I bought Mysteries of Westgate when it came out. It’s an entertaining module, but I cannot play it because it wants to authenticate on my new computer. I’m not trying to pirate the thing, but does anyone know of a way to bypass the now-defunct DRM? The program is trying to communicate with a verification server that no longer exists and now I cannot play. 
I know of the GoG version, but I don’t want to spend money for this module I already paid for.
You could try this if you still have it on your old computer or a hard drive from it… Copy the relevant folders ( campaign, modules etc. ) and stick them straight into the NWN2 ones on your new computer. There might even be something in some Mysteries of Westgate folder somewhere that gives you the ok, I don’t know but if so just put that in.
I only ever used my NWN2 discs once and after all the updates etc, copied them onto a hard drive and kept reinstalling it like that for years.
Thank you for your input!
Sadly, this is a copy of my original NWN2 installation. Even with all of the files copied over, it fails with the authentication when I try to run the module. I will try digging in the Windows registries to see if there is any kind of boolean or something hanging around in there.
I am reminded of how much time they wasted on developing this stupid form of DRM that only caused problems for legitimate consumers. It also sufficiently delayed the development of the third expansion for NWN2 as to result in its eventual cancellation.
I found some notes from forever ago concerning a reinstall of MoW. The game must be patched to 1.22 (or above?)
Before reinstalling MoW, copy the original install westgate.key and westgate.tlk into the NWN2 game root.
Next, copy original westgate.ini into the Docs/NWN2/MoW folder.
Make sure the three files are not empty. Interestingly, the ini file simply has the MoW key in it (and nothing more), listed as:
[KEY]Westgate=yourwestgatekeywithdashes
Next, try to install the game.
I’m not saying it will work. Looking into your problem a couple of days ago, I found a post from about 2013 that backed up my notes. I can’t find the post now in my browser history.
Good luck.
PS: Just keep an eye out for NWN2 Complete to go on. $9.99 sale. It’s on sale at that price about twice a year. Much simpler and avoids headaches. It’s cheaper than tacos and a soda nowadays.
Thank you for your thorough notes! I think the ini file may be what I forgot to move over. I will make a new one and see how it goes. Everything else is transferred over.
I know it is cheap to buy it on GoG, but it’s a matter of principle for me. They got my money once and that’s enough.
Just to be a little more specific, I get the impression from my notes and the post I saw a few days ago (maybe I’ll try to find it) the three files need to be moved to where they belong, first. Second, install MoW using the exe.
I don’t know. Maybe it would work just moving the three files over as well as all of the already decompressed files.
I’ve kicked around making a fresh NWN2 install using my original 10 CD version, patching it up using the original patches, installing each individual expansion (MotB/SoZ) and patching, then installing MoW and patching. I’ll do it when I can afford losing three hours of my life.
PS: My biggest score was buying several copies of NWN2 Platinum on Steam for $4.99 each during a holiday sale. Of course, those versions didn’t have MoW. They did lead to years of playing mp, though.
As a side note, years ago I gifted one of the Steam copies I bought to a very prominent NWN1/NWN2 community member (simply to make it an easier re-install for him when we were starting another mp game). What great times we, his wife, and buddies had.
Sadly, he passed away three months ago, at a young age.
Cheers, GW!
I tried the ini file trick and it did not work.
Yes, I also have the CD versions of NWN2 and the expansions. They are still in the US, I don’t have them with me here. Time is money for sure, I will probably just buy an extra copy on GoG, as much as it irks me to pay for something twice. I have no idea where the MoW exe installation app may be or if I even still have it on one of my hard drives in the US.
That is sad to hear about your friend. Life is too short, indeed.
Thanks again for your help, @Axe_Edge!