Follow these 5 steps and you will be playing Freeciv in no time!

1. Go to the download section and fetch the software. Decide whether you want a precompiled package for your platform, if available, or source code.

   • If you want to compile Freeciv yourself, get the latest stable version or the current development version.
   • Otherwise, scroll down to the Binaries section and get a precompiled package for your platform, if one is listed. Note that more up to date packages for your platform may be available elsewhere; please let us know if you find one.

2. Install the software on your local computer.
   

   • If you downloaded a precompiled binary package for your platform, install it using the method of the packaging system.
   • If you downloaded the source code, unpack and compile it. On Unix-like systems, this can be done as follows:
     
     • Change to the directory where you want to perform the installation work; /tmp is often a good choice.
     • Unpack the file you downloaded (see instructions). The files are put into a subdirectory; cd into it.
     • If you're too impatient to read and follow the INSTALL and other documentation to be found there, try the command
           ./configure && make install
       and hope for the best. However, you will probably need to pass some options to ./configure, call gmake instead of make, or install some auxiliary software packages first.

3. Start the server. (This step is optional if you're connected to the Internet, where servers are usually available elsewhere.)

   Fire up the server by executing the command civserver. This should give you a welcome message and a command line prompt. On the prompt you can configure server options, add computer players, etcetera. Try the help command. Freeciv doesn't yet have a standard GUI interface to server configuration.

   The server is now ready to accept players and start a game.

4. Start the client by executing the command civclient. This must be done from your GUI (X) interface. If you installed a precompiled package, it may provide a shortcut in the form of a Freeciv icon or something similar.

   A dialog window appears with two important buttons:
   

   • Metaserver allows you to select one of the current available servers elsewhere on the net.
   • Connect will connect to the selected server; by default, the server on your own computer.
   If the server is in Pregame state, it still accepts new players. If the game has already started, you can only connect as an existing player.

5. Start the game. If you play alone, on your own server:
   

   • To play with 4 computer players, type set aifill 5 on the server prompt.
   • On the server prompt, type start to start the game.
   • Change back to the client window and pick your nation.
   If you play with others:
   
   • On the server prompt, you can issue the command cmdlevel ctrl so clients are allowed to give server commands. (On public civservers, we do this for you.)
   • In the client window, you can type /start. You may want to wait for players and discuss the setup with them first.
   • Pick your nation and wait for others to pick theirs. If you leave now, you will be removed from the game.
   • If someone won't or can't pick a nation (use the /list command to find out), you can /ai them or /cut them from the game altogether.
   More details and options can be found in the README and elsewhere on the site.

Now that you've gotten it running, you'll want to play your first few games. It is recommended that you try playing solitaire a few times, so that you can get a feel for how things work, but this is not necessary. You can learn by playing with others as well.