This program is used to copy the portion of the files needed to run a dedicated server to a new folder which you can upload to your server. A dedicated server is not used to play the game, but rather to host a networked game which is played by users with normal copies of the game. This folder must then be copied somehow to your server. The advantage is files that are needed by server are all moved for you, ignoring files that are only needed by a player, which results in a very small total file size. The actual files themselves are the exact same as those in your program directory, it merely copies them for you.

This process creates a very lightweight dedicated server install that is of use mostly if you have limited access to your server ( such as if it's remotely hosted). However, the actual dedicated server program itself is the same as the one we've had all along, so you can continue to use the setup that you have without any problems.

You will need to re-run the tool after each patch, to ensure that the dedicated server receives the same updates. The patcher only patches your actual install, and not rerunning can cause issues because of version differences.

Original Version was Released 10 August 2007. It had issues where it did not copy all the files. Users could copy the missing files to the folder that was created after this program is run. An updated version that corrects this problem was released on 25 April 2008.

Download http://nwn2patch.obsidian.net/files/DSC/DedicatedServerCreator.zip

Run the "NWN2_DedicatedServerCreator.exe" that it contains on the machine with NWN2 installed on it.

It says upon startup "Would you like to be able to host games based on the NWN2 Original Campaign? Selecting no will save approximately 2.8GB from your install, but you will be unable to start new games based on the NWN2 Original Campaign."

Yes should be selected if you want to host the OC. No if you have your own module or PW that you are going to host. ( Without OC or MOTB install size is 41.2 MB )

It says upon startup "Would you like to be able to host games based on the NWN2 Expansion: Mask of the Betrayer? Selecting no will save approximately 1.3GB from your install, but you will be unable to start new games based on the NWN2 Expansion: Mask of the Betrayer."

Yes should be selected if you want to host MOTB games. Again select No if you have your own module or PW that you are going to host.

Browse for the folder you want the files saved to. It defaults to "C:\Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2 - Dedicated Server"

Click Install

Click Close

Makes a folder you can then zip and upload to your server which does not have NWN2 installed on it. The computer you install this onto needs to have .Net 2.0 installed on it. ( http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&DisplayLang=en )

Rerun this program after each patch - so the patch files get to the server.

If you run more than one nwn2server at the same time they will all save their temporary files in the same location (which blocks certain functionalities, like instance creation). Be sure to give each server its own temporary file location to avoid this problem (NWNX allows this through nwnx.ini).

http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=579520&forum=118&highlight=dedicated%20server