Avlis NWN EE: Public OOC Beta (Concluded)

[Hamlet]

Avlis NWN EE: Public OOC Beta Launch

[Hamlet]

WHEN:

Public OOC Beta launch will take place on the first weekend of September 2022 (Sep 03rd - 04th).

WHAT:

The Avlis NWN EE (Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition) test servers will be open to players throughout September. We will have some fun activities during opening weekend, though!

Any and all interactions on the test servers are OOC (Out of Character).

WHY:

Find & file bugs! Be nosy. Explore. Hunt. Gather. Craft. Open stuff. Break things. Fight monsters. Do quests. Report issues in the bug tracker. That’s what our test environment is all about. Remember, everything is OOC so let loose!

HOW:

Obtain & Install NWN EE

Several vendors offer NWN EE right now.

We have published NWN EE installation walkthroughs on the Avlis Wiki for:

• GOG: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_GOG_Galaxy
• Steam: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_Steam

You can find recent NWN EE discount offers here:

• NWN: Enhanced Edition On Sale
  viewtopic.php?f=24&t=141699

Copy Your CD Keys and Register Your Player Name

1. Copy your nwncdkey.ini file from your old NWN v. 1.69 installation to your NWN EE installation.
Instructions here:

• GOG: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_GOG_Gal ... y_Transfer
• Steam: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_Steam#CD_Key_Transfer

2. ONLY THEN connect to NWN EE multiplayer.

3. You will be prompted to create a NWN EE player name. Enter your pre-EE player name (what used to be known as Gamespy ID or GSID), that you use on Avlis.

The player name is case-sensitive (e.g. Orleron is not orleron).

Authentication

At this time, Beamdog uses a combination of player names and CD keys for authentication purposes (refer to this Beamdog forum post and Beamdog FAQ #39).

Avlis uses an additional authentication layer. Essentially, we compare the player name and NWN v. 1.69 CD keys to our old (pre-EE) player data.

BOTH your player name and your NWN v. 1.69 CD keys need to match our records, in order to allow access to your old (pre-EE) Avlis characters.

Note: If you enter your old Avlis player login and find that your player name is already in use: [1] Check spelling (case-sensitive), [2] make sure that you've followed the instructions to copy your old nwncdkey.ini file over correctly, [3] PM avliswebadmin with the details.

Connect to the Avlis NWN EE OOC Beta Testing Servers

To be announced Sep 03rd! In the meantime, you can set up the game and your player login.

Direct connect (click here to see how):

Code: Select all

 Deglos - ee.avlis.org:5125
 Elysia - ee.avlis.org:5123
 Ferrell - ee.avlis.org:5126
 Le'Or - ee.avlis.org:5124
 M'chek - ee.avlis.org:5131
 Mikona - ee.avlis.org:5121
 Underdark - ee.avlis.org:5130
 Visimontium - ee.avlis.org:5129
 Wilderness - ee.avlis.org:5122 
 ---
 Player Password: AvlisBetaTest

WHAT TO EXPECT

Opening Weekend (Sep 03rd – 04th)

The Event DM team will be active on the test servers during the opening weekend. Dungeon Masters have things to test, too – and that includes events!

Any DM (and player) activity on the test servers remains OOC (Out of Character).

Beta Test Server Specific

1. Character Vault

The test server uses a recent snapshot of the live server database (July 2022). This means that you will see a recent version of your Avlis PCs on login, as well as recent inventory of persistent storage and merchants, inn room bookings, completed quests, etc.

This is just a copy for testing purposes. What you do on the test server will not affect your current (or future) Avlis PCs and properties, in any way. Remember, everything is OOC.

2. Server Transition

You will be able to log into any of the 9 test servers at will. The 1 hour wait time has been waived in our test environment.

Avlis & NWN EE Specific

1. No More Needed Files, No More Haks!

Avlis NWN EE uses nwsync. Required content is automatically downloaded the first time you log into an Avlis NWN EE server (long wait time). When we publish updates, they will be automatically downloaded on your next login (minimal wait time, chances are you won't even notice).

2. Character Creation

In NWN EE, you can choose an Avlis custom race at character creation, as opposed to In Game. This will include custom heads and voicesets (no more overrides). We are working on incorporating the many custom portraits as well.

