Installation
In order to play The 4th Coming (T4C), you need a special program that runs on your computer called the T4C Client software. You also need to connect to a T4C Server, which is run by a company in your area or over the internet.
Getting the T4C Client
The T4C Client can be found in one of several places. If you have already chosen your T4C Server (also called "provider"), visit that provider's website and follow instructions on how to download their T4C Client. All T4C providers make the client available through their web page. Because the T4C Client is a rather large file (50+ Mb), it can be rather long to download. What you need to do is get from your provider a small program called T4CSETUP.EXE and start it. It will connect to your provider's server and download the complete T4C Client.
System Requirements
Requirements pending.
You will also have to download and install the latest version of DirectX that is provided freely by Microsoft Corp. If you do not have these drivers, The 4th Coming will simply not run. If you are using Windows NT, you will need to install SP3, or T4C will not work.
Installing T4C
Installation, couldn't be easier, just run the T4CInstall*.exe file (or the file you downloaded with a similar name). Go ahead and read the disclaimer, then click 'next' to continue.
Next is the Licenese Agreement. Again, read it and click 'I Agree' to continue. If you do not agree with the terms, then click 'I Disagree' and exit the application.
Decide where you want to Install T4C, then click 'next'.
Confirm that you have chosen the right path for T4C, and click 'next' to begin the installation.
This screen shows the installation progress, file by file and total progress.
All done! You're now ready to play. You can view the release notes if you wish, or just click 'finish'.
NOTE: For Windows Vista you may need to set your compatibility to 'Windows XP Service Pack 2' and allow it to run as Administrator. This can be done by right clicking on the 'The 4th Coming' icon, located on your desktop.
Uninstalling T4C
For Windows XP and prior versions of Windows, go to Control Panel and click 'Add/Remove Programs', then search for 'The 4th Coming' (may have a slightly different name depending on server), click on it, then select 'Change/Remove'. The screens that follow look the same as the Vista Uninstall, listed below.
For Windows Vista, go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs and Features', then find 'The 4th Coming' (may have a slightly different name depending on server), double click it to begin the uninstall process.
Decide which method of uninstall you prefer, and click 'next'.
Review the selection made and click 'Finish' to begin.
A progress bar will determine the status of the Uninstallation. When it finishes, the uninstall is complete. The 4th Coming has been removed from your computer.
Choosing and Connecting to a Server
The 4th Coming can be played on a number of different servers all around the world. In order to play on these servers, you need to decide on and