Forge is compatible with optifine, but you still have to drag and drop the files into the minecraft jar folder instead of putting the ZIP into he mods folder.
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8-bit Adventure got another update (June 17 2014)! Check it out from the picture below!
Forge is compatible with a few more mods, even if some do need modloader it should load them the same. It might have some other advantages over modloader but im not sure.
Get magic launcher too. Its made by the same guy who made optifine, it takes a lot less time to mod minecraft and you can remove any incompatible mods easily.
If all you want is optifine, you don't need forge. If you want to install other mods, they may or may not need forge or modloader, read the requirements and install instructions for the mod you want.
+1 on getting magic launcher, it will make using mods (almost) painless.
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D_B
To tell them how to live is to prevent them living.
You will need forge for most mods out there. If they do not require forge, then they require Modloader. As for Optifine, It is not needed for any mods. Optifine however needs to be used for Texture packs.
When I go to the Forge web site http://www.minecraftforge.net its not at all clear what Forge is besides a Minecraft mod.
I get that its a mod that adds an API for other mods, but what else does it do.
Forge is a mod API. It allows other mod authors to easily write mods that can be easily installed by dropping the zip in the mods folder instead of having to install them directly in the jar file. This helps mods be compatible with each other as they don't have to modify the game files directly. Forge does nothing in the game that you will see, it only allows other mods to function. A lot of mods nowadays need forge as they are written to use the changes that it has made to the base game. The install instructions will tell you if a mod needs forge or not. The other option is modloader, which is older but still used by a few mods. It's less functional than forge as I understand it (I'm not a mod author) but still capable and is the original (or nearly so) mod API for Minecraft. Forge includes an altered version of modloader that is mostly compatible with a lot of mods that would otherwise require modloader. It's best only to install one or the other, installing both modloader and forge is not a good thing to do. If a mod calls for modloader and does not work with forge, it can be reported to the forge team and they will try to make forge work with that mod in a future release.
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D_B
To tell them how to live is to prevent them living.
You need forge if you want to install forge compatible mods,
Optifine if you want to increase your FPS and make certain texture packs work.
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Leafeon used Magical Leaf!
There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers what the Universe is for, it will be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
When I go to the Forge web site http://www.minecraftforge.net its not at all clear what Forge is besides a Minecraft mod.
I get that its a mod that adds an API for other mods, but what else does it do.
Forge acts as an API for other mods, so they have less incompatibility problems and such. Also, MultiMC is like magic launcher, however it does the same thing better and more easily!
Is is just an API or does it do more?
Do I really need it?
Please don't answer "It Depends" :-) I want to know why I would need it.
I'm using Optifine but is it compatible with Forge.
Do you need something different?
Should I install Forge first?
I know lots of questions, but I've been using Vanilla (Xbox and PC) for 6 months and just starting to look at mods.
Get magic launcher too. Its made by the same guy who made optifine, it takes a lot less time to mod minecraft and you can remove any incompatible mods easily.
Hope that helps.
+1 on getting magic launcher, it will make using mods (almost) painless.
D_B
To tell them how to live is to prevent them living.
When I go to the Forge web site http://www.minecraftforge.net its not at all clear what Forge is besides a Minecraft mod.
I get that its a mod that adds an API for other mods, but what else does it do.
Forge is a mod API. It allows other mod authors to easily write mods that can be easily installed by dropping the zip in the mods folder instead of having to install them directly in the jar file. This helps mods be compatible with each other as they don't have to modify the game files directly. Forge does nothing in the game that you will see, it only allows other mods to function. A lot of mods nowadays need forge as they are written to use the changes that it has made to the base game. The install instructions will tell you if a mod needs forge or not. The other option is modloader, which is older but still used by a few mods. It's less functional than forge as I understand it (I'm not a mod author) but still capable and is the original (or nearly so) mod API for Minecraft. Forge includes an altered version of modloader that is mostly compatible with a lot of mods that would otherwise require modloader. It's best only to install one or the other, installing both modloader and forge is not a good thing to do. If a mod calls for modloader and does not work with forge, it can be reported to the forge team and they will try to make forge work with that mod in a future release.
D_B
To tell them how to live is to prevent them living.
I don't generally like to install anything on my computer (not just mods) without understanding what it is and what its doing.
KeenCoyote
I have both installed and working.
Dweller_Benthos,
Forge needs to add your response to their home page (or something similar :-)
Optifine if you want to increase your FPS and make certain texture packs work.
Forge acts as an API for other mods, so they have less incompatibility problems and such. Also, MultiMC is like magic launcher, however it does the same thing better and more easily!