Before sending my money with PayPal, I didn't read anywhere that I was buying something that wouldn't function until I sent off for and received keys by e-mail.

Why isn't anyone at least intelligent enough to realize after so many complaints that people buying the game may want to actually RUN the game, so that the keys aren't immediately ordered or acquired when there is a purchase without the buyer having to request them?

I really don't get it.

The game page for NWN states :

Multiplayer notice: online multiplayer mode is available after register your unique CD-key for the game. For details see: Support.

The linked support page states :

To play Neverwinter Nights online, you will require a unique CD key....

Online distribution stores only have a limited number of registration keys at any one time, They have to request new ones from the publisher. Steam, for instance, has run out of keys for a number of games (eg Risen), leaving the buyers unable to play the game for a while.

And you don't need the key to run NWN - it's to connect to servers and/or other copies of the game.

What I really don't get is how you can post this without paying attention to all the other threads about this subject. You don't need CD keys to download, install and run the game. You only need CD Keys if you want to play it online. This is only a big deal if you want multiplayer NWN. Me personally, I rarely, if ever, play NWN online so it matters very little to me if I get the keys or not. I have them, but it's not important, so I haven't really bothered plugging in the CD Keys into the game. It doesn't prevent me from playing the game single player.

I personally have played NWN 1 for HUNDREDS of hours without even touching multiplayer, and it should not take more than 72 hours MAX before you get your CD-Key.

I can't play single player either!

After installing, trying to play single player, the first thing I see is a window with blanks to fill in the CD-key, which I don't have. Since I don't have the key, I then get booted out of the game back to the prompt.

So I can't play at all. I'm not even interested in playing multiplayer, at least yet.

It may be that the game launches differently when trying to play under Linux, which I am. I installed it following the instructions on the site here:
http://www.gog.com/en/forum/neverwinter_nights_diamond/linux_playability/?search=linux

So if others can play the game fine without the CD-key, I am glad for them.

But if I can't, I think a refund is in order and my message still goes out to all those who try to play under linux (if that is the problem, which I don't know for sure yet).

Seems to me that even for those wanting to play multiplayer who don't have their keys this problem is pretty asinine, though. I would at least inform people that they need to wait for keys to play multiplayer at the time they are buying the game.

You can find the GOG-standard CD Keys in the nwncdkey.ini file in your NWN directory. It would indeed be silly for them not to at least include that.

you can't blame GoG because you are having problems trying to install on LINUX, they never say that their version even supports it.

You do realize that you have to do the SLIGHTEST bit of research before you can expect this to work right out of the box, and even more so on Linux.

If you take one look at these forums or on the games page these questions would stop popping up, and if you don't its YOUR fault, not gog's.

FROM THE GAMES PAGE:

Multiplayer notice: online multiplayer mode is available after register your unique CD-key for the game. For details see: Support.

when you click the link for support you get this:
Please contact us through this support form and select "multiplayer key request" in the "I have a problem with:" drop-down menu. We will send you the CD key along with additional instructions.

I really don't see why people have any trouble understanding this, unless they are from a country in which english is not spoken, there is NO excuse, this is not 8 pt. font, and gog is not doing anything to hide this(its in bold after all).

Sorry if I sound a little angry, but I am, there are some decent posts on this forum, but when 90% of the threads are "why do I have to ask for a CD-Key", it gets a little annoying.

The difference here being that the OP is not looking to play multiplayer, so instructions on obtaining a multiplayer CD Key are not something they would be looking for. Considering the situation of having to manually enter the CD Keys upon first run, I'm surprised the referenced linux install post does not make any mention of how to use the CD Keys that are installed with the GOG version.

Personally I am just so happy that they have finally released this game for buying on the internet that I possibly can't complain about anything :-P

Actually Mattoco, I had looked in the nwncdkey.ini file and there were no keys in it; just a warning not to share the (not included) keys with anyone. If that is where they were supposed to be, I think I couldn't have played single player in Windows, either.

But GOG has sent me a file that is supposed to provide the keys, probably about as soon as they could (Monday morning for them), so I appreciate it.

I still suggest that at the time of purchase they check more carefully that keys are there for single player, and for multiplayer make the key situation perfectly clear so that people aren't surprised and dissappointed. I hope they have great success so that they can keep providing the fun older games.

As I and many others have stated, they do provide CD-Keys for single player, and I and almost everyone else had no trouble. You, on the other hand, are using Linux, they can not guarantee you a CD-Key at time of purchase, and frankly they don't even need to answer any support requests you have, you CHOOSE to use an unsupported OS, and you have to accept what that means.

EDIT: Also, just read back over your first post, and insulting the creators of gog because they do not support your OS is quite unnecessary.

I don't know how 500 pt font would look on a website. It would have to take something like that for anyone who can't see the "key situation" outlined on the website.

Something must have gone awry with your installation--you did look in the nwncdkey.ini file from when you used WINE to install the GOG files, not wherever you put the required native linux files (which may very well contain a blank nwncdkey.ini file, causing the game to prompt you for CD Keys), assuming the two locations were different?

I have windows, and I didn't need the keys to play single player. The problem must be on your side, especially if you are using an OS that is not supported.

Just a quick question if anyone is still following - Can an original key from a retail version that I own be used with the GOG version?