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Installing Minecraft and Forge

jakimfett edited this page Feb 25, 2015 · 5 revisions

This guide is for anyone who is completely new to Minecraft, Forge, installing mods, or Minechem. Thanks for being interested in playing Minechem! Getting your computer set up to play the first time can be confusing, so here's a step by step guide to the process.

Step 1: Install Java

Minecraft requires Java. For playing Minechem, I recommend Java 7 (the 64 bit version). If you don't have Java, or if you're not sure, you should download Java 7 from the official Oracle download page.

You will see a list of files; the one you probably want is the "Windows x64" executable file. (If you are not using Windows, choose the appropriate file for your operating system.) Save it to the "Downloads" folder. Once the download is finished, double-click to install it.

There are a couple of steps to installing Java: basically just clicking "Next" and declining any extras like the Ask toolbar.

If the installer warns that you have the wrong version for your operating system, it probably means you are using a 32-bit system. If so, you should download the "x86" version instead of the “x64.”

Step 2: Get Minecraft

You are not required to own a copy of Minecraft to play with mods, but for the purposes of this how-to guide, I will assume that you've already bought Minecraft(or are planning to click the link and do so now).

You will need to download the Minecraft launcher from the Minecraft website. I recommend saving it on your desktop, but you can put it wherever you want. Once the launcher is downloaded, double-click on it to run Minecraft.

Step 3: Set Minecraft version

When you run the Minecraft launcher for the first time, you will see a screen with the login form in the middle.

Enter your username and password and click "Log In." You will be presented with the Minecraft home screen where you can see recent Minecraft news, change your settings, and edit your profile.
To play modded Minecraft, you must edit your Minecraft profile (or set up a new one).

To do this, click "Edit Profile" on the bottom left side of the home screen. (Don't worry if the profile name is slightly different than the image shows.)
In the "Version Selection" section, click the dropdown and select "release 1.7.10." You can change the profile name if you would like, then click "Save Profile" in the lower right corner.

After saving the profile, click the big "Play" button on the home screen. Once Minecraft 1.7.10 loads, you can close it immediately. It was only necessary for Minecraft to download the v1.7.10 game files for our next step.

Step 4: Install Forge

To install Forge, go to the Minecraft Forge download page and download the "1.7.10-Recommended" installer. If you are using Windows, choose the "Installer-Win" file; otherwise, select the normal Java installer.

Run the Forge installer. It will ask for the file destination, but it should default to the %APPDATA%/.minecraft directory. I recommend not changing the file destination unless you are confident in doing so.

Run the Minecraft launcher again. There should be a "Forge" profile in your dropdown menu in the lower left. Select the Forge profile, then click the "Play" button again. If Minecraft loads and you see a Forge version number in the lower left corner, you are ready to install Minechem!