Neverwinter Nights Project Q

NWN Project Q

Project Q is a selection of superior art assets put together over the last decade by members of the Neverwinter Nights 1 community.

The following patch hak acts like an all-in-one override that enhances the graphics and sound effects in NWN. That means you won't need many of the NWN overrides such as Alternate Animations Pack, Gunner's Body Rebuild/Retexture, Creature Override Compilation and Reforged Weapons because Project Q already employs them, or their equivalent. You also won't need the tileset overrides listed in my prime write-up. Remember the NWN resource priority order, too; that is: patch hak > override. However, you can still benefit from overrides for resources that Project Q does not modify.

Now, the Project Q patch hak is not compatible with all adventure modules and campaigns. I can confirm that v2.0 works with the Original Campaign, Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark. It does not play nicely with Bastard of Kosigan, Cormyrean Nights or Honor Among Thieves (missing geometry). Note that Project Q may modifiy game mechanics in some modules, too, such as Swordflight. I particularly discourage its use with Swordflight.

These instructions were written for v2.0 before 2.2 was released. The process for 2.2 should be more or less identical.

Project Q Installation Instructions

• Step 1: Download the 7z program from here, and install it.
• Step 2: Download the Project Q combined hak pak (500mb) from here, it's this one, and extract the archive using 7z.
• Step 3: Create a folder in your main NWN install folder (e.g, C:\NWN) and call it "Patch".
• Step 4: Place the contents of the Project Q hak folder into the Patch folder, except for the !build  & !armoury haks (the former is for builders only and the latter glitches out rings, amulets and shields).
• Step 5: Use a text editor to make yourself a blank ini file and call it nwnpatch.ini. If you can't do that then just download this one and erase what's already in there. (GoG version may already have patch.ini; the retail version may not).
• Now, copy-paste this into the ini exactly how I've typed it:

[Patch]

PatchFile000=q_vfxgui

PatchFile001=q_tilesets

PatchFile002=q_sounds

PatchFile003=q_robe3

PatchFile004=q_robe2

PatchFile005=q_robe

PatchFile006=q_race2

PatchFile007=q_race

PatchFile008=q_portraits

PatchFile009=q_placeables

PatchFile010=q_items

PatchFile011=q_creatures

PatchFile012=q_2da

PatchFile013=q_!tilesets

PatchFile014=q_!tilereskins

PatchFile015=q_!fightingsfx

• Step 6: Save the file and then place it in your main NWN install folder as well.

That's it! You have just readied Project Q for pre-loading. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Project Q pioneer, Pstemarie, from whom I learned how to do this! Credit for thinking out patch haks goes to him.

Yes, Q Campaigns has already infused the Project Q haks into the official campaign modules, but it was made for an earlier version of NWN, and therefore glitches out on 1.69! It actually breaks the HotU campaign two-thirds through, too, and fixing it isn't easy. Do NOT use Q Campaigns in replacement of this patch hak method. (This is why I did not link to Q Campaigns).

Project Q Creature Comparison

Original (top row), Creature Override Compilation (middle) and Project Q (bottom).

Not all creatures are remodeled and reskinned by the override and patch hak; many of the override's are Q-approved, too. These are just a few that are definitely different. Of course, you have to take into account that Q modifies tilesets, placeables and lots of other things, too; not just monsters.

The undead from the override suck, imo. Too much LotR going on with both modded orcs, too. This is D&D guys! The original werewolf, ogre berserker, ghoul lord and troll shaman employ more interesting color palettes than both modded versions. Not every monster has to be green, black or brown.

More comparisons, just between vanilla and Q. Again, lots of green, black and brown in Q. I prefer the design and coloring of the original mummy lord, minotaur and dryad. I also don't think a Lich should be wearing the same armor as a lowly skeleton warrior, and the incorporeal elementals are a step down (just a flame effect with eyes?), but I love the wererat and mountain giant (what's wrong with their original color scheme, though?) Again, the balor lord looks like the balrog from LotR. And shouldn't the werecat be poised rather than upright when idle? A reader pointed out the inferior dire tiger, too. The original is more like a saber-toothed battle tiger, whereas the Q one looks like it should be in a zoo (pic).

Project Q Inventory Icon Comparison

Ok, let's compare inventory icons! Top row is original; bottom row is Project Q (Project Reforged by The Amethyst Dragon). Which one do you prefer?

I prefer the shiny icons of the original; love the pommels, hilts and blades. Basically, I like the original weapon adornments and their gleam. How are the PQ versions not a step down from that? Of note is that Q weapon and shield icons are rendered as per their in-game model whereas the original icons are shinier than the in-game model, which are low poly and pretty much look like crap (the NWN renderer can't handle the sort of shininess depicted in the top row). So really, what the PQ versions have going for them is icon/in-game model consistency. Shields have been improved but Armors remain untouched.

Overall, Project Q does not respect the authenticity of the original art assets as much as I would have liked. This is true of tilesets and placeables, too (everything is darker and recolored; see below). Yes, the texture resolution and poly-count is upped on modded models, but it's not all about that, is it? Still, the Q stuff is consistently high quality and a lot of people aren't nitpicky like me, which is why I've given this famous patch hak the coverage it undoubtedly deserves.

Other patch haks

• Zwerkules' Neverwinter Nights facelift haks: Facelifts placeables and six tilesets, some of which employ ceilings. I don't like some of the recolorings, though (comparison pic). Excepting the city tileset, these haks can be added to Savant's overhauled Aielund Saga (Jan-03-2018).
• Vives Facelift Compilation, aka Llyra - Optional Content: Adding to the above, this one facelifts creatures and four more tilesets in addition (comparison pic).

cRPG Blog	Neverwinter Nights Modding Introduction
Neverwinter Nights 1	Neverwinter Nights Project Q
Neverwinter Nights Installation	Neverwinter Nights CEP
Neverwinter Nights Best Builds	Neverwinter Nights NW Shader
Neverwinter Nights Spells	Neverwinter Nights User Interface Mods
Neverwinter Nights Mods	Neverwinter Nights Overrides
Neverwinter Nights Modules	Neverwinter Nights Tileset Overrides