly I don't know any definitive answers but having used GoG's game versions for a while now, I'd say it's probably what they say it is ... just changes for compatibility reasons. They may not want to give out exactly what changes are made because they don't want their method of compatibility fixes to be emulated by others for some reason, perhaps even legal clause reasons. The changes made likely have nothing to do with the mod making aspect.

 

In terms of support services ... I'm with you there. I rarely bother, simply because my experiences with such have rarely had a good outcome.

[Skysect]

I won't trust this answer never . Because I said in my messages . I reviewed them in hex editor (and compared them with latest official ones) and only some bytes of are changed with a space . I don't think it makes them more compatible . And my next mails and tickets shed to light this question . Second time GOG.com said to me "We only modified dialog.tlk file , other files are provided by Hasbro . "

Edited June 28, 2013 by Kyonhism

[Zoraptor]

For GOG specifically they have both DRM free and 64 bit compatible versions* which makes them different from others on sale. If the only changes are single bits then its likely to be some sort of boolean true false turning on/ off something that causes problems and that's about it (eg maybe turning off the update system since it's now unnecessary for the GOG release and could cause problems). Doubtful there's any real point asking here for an official response though, none of the support replies say that Obsidian implemented the changes, and anything from users will be speculation.

 

*I've never had any problems running my disk version on 7/64, but Gamersgate for example has securom, and notes 64 bit incompatibility.

[Skysect]

Guys you are missing a point here . I don't say it's GOG.com's fault . And best is GOG.com's support in all of these support departments . And I asked them in here because , only developers know my two question's full answer . And for file modifications , if latest Platinum Edition + MoW installation doesn't need them probably we don't need them too .

[Sensuki]

Classic passing of the buck.

[pmp10]

I doubt you will ever get to anyone responsible for these changes or get any documentation.

If you need to know what the changes do you'll just have to debug them.

[Semper]

 if latest Platinum Edition + MoW installation doesn't need them probably we don't need them too .

 

i still don't fully understand your stress level. just install the files from gog.com and test your custom content. if there're no issues simply stay with the files. if all goes wrong swap them with the last official ones or install your platinum edition. to say that publishers ruined your game experience is going way overboard. just be happy that you're still able to buy nwn2+exp+mow as a package. your rant's totally arbitrary.

[Skysect]

 

 if latest Platinum Edition + MoW installation doesn't need them probably we don't need them too .

 

i still don't fully understand your stress level. just install the files from gog.com and test your custom content. if there're no issues simply stay with the files. if all goes wrong swap them with the last official ones or install your platinum edition. to say that publishers ruined your game experience is going way overboard. just be happy that you're still able to buy nwn2+exp+mow as a package. your rant's totally arbitrary.

 

 

No it's not totally . Because this is only legal way for buy MoW these days . Why I bought it ? This is the main reason . If it's already selling somewhere seperately I will bought it but it's not .

[Semper]

well, there're only two options:

1) quit whining and play with those altered files from gog.

2) quit playing mow.

 

bonus option would be to use the gog installer and swap out those horrible files with the last official ones from the platinum edition. if it works that way there should be nothing left to complain about.

[Skysect]

Today my close friend show his MoW files to me . He bought it ages age from an online store . I reviewed them and realised somethings . In GOG.com version's westgate.ini and westgate.key files are obselote now . They are in main folder . Because my friends MoW files are completely encrypted and needs activation . But GOG's MoW files are decrypted and don't need this . I saw all registry files also It seems we only don't know NeverwinterIIGDF.dll . Anything about it . Probably another obselote file . All of other changes are pile of sh*t made by Hasbro or a secret people .

 

@Semper I am not whining really . It's customer rights .

Edited June 29, 2013 by Kyonhism

[Elerond]

Did you ask from Ossian Studios about changes, as they are studio that made MoW, so they may know who had supporting responsibility for it.

[Skysect]

No I only not asked them , I will send an e-mail . Because I heard they help GOG.com for make DRM-free version . But all of these shows nothing releated GOG.com or other digital retailers . It seems every other file changes are made by Hasbro and we don't know the reason . 

[pmp10]

@Semper I am not whining really . It's customer rights .

You don't really have to right to know every detail of software you use.

It just needs to fulfill certain requirements.

[Monte Carlo]

It can't be a coincidence that this happened at roughly the same time the PRISM program got busted. I think the NSA are using a third party expansion pack for a dead video game to ascertain the everyday movements of Kyonhism.

[Skysect]

Why you are kidding with me ? I don't think it's funny . I asked only questions . Give answers or don't , please don't try trolling .

[Darren Monahan]

Hi Kyonhism,

 

When we originally created the gdf dll, it was just designed as a helper file to support Windows' Games Explorer app. While we (Obsidian) haven't made any other versions of the game besides the retail disc versions and one for digital sales, it's quite likely that this file will differ between distributors, as it probably will contain updated support contact information, etc.

 

I'm not really sure why the other files would have been changed (but I've also not really looked at any of the code and the like for about five years now. ) It's very unlikely the modifications made contain new DRM or tracking information, especially if it's just a few bytes here and there. It may be exactly what support is saying. I'd suggest the same thing the folks above are suggesting by playtesting.

 

Thanks for your continued interest in the game too!

[Skysect]

Hi Kyonhism,

 

When we originally created the gdf dll, it was just designed as a helper file to support Windows' Games Explorer app. While we (Obsidian) haven't made any other versions of the game besides the retail disc versions and one for digital sales, it's quite likely that this file will differ between distributors, as it probably will contain updated support contact information, etc.

 

I'm not really sure why the other files would have been changed (but I've also not really looked at any of the code and the like for about five years now. ) It's very unlikely the modifications made contain new DRM or tracking information, especially if it's just a few bytes here and there. It may be exactly what support is saying. I'd suggest the same thing the folks above are suggesting by playtesting.

 

Thanks for your continued interest in the game too!

 

Finally I think all mysteries are solved in my mind When I delete these GDF files , I tried to play game without them , I saw they are not critical files . But these answers completely explains everything . In this situation I haven't any problems with my installer files . I made it for myself from my Platinum Edition disk files . Now I will integrate them to DRM-free Mysteries of Westgate files and now everything will be complete I am really happy now . I don't know how to thank you enough :D

Edited July 1, 2013 by Kyonhism

[Monte Carlo]

I am kidding with you because your over-inflated sense of drama and acute paranoia amuses me.

[Stephen Amber]

I am kidding with you because your over-inflated sense of drama and acute paranoia amuses me.

lives are at stake here...