Trouble downloading/running forge

[Beefsupreem12]

Hi, brand new to this and not very tech savvy. I downloaded Forge and the Java application. To be more exact, I currently have the application: jre-8u271-windows-x64 and the BZ2 File: forge-gui-desktop-1.6.36.tar on my computer. I launched and installed the jre program, and when I click on the forge file to open it, it doesn't work even when I specifically try to open it with the jre application. The error message that pops up says: "Unable to install Java. There are errors in the following switches: "C:\Users\me\Downloads\forge-gui-desktop-1.6.36.tar.bz2";. Check that the commands are valid and try again." Again, not very tech savvy, I just downloaded the things it said to download and am not sure why it isn't letting my install/launch the application. Thank you in advance for any help!

[Fregnor]

The Forge file you download arrives in a compressed format that cannot be used yet. You will have to use the 7-Zip program to extract the .bz2 file into a .tar file. When I install a new version, I have to then go into the folder I extracted and extract the .tar and it becomes a normal uncompressed folder.

In the folder you will see a list of 14 things starting with "res" and ending with "sentry.properties" The one that you want that will start the game is called "forge.exe" and has a green circular icon. You might want to make a desktop shortcut of this file while you are here.

You can now open the game, but there is one more important step before you can happily play. The cards will not have images until you go to Game Settings>Content Downloaders and pick an option like Download LQ Card Pictures. Depending on what game options you play, you will also want to download some or all of the other images like Quest Images or Achievement Images. The token images are more awkward to download and there is a thread on this forum with information on how to get them: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5298

Downloading all the thousands of card images is very slow, but you only have to do it once. When you update Forge to a new version, you don't have to download them all again, only the brand new ones added by the new version, and that goes real quickly.

I do not know if I told you the most efficient way to install the program. I quickly searched to try to find the installation instructions and did not see them. They must be here somewhere. But Forge is a great program once you get it installed.