Neverwinter Nights NWN User Interface UI Mods


User Interface Mods NWN1


In 2023, I run Neverwinter Nights 1 at 800x600 4:3.

Clearly, that is the resolution and aspect ratio for which NWN was designed. See how the panels fit the screenspace perfectly? See how easy the font is to read?


But yeah, I realize that some people are allergic to playing any game at resolutions lower than 1080p. But then they complain of unreadably small text and non-scaling panels. Of course, they blame BioWare for not adding a scaling widescreen-friendly UI in 2002, when such displays were pretty much non-existent outside of Silicon Valley. Anyway, I don't have a cure for their startling ignorance, but I do have a possible solution to their problem:

Enhanced GUI


Enhanced GUI is a user interface mod for Neverwinter Nights 1. Most notably, Enhanced GUI increases the size of some of the panels. Then, you can add one of its larger fonts (or keep the font small so that more text fits into the panel).


Comparison of medium and small fonts at 768px. The character record is somehwhat cut off at the right (can't see stats), but that's not a big issue since I can simply switch the order of the panel display to have the journal cut off and character record centered. Note that I'm in dialogue, too. Finally, I also don't mind the overlap due to the transparency of the panels.


Larger and more readable fonts with UI adjustments


This mod changes the font size and makes the dialogue window a bit bigger (whereas the above mod upscales more panels). The font is clearer and more readable than the older mod shown below, in my opinion.


Better Font 1


This simple override changes the font to a larger, different one. Thanks to Andrea for pointing it out to me.


Stylish GUI


It's basically just a slick reskin.


World of Aenea Transparent GUI Overhaul/Upgrade


The transparency of the examine panels is what separates this from Enhanced GUI. Also, the colorful icons are going to appeal to some people but these can be added to Enhanced GUI.


Baldur's Gate GUI


This is an override-friendly hak: use NWN Explorer Reborn to extract the files and then throw them into your override. It's actually the BG2 UI, not the original BG one. This mod is a lil' rough around the edges but it's certainly functional and I like its big buttons.


BG2 Themed GUI


This one reskinned the main and options menus but didn't mess with the in-game panels. It's more polished than the one above, though lacking the larger buttons.


Ravenloft Override GUI


A gothic horror UI made for Prisoners of the Mist, a Ravenloft persistent world. There is no reason why it can't be used in single-player mode, though.



Blue recoloring derivative for that clean, spartan look.


Fallout 44 - GUI Replacement


Another reskin, this one employing some of the aesthetics from Interplay's classic cRPG, Fallout 1. Come to think of it, the Aurora engine would be perfect for a Fallout remake, since there was limited party control in Fallout, too, and lots of role-playing options that NWN could handle with ease. One could employ D20 art and ruleset assets. Real-time world map mechanic would be the only problem, but it could be omitted.


Ultima HUD for Neverwinter Nights


All it seems to do is change a few screen pics and one icon? Still, nice starter menu backdrop.


NWN Restoration


Restores the original title screen, load screen, portraits, music etc. Below left: The one everyone has. Below right: Restored to the original.


Beyond testing them out for the purposes of this post, I don't use any of these mods on the grounds that I'm not allergic to low resolutions.

cRPG Blog Neverwinter Nights Modding Introduction
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14 comments:

  1. Enhanced GUI looks really cool.

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  2. Thanks for the list of mods, just started NWN1 and my eyes are already tired of tring to read that tiny font. I took the "Betterfont1" and it looks alot better already.

    I just discovered this blog btw, looks amazing, great job.

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    Replies
    1. Glad the blog has been of use to you, Fidiman.

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  3. Actually that Enhanced GUI makes everything huge. A pass for me.

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  4. FINALLY a mod that makes the dialogue box large enough to be usable in widescreen resolution. I've always hated that it was glued to the upper left corner, but in 1080p it is so tiny that I literally have to turn my head towards it every time, it's so inconvenient! Well, no more. Maybe that will make playing some of these modules actually enjoyable (I've barely managed to get through the premium modules, although I understand there are actually much better ones out there).

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    Replies
    1. Coming off games like BG, IWD and Fallout (in which dialogue response windows were nested centrally below the viewport), I never liked Aurora's piddly response window in the corner - even pre-widescreen era/800x600.

      In addition, I always disliked how the cam auto-zoomed into the character with whom the PC is speaking. NWN2 addressed both issues for the most part: the response window is draggable, and the auto-zooming is removed. Also, the response/feedback window font size is dead-easy to self-mod.

      Of course, official NWN2 campaigns employed cutscenes (for important conversations) but modders were never forced to employ them. Thus, a conversation can be carried out with the cam in bird's eye view (Strategy mode cam), just like 2d isometric RPGs.

      And yes, there are many community-made modules that far exceed what was churned out by BioWare's premium module programme.

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  5. AnonymousJune 22, 2019

    Dear Lilura

    My name is Squimbo and I hope this message finds you well! I have been somewhat of a Lurker on your blog (only discovered you last year). I have been playing NWN since....oh lets see, around 2008/9 and have been in love with this game ever since (stands on par with my favourite game of all time FO:NV). Recently completed the BG series opting to live a normal life rather than to be a God.

    Anyhow I was wondering what laptop do you use to play NWN? I don't have much time for gaming these days and am really not into all these new games coming out. I guess I am old school. Could you recommend me a laptop to play this game on? It would be nice if I could play it on fairly high settings without crashing; I plan to start on the Swordflight series after I finish up on the Aielund Saga (I currently go to a gaming cafe to play but they have horrendous rigs).

    Thanks a lot and stay healthy!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Squimbo. For NWN, I'd look at laptops with SSDs and Nvidia chipsets. Also, decent display size + NumPad. Good luck!

      Delete
  6. AnonymousJuly 03, 2019

    Hello, I just wanted to say that I really like your blog and overall style of how you organize information and thoughts. I share the love for all these games, so everything here is interesting to me. I just usually lurk but don't post (I learned about the blog on the Codex).

    I'm cj_nf, I made that main menu screen bg with Aribeth vs. demon several years ago on the old nwnvault. It's nothing special, so I was really glad to see you liked it (at least I guess you did).

    Keep up the good work, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I thought it was an official promo-background. Credited you under the image.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJuly 03, 2019

      Um. Well, it's basically my simple edit of two wallpapers (both are now in GOG package I think). What I really wanted to do here most of all is to make a shiny text with the eye logo (default bg's don't have the eye, what the hell). So I did. In retrospect flowers look really out of place, but for some reason I couldn't think of anything and took them from another Aribeth wallpaper.

      PS - it safely migrated to new vault btw: https://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn1/other/gui/main-menu-background-aribeth

      Delete
    3. Yeah, I already linked to it. :)

      Delete

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