3. Load Time Compared to Current

On login, you might notice a slight delay before your list of Player Characters appears. A few Avlis features, such as custom spellbooks, may take a second to kick in. Area load times may vary as well, since NWN EE stores a lot more information per object. Beamdog continues to publish optimizations to improve performance.

Q&A

Q: What are the system requirements to run NWN EE?
A: System requirements are published on the vendor websites.

GOG: https://www.gog.com/en/game/neverwinter ... ition_pack
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/7044 ... d_Edition/

Q: Will installing NWN EE interfere with my non-EE NWN installation?
A: No.

Q: What version of NWN EE do I need to be on?
A: Test server is on 8193.34 (latest public release as of the time of this post). If you are not on that exact version, you can still login but any bug you find will have to be verified on .34.

Q: So, I have to use a copy of my non-EE CD keys for NWN EE. Will that affect my non-EE NWN login?
A: No.

Q: I have several NWN v. 1.69 accounts (what used to be known as Gamespy ID or GSID) and I use one and the same CD key file for all of them. Will that be an issue?
A: No, this should work same as before. Migrate your nwncdkey.ini file as above. Change your player name in NWN EE as needed (click here to see how).

Q: I have regularly played on Avlis NWN v. 1.69 with several CD keys. Which one(s) should I use?
A: Our recommendation would be to stick to one. Should not matter which one.

Q: Where can I find more information on the use of CD keys in Avlis 1.69 (non-EE) and Avlis EE?
A: Check "What is the role of CD keys on Avlis EE and Avlis 1.69?" on the Avlis Wiki. It is included in both the Steam and the GOG pages.

Q: I played many years ago and I have absolutely NO way of retrieving my old CD keys. What do I do to get access to my characters again?
A: PM avliswebadmin

Q: How can I create custom Avlis content (e.g. Player Housing), if there are no .hak and .tlk files to download?
A: Builders resources will be published separately!

Q: What happens after the Public OOC Beta ends (September 30th)?
A: Public access to our test environment ends. The non-EE Avlis servers are shut down, database migration takes place and the Avlis NWN EE servers go live. We are aiming for that same weekend (October 1st - 2nd) and will communicate any delays accordingly. We have notified the CoPaP world leaders on the CoPaP-Collaboration Discord server.

Note: Right now, this means you have 1.5 months to decide what to do with your PCs who have connections to other CoPaP worlds (Arkaz, Tairis'nadur, Ysgard & Hala). Remember, the portals linking Avlis to other CoPaP worlds will not be functional after Avlis transitions to NWN EE. If and when other CoPaP worlds decide to migrate to NWN EE, we will look into options to re-link.

[Darkfire]

[Silkhands]

It's been several years since I played and I don't have my old NWN CD keys.

What do I do?

[Hamlet]

It's been several years since I played and I don't have my old NWN CD keys.

What do I do?

PM avliswebadmin with your GSID(s).

[Sathsarrion]

It's been several years since I played and I don't have my old NWN CD keys.

What do I do?

If you still have the game installed, you can retrieve the keys by opening the file called nwncdkey.ini in notepad.

[Ezekiel]

If you access NWN from two different computers, each with their own set of CD keys, will I still be able access my characters from either computer after EE becomes live? (i.e., my characters are linked to more then one CD key). Thanks.

[krackq]

If you access NWN from two different computers, each with their own set of CD keys, will I still be able access my characters from either computer after EE becomes live? (i.e., my characters are linked to more then one CD key). Thanks.

This is a good question. We're opting for the setting to store characters by login name still on the back end. There are things that link your login name with your EE key. I'd like to say it will work like we're used to but when the beta goes live soon, it's worth testing this out if you don't mind.

[Hamlet]

Updated the Q&A above.

The Beta testing phase will help identify any problems.

[Akai]

Remember, the portals linking Avlis to other CoPaP worlds will not be functional after Avlis transitions to NWN EE. If and when other CoPaP worlds decide to migrate to NWN EE, we will look into options to re-link.

If anyone knows of any options to re-link, please do not wait to let the other world teams know of these options! The other worlds have in fact decided to migrate to NWN EE, and the main thing holding us back from a full-scale effort after Avlis' model is that we do not know how to re-link after.

(If you don't know who on Ysgard/Arkaz/Tairis to speak to about your idea for re-linking, please contact Rudiki, who can direct the idea to the right person.)

[Hamlet]

If anyone knows of any options to re-link, please do not wait to let the other world teams know of these options!

We have notified the CoPaP world leaders on the CoPaP-Collaboration Discord server.

Hi there! The leaders and server administrators of CoPaP worlds share several Discord servers. This is one of them. It is where we communicate and coordinate. If you deem that a specific contact person should be included, please reach out to the respective world's admins. See also: viewtopic.php?p=1465214#p1465214

[Akai]

Thanks for the info! And thanks also to everyone helping via that channel!

(Anyone who has an idea who does not have access to that channel, please do reach out via other means!)

[Silkhands]

Thank you both for the help. I do think I can access the keys from my old laptop. I just have my fingers and toes crossed that the person I loaned it to hasn't uninstalled the game!

[downsystem]

1. Copy your CD keys from your old NWN installation to the NWN EE installation.
GOG: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_GOG_Gal ... y_Transfer
Steam: https://wiki.avlis.org/Avlis:EE_Steam#CD_Key_Transfer
2. ONLY THEN connect to NWN EE multiplayer.

3. You will be prompted to create an NWN EE player name. Enter your non-EE player name (what used to be known as Gamespy ID or GSID), that you use on Avlis.

In order to get certain things like my logger, I needed to get NWN EE going and this guide wasn't up a month or so ago when I started doing this setup.

I did log into NWN EE multi-player but didn't access any EE Game modules on it. Will this cause issues with step 2?

[Ambrosia]

Running EE early isn't a problem. Feel free to follow the rest of the steps to join Avlis EE. You might need to change usernames if you didn't use your old GSID when you set up your EE multiplayer account originally.

from the main menu go to options, game options
then multiplayer at the bottom left
and just change your player name at the top

Which, by the way, are the steps everyone can use if they have an existing alt account. AKA, that's how you would switch between accounts and get access to those characters.

[Hamlet]

Connect to the Avlis NWN EE OOC Beta Testing Servers

Direct connect (click here to see how):

Code: Select all

 Deglos - ee.avlis.org:5125
 Elysia - ee.avlis.org:5123
 Ferrell - ee.avlis.org:5126
 Le'Or - ee.avlis.org:5124
 M'chek - ee.avlis.org:5131
 Mikona - ee.avlis.org:5121
 Underdark - ee.avlis.org:5130
 Visimontium - ee.avlis.org:5129
 Wilderness - ee.avlis.org:5122 
 ---
 Player Password: AvlisBetaTest

Remember to review the CD Key Migration instructions.

[Sarmanos]

FIRST BLOOD

[tindertwiggy]

I moved the cd-key file and am using my avlis login and I still get "your player name is in use".

[tindertwiggy]

I moved the cd-key file and am using my avlis login and I still get "your player name is in use".

I've had a few different sets of cd-keys over the years. The ones I have now are probably not the ones that the Avlis database first associated with my gsid, if that makes a difference.

[scaylz]

I moved the cd-key file and am using my avlis login and I still get "your player name is in use".

I've had a few different sets of cd-keys over the years. The ones I have now are probably not the ones that the Avlis database first associated with my gsid, if that makes a difference.

There had been instructions in this thread for that message, but they seem to be gone. If you get that message, it had said to PM avliswebadmin with your player name, and they will sort you out.

[Hamlet]

There had been instructions in this thread for that message, but they seem to be gone. If you get that message, it had said to PM avliswebadmin with your player name, and they will sort you out.

See the Authentication section.

Note: If you enter your old Avlis player login and find that your player name is already in use: [1] Check spelling (case-sensitive), [2] make sure that you've followed the instructions to copy your old nwncdkey file over correctly, [3] PM avliswebadmin with the details.

[tindertwiggy]

Thanks!

[Hamlet]

For those of you who submit bugs, please remember to check back on them -- sometimes we need more information, or we have made a change and a new check is required. The same is reflected in the bug comments. We may also look for you on Discord.

[Hamlet]

The NWN EE Beta servers will remain open to the public through Friday & Saturday, with some interruptions.

Those who submitted bug reports, keep in mind we may be looking for you on our Discord server (Chat with the Team).