A mod-loader is simply a utility that is designed to do just that: load mods. They serve as technical foundations in the background of installations for an assortment of mods which introduce actual gameplay or aesthetic changes. Mod-loaders also enable mods which utilize them to be compatible with each other. There are a few different mod-loaders, however most mods use either Forge or Liteloader. Given that it is so essential, in this article I will show you how to install Forge and in the next, Liteloader.
Downloading Forge 1.11.2
Read through the next section before grabbing your download of Forge from this page. You can fall into a deep pit of malware if you aren’t careful with where you download your mods from, so ALWAYS ensure you use official sources.
Once at the site, click on Minecraft Version 1.11.2 and then under the “Download Recommended” menu choose the Installer or Installer-Win download (both work). Note that the image below shows the 1.11 page as there is currently no recommended version for 1.11.2.
The next page will probably be adfoc.us or a similar malware-inducing page. Modders use these download gateways as a revenue stream when people download their files. DO NOT CLICK on download anywhere on this page – it is an ad for something you probably do not want. Instead, after 5 seconds you can click on ‘skip’ in the top right corner. Keep in mind that allowing the page to load completely will help the mod creator out.
Click ‘leave this page’ if it appears. The file you need will now download. Once downloaded (usually to the generic ‘Downloads’ folder) you can run the installer. If you’re using Windows 10, you may get the following message. Go ahead and click run anyway. As long as you followed the correct download you should be safe.
Installing Forge 1.11.2 – The Easy Bit!
You should now see this screen:
Surprisingly, all you need to do to install Forge is click ‘OK’ – that is, as long as you already have the correct version of Minecraft. Mercurius, an optional addition, essentially lets modders collect usage information, so I unchecked it.
Note that this created a new profile in the Minecraft launcher specifically for Forge, which will named accordingly. I edited this profile and called it “1.11.2 with Forge”. I also added the correct Java version line and JVM arguments (you did read the Java post, didn’t you?). It should look similar to this:
Loading Forge
Having saved the profile, click ‘Play’ and watch the game load with Forge. The load screen now takes longer than normal because of the additional files being loaded. This is shown by the progress bars below the Mojang logo.
Your start screen should look like this. Unfortunately, mine didn’t at first… And then I realized I hadn’t saved the profile with the new Java executable! See what I mean about using the latest Java? Even more experienced people can make a mistake if they don’t follow all instructions.
Notice that with a clean Forge install there are four mods loaded already and there is now a ‘Mods’ button. Click the ‘Mods’ button to see the mods bundled with Forge. Just keep in mind that you start with four when you try adding more.
Important! Log into a world now (Empire Minecraft is the obvious choice) before going any further as Forge needs to configure some files before adding any mods.
When you are in the game, hit escape (if you are in a safe location, of course) and click ‘Mod Options’. There you will see the default mods listed on the left.
You can now start adding Forge-based mods, although I prefer to get Liteloader installed next. You will probably want mods that use both loaders, and doing so will ensure that you are fully 1.11.2 mod-ready. Stay tuned for the next article in the series: Liteloader!
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