Nostalgic Mod

This mod aims to preserve the original Gothic II feeling while adding a few quality-of-life improvements and additions, especially a full version of the Valley of the Mines. It provides installation instructions here which I adapted for my personal taste and added a few other mods.

Manual Instructions

1. Install base game with patches as described above
2. (Optional) Install Ninja
3. (Optional) Install D3D11 Renderer (with DLL override and LAA hack)
4. Install Nostalgic mod (optionally with additional textures and dialog animations)
5. (Optional) Install functional mods you like
6. In Systempack.ini set InteractionCollision=0 and EnableShields=1
7. Start the game with $BASE_DIR/system/GothicStarter.exe

A Lutris installation script automating this procedure can be found below

Since this mod already includes some of the features other mods give you, you don’t need to add much. Personally, I added the Sprint mod (which needs PatchMenu) for more control over this and OrderedLogs. Sprinting is supposedly already included in the mod but I think it’s not configurable so I added it myself. Quicklooting and quicksave slots are already included.

Finally, start the game and change the settings to your liking of which there are quite a few. Specifically the options around friendly focus and friendly fire are worth considering because this makes having companions much nicer. Enjoy!

Lutris Install Script

description: "Installer for Gothic II Gold with Nostalgic mod, D3D11 renderer activated and support for Ninja and Union mods"
game_slug: gothic-ii-gold-edition
gogslug: gothic_2_gold_edition
installer_slug: gothic2-gog
name: "Gothic II: Gold - Nostalgic Edition"
slug: gothic2-gog
gogid: 1207658718
version: GOG
year: 2003
notes:
  "Hassle free installer of Gothic II GOG version with Nostalgic mod. Click \"Continue\" button in\
  \ any pop-up during the installation. Please be patient, some steps take time to\
  \ execute."
runner: wine
script:
  files:
    - setup: N/A:Select the GOG game setup file
    - nostalgic:
        filename: NostalgicEdition-2.9.5.exe-20231121T191428Z-001.zip
        url: https://cloud.bfloeser.de/s/pzQJBdwRDGY92bS/download/NostalgicEdition-2.9.5.exe-20231121T191428Z-001.zip
    - textures:
        filename: TexturePack Artemiano Gothic II - Nostalgic Edition.vdf-20231121T191552Z-001.zip
        url: https://cloud.bfloeser.de/s/NYWCGmaQ9Qb82FA/download/TexturePack%20Artemiano%20Gothic%20II%20-%20Nostalgic%20Edition.vdf-20231121T191552Z-001.zip
    - animations:
        filename: Standanimation.vdf
        url: https://cloud.bfloeser.de/s/dA22czHS96BmdPt/download/Standanimation.vdf
    - report_version:
        filename: gothic2_fix-2.6.0.0-rev2.exe
        url: https://www.worldofgothic.de/download.php?id=833
    - union:
        filename: Union_1.0m_26.06.2022.exe
        url: https://www.worldofgothic.de/download.php?id=1625
    - ninja: https://github.com/szapp/Ninja/releases/download/v4.1.16/Ninja-4.1.16.exe
    - gd3d11: https://github.com/kirides/GD3D11/releases/download/v17.9.7/GD3D11-v17.9.7.zip
    - laa:
        filename: LaaHack.zip
        url: https://www.worldofgothic.de/download.php?id=1457
  game:
    arch: win32
    exe: $gamesystempath/GothicStarter.exe
    args: -game:NostalgicEdition -start
    prefix: $GAMEDIR
  installer:
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Creating 32-bit Wine prefix
        install_gecko: false
        install_mono: false
        name: create_prefix
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        app: win7
        arch: win32
        description: "winetricks: win7"
        name: winetricks
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        arch: win32
        args: /SP- /SUPRESSMSGBOXES /LOG /SILENT
        description: Installing Gothic II
        executable: setup
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        app: "directmusic dotnet48 vcrun2022 dxvk"
        arch: win32
        description: Install wine dependencies. This will take some time.
        name: winetricks
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Install Report Version
        executable: report_version
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
        working_dir: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Install Union patch
        executable: union
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
        working_dir: $GAMEDIR
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Install Ninja mod
        executable: ninja
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
        working_dir: $GAMEDIR
    - extract:
        dst: $GAMEDIR/$gamesystempath
        file: gd3d11
    - extract:
        dst: $CACHE
        file: nostalgic
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Install Nostalgic
        executable: $CACHE/NostalgicEdition-2.9.5.exe
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
        working_dir: $GAMEDIR
    - extract:
        dst: $GAMEDIR/$gamedatapath
        file: textures
    - move:
        src: $CACHE/animations/Standanimation.vdf
        dst: $GAMEDIR/$gamedatapath
    - extract:
        dst: $CACHE
        file: laa
    - task:
        arch: win32
        description: Executing LAA
        executable: $CACHE/LaaHack.exe
        name: wineexec
        prefix: $GAMEDIR
        working_dir: $GAMEDIR
    - write_config:
        data:
          GAME:
            playLogoVideos: 0
            scaleVideos: 1
            subTitles: 1
        description: Updating 'gothic.ini' file
        file: $GAMEDIR/$gamesystempath/GOTHIC.INI
    - write_config:
        data:
          PARAMETERS:
            InteractionCollision: 0
            EnableShields: 1
        file: $GAMEDIR/$gamesystempath/SystemPack.ini
    - write_config:
        data:
          Display:
            Brightness: 1.0
            Rain: 1
            RainEffects: 1
            TextureQuality: 16384
            UIScale: 1.0
            VSync: 1
          FontRendering:
            Enable: 1
          General:
            AllowNormalmaps: 1
            AnimateStaticVobs: 1
            DrawWorldSectionIntersections: 1
            EnableDebugLog: 0
            EnableGodRays: 1
            EnableInactiveFpsLock: 1
            FpsLimit: 60
            SunLightStrength: 1.5
          HBAO:
            Bias: 0.5
            BlurSharpness: 4.0
            EnableBlur: 1
            Enabled: 0
            PowerExponent: 3.0
            Radius: 1.0
            SsaoBlurRadius: 1
            SsaoStepCount: 0
          SMAA:
            Enabled: 1
            SharpenFactor: 0.2
          Shadows:
            EnableDynamicLighting: 1
            EnableShadows: 1
            EnableSoftShadows: 1
            PointlightShadows: 2
            ShadowAOStrength: 0.5
            ShadowMapSize: 2048
            ShadowStrength: 0.4
            SmoothCameraUpdate: 1
            WorldAOStrength: 0.5
            WorldShadowRangeScale: 8.0
        description: Updating GD3D11 config
        file: $GAMEDIR/$gamesystempath/GD3D11/UserSettings.ini
  variables:
    gamedatapath: drive_c/GOG Games/Gothic 2 Gold/Data
    gamepath: drive_c/GOG Games/Gothic 2 Gold
    gamesystempath: drive_c/GOG Games/Gothic 2 Gold/system
  wine:
    overrides:
      ddraw: n,b
      dinput: n,b
      dsound: b,n