Online Classes Technology Requirements

• Desktop/Laptop with Windows or Mac OS.
• Memory:  6 GB of RAM.
• Other: Microphone and webcam are required, headphones are recommended.

NOTE: Linux Systems, Apple/Android Tablets, or Chromebooks earlier than 2018 will not work for this camp type. Chromebooks from 2019 or later can work with an advanced setup.

Cost: $26.95 lifetime purchase or an existing Minecraft Java Edition account. Note that Minecraft: Java Edition is not the same as Minecraft from “pocket edition” or  “Bedrock” or “Windows 10 Edition” and is therefore a separate purchase.  All versions of Minecraft require unique accounts, and therefore if you have more than one child joining a Minecraft class, a unique account will need to be purchased for each child.

• For Windows, Mac, or Linux:
  1.  Navigate to minecraft.net in your web browser.  Click “Get Minecraft”.  
  2.  Click “Computer”.  Choose your operating system.  
  3.  Click “Minecraft: Java Edition”.  
  4.  Click “Buy Minecraft”.  You will now be prompted to create a Mojang (company who owns Minecraft) account if you don’t have one.  Follow the steps as prompted on the webpage, going through the “Register” and “Verify Email” steps.  
  5.  After the “Verify Email” step, on the same page where payment info is requested, a username must be created by      typing it into the box under “Minecraft Profile”.  Please choose a username and write it down.  You will be asked for the username later in these steps and will need it henceforth for logging into the app.
  6.  Continue through the “Buy” and “Download” steps.  On the last step, you will be prompted to download Minecraft. 
     1. Once done, run the installer app to complete the process and install Minecraft.  
     2.  Run Minecraft:Java Edition, following the prompts to log in with your username/password and Play.  This step is to make sure Minecraft: Java Edition is working on your computer.
  7. Please email minecraftinfo@empow.me with the username and full name of the student who will be using this account (NOT your password). This is a vital step in securing the Minecraft server so that we know who is joining and we don’t let strangers in.  

• For a 2019 or later Chromebook (advanced setup):

1. 1. On a supported Chromebook (most from 2019 onward), go to settings>Linux>Enable Linux.    If you do not see a Linux setting, it likely means your Chromebook is NOT compatible with Linux, and therefore cannot be used for this camp.
   2. After Linux is enabled, head to https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/alternative/ and download the .deb Minecraft file.
   3. Open the Files app, and click on Linux Files>minecraft.deb
   4. Follow Installation procedures.
   5. After installation, launch Minecraft: Java Edition and log in using your Mojang account credentials.  If you do not own a Minecraft account, please refer to the steps 1-6 in the paragraph above this one for steps to purchase an account.  You may skip the download at the end of step 6.
   6. Hit PLAY – so you can test out your install, and adjust a setting.
   7. In Minecraft Settings, turn available graphics options to low, and render distance down to 6. You can close Minecraft once this is finished.
   8. Type “chrome://flags” into the search bar in chrome, and click enter.
   9. Scroll down and enable both “Pointer lock for Linux applications” and “Crostini GPU Support”
   10. Restart your computer so the necessary changes take effect.
   11. If you already happen to own Minecraft: Java Edition but need to redownload it, navigate to   minecraft.net, sign into your account, then navigate to https://my.minecraft.net/en-us/store/minecraft/#owned and you will see download options.  Download and run the   installer app, following the steps in the install process.

Need Help? If you would like support setting up your child’s computer, please click here to book a live video tech support session. Unfortunately, we cannot support issues resulting from the advanced setup for a Chromebook.

• i5+ Intel Processor or AMD equivalent
• Memory:  4 GB of RAM.
• Ideally, a dedicated graphics card.
• Desktop/Laptop with Windows 7, 8, or 10 or Mac OSX 10.10 – 10.14.
• Mac OS 10.15 Catalina, Linux Systems, Apple/Android Tablets, or Chromebooks will not work for this camp type.
• Other: Microphone and webcam are required, headphones are recommended.

Step One: Follow instructions for Minecraft Exploration to purchase and Install Java Edition

Step Two: Install the Java Development Kit (JDK)

1. 1. Go to OpenJDK and download Version 8 Hotspot by clicking “Latest Version.”
   2. Your web browser (Chrome) may prompt you to verify you want to download the installer. If this is case, choose to download or “keep” the file.
   3. Open the installer by clicking on it in the downloads section of your browser or opening it from where your computer downloads file i.e. “Downloads” for Windows or Mac.
   4. Your computer may prompt you for permission to install the file, if so, click yes or enter the administrator password and click yes.
   5. Once the installer opens, click the “Install” button.
   6. After installation succeeds click the “Close” button.
   7. Restart your computer.

Step Three: Install Forge

1. 1.  Go to the Forge Download website
   2. Click “Mdk” not  “Installer.”
   3. The website will display an ad, wait 5 seconds then click “Skip” in the upper right hand corner.
   4. Forge will download and if you had to verify the download for Java, you will have to do this again for Forge.
   5. Once you have downloaded the file, extract its contents to the folder you downloaded to.
   6. Make a copy of the extracted folder and put it in “Documents” then rename it to something like “MyAwesomeMods” that you will remember.

Step Four: Install and Configure Eclipse

Note: I have found that sometimes Eclipse “hiccups” on a task but that closing Eclipse, starting it again, and repeating the step will work.

1. 1. Go to Eclipse Downloads and click “Download X” where X is the version Eclipse detected that you need.
   2. Similar to Java, open the installer and select the first option “Eclipse IDE for Java Developers.”
   3. Leave all of the options at default settings and click “Install.”
   4. After install, click “Launch.”
   5. Choose a workspace that is anything but your Forge folder and close the “Welcome” tab by clicking on the circled “x” on the tab.
   6. Click “Import Projects” in the Package Manager on the left side of the Eclipse window.
   7. Select “Gradle” then “Existing Gradle Project,” click “Next,” then Browse.
   8. Navigate to your Forge folder and select it.
   9. Click Finish and allow the project to import. It may take awhile.
   10. In the bottom pane, select the “Gradle Tasks” tab.
   11. Select fg_runs folder then click on “genEclipseRuns,” this will run a script that may take some time.
   12. When this is finished click the “File” menu then “Import” then “Launch Configuration.”
   13. If you do not see your Forge folder, click browse and select it.
   14. Check “runClient.launch” and “runServer.launch” then select finish.
   15. Are you still with me? Great! Click “Run” from the “Run” menu and watch Minecraft launch!
   16. If you encounter an error when running try this additional step.
   17. Select “Run Configurations” from the “Run” menu, click on “runClient,” then “Environment” tab, then make sure MC_VERSION is set to 1.16.5

Need Help? If you would like support setting up your child’s computer, please click here to book a live video tech support session.

• Desktop/Laptop with Windows 7, 8, or 10, Mac OSX 10.8 – 10.15, or any modern Linux distribution.
• Apple/Android Tablets or Chromebooks will not work for this camp type.
• Other: Microphone and webcam are required, headphones are recommended.

• Python / IDLE installation:
  • https://www.python.org/downloads/ – Download the installer for your computer system and run it.  Make sure to check “Add Python ___ to PATH” (blank space will be a number) which is a checkbox immediately visible when running the installer.  After that checkbox is checked, click Install and follow the rest of the prompts until done.  (If you don’t see any screen with checkboxes, you can ignore that extra step)
• PyCharm installation:
  • PyCharm – download Community version (NOT Professional) for your operating system.
  • Once the installer is downloaded and run, proceed through it by following the prompts until you reach a screen with multiple checkboxes.  On this screen, you should see one checkbox labeled “Add launchers dir to the PATH”.  Make sure this box is checked, then press Next and keep confirming the prompts until the install is finished.  (If you don’t see any screen with checkboxes, you can ignore that extra step)

Need Help? If you would like support setting up your child’s computer, please click here to book a live video tech support session.

• Windows 7, 8, or 10, Mac OS X 10.10 or higher
• Dedicated video card or less than 3 year old integrated graphics (i.e. Intel Graphics)

• Roblox Studio
  • Go to https://www.roblox.com/create and click “start creating” to download Roblox Studio.
  • Follow e-mailed instructions from Empow.

Need Help? If you would like support setting up your child’s computer, please click here to book a live video tech support session.