How exactly do I install Minecraft Mods and what is Forge?

I'm having a really, really hard time figuring out how to install mods on Minecraft. I've looked everywhere I can think of for help but the information is almost always outdated or unhelpful.

I've seen on several sites about the use of something called Forge. The Mod I want to use requires 1.6.4 Forge and I have both Forge and the Mod folders sitting in my downloads folder.

I haven't installed any kind of mods for any game prior to this and I have little clue to the technical side of Minecraft, so please keep this in mind when you give me an answer please!

Things that might help you figure out how to help me:

• I want to play this mod http://phedran.com/LifeInTheWoods and am using the 1.6.4 Forge given on a link that website gives

This is actually a very good question.

"Note" You should have the latest version of Java installed before trying this as you need that to play Minecraft.

For the client version

First you download and run your 'regular Minecraft' at least once. This ensures that your .minecraft folder has been made (if you don't know what that folder means, it's the folder where the game places most of its essential game files).

The next step would be to download Forge. You can download that here: FORGE. You just select the right version you want and you run the installer.

Once you downloaded the file you right-click it and select the option to run it with Java.

Click install client and continue

Open the Minecraft launcher once done, make a new profile using the version with Forge- and the version you installed.

Play Minecraft.

For the server version

If you want to run your own server so your friends can join in on the fun, you would need to do some additional steps. The start is the same as the client version.

First you download and run your 'regular Minecraft' at least once. This ensures that your .minecraft folder has been made (if you don't know what that folder means, it's the folder where the game places most of its essential game files).

The next step would be to download Forge. You can download that here: FORGE. You just select the right version you want and you run the installer.

Once you downloaded the file you right-click it and select the option to run it with Java.

Click install server and select your server folder.

In the folder rename the Forge-..___.jar to forge.jar

Make a new Text file and rename it start.bat (remove .txt)

In that file type:

java -jar forge.jar -Xmx1024M nogui

Run the start.bat file

To connect in game use the ip localhost.

For port forwarding, so other people can connect watch the VIDEO on how to install forge.

Now for the mods

Since you've now successfully installed forge you can start to install some of the mods. If you download a mod it usually comes in either a .Zip, .Rar or something like that. You don't need to extract this. Just keep it as it is.

So the first step would be to download the mod.

Next, go to your Minecraft folder, located at:

• Windows: C:\Users\You\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft or %AppData%\.minecraft
• Linux: ~/.minecraft
• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft

If you can't find the .minecraft folder you can do the following:

1. Launch Minecraft.
2. Select "Mods and Texture Packs"
3. Select "Open Texture Pack folder"
4. Go up one level

Now proceed to the .minecraft/mods folder (create it if it doesn't exist) and simply put your zipped/rarred/downloaded file there. (once again don't extract it just place it there as you downloaded it.)

Now if you run you Minecraft, select the forge profile you made, and create a world, your mod should be just there waiting for you to be explored.

Source : http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1900774-164-how-to-install-minecraft-forge-client-and-server-port-forwarding-tutorial/

Source: Where is my Minecraft folder on Windows?

Minecraft Forge is a modding API (Application Programming Interface), which makes it easier to create mods, and also make sure mods are compatible with each other.

The method that you are trying to use, by deleting META-INF and placing the files is not the way to install mods anymore. The new Minecraft launcher prevents modification of the actual game files, because it simply re-downloads them if they have changed.

Instead, you can create a new 'profile' in the Minecraft launcher containing the modified game file, preventing the launcher from refreshing the files. Forge actually comes with an automatic installer, which does this for you.

You can find the downloads for the automatic installer here. Find the link called 'Installer' beside '1.6.4-Recommended' (If you are on Windows, use the link called 'Win-Installer'), and download it (wait 3 seconds and then click 'SKIP AD' in the top right in the opened window). You can then run the downloaded file.

In the installer, make sure that the 'Install Client' option is selected, and then select 'OK'. Forge will now download and install. To make sure Forge is working and let it setup any extra files, open the Minecraft Launcher, and in the bottom left, click the dropdown beside 'Profile:' and select 'Forge'. Then, click Play to begin. If, in Minecraft's menu, you see a Mods button, then Forge is ready to go!

To install your mod, copy all of the files in the LifeInTheWoods.zip file into the new .minecraft/mods folder, run the game, and viola!

I think you should accept one of the other answers, I've added this as an answer as it started getting a bit long for a comment!

This last weekend I've been installing mods for the first time (for my son, you understand). I found MultiMC to be very useful tool for this, let me explain.

When you bought Minecraft you also got the right to download and play all the earlier versions of it.

First thing to know is that mods are written with a specific Minecraft version in mind. Commonly the versions of Minecraft targeted are 1.7.2 or 1.6.4 (notice this is not the latest Minecraft - which at the time of writing is 1.7.9).

Second thing to note is that you need a different version of the Minecraft Forge to work on the different Minecraft versions. Forge is used to load the mods.

So it won't take long before you'll need some way to manage having multiple versions of Minecraft and Forge and all the mods. This is where MultiMC comes in very handy.

MultiMC allows you to manage multiple versions of Minecraft, Forge and the various mods involved. Sign in with your Minecraft account details and with a couple of clicks it can download various Minecraft versions and the corresponding version of Forge. I already have numerous 1.7.2 and 1.6.4 instances (Unlimited Superheroes, Fossils and Archeology, Tekkit etc.). Also this allows you to experiment with combining different mods together to check to see if they crash - you also might want to keep your differently themed mods apart. You can also organize your saves (e.g. world maps) and resource packs across the various instances (e.g. city maps and textures for use with the "cars and drives mod")

Alternatively if you find MultiMC a little too heavyweight you could always try using the Technic Launcher first which looks to do a similar job to MultiMC (without as much obvious configuration). I also found I could copy the mods I downloaded with the Technic Launcher into my MultiMC managed folders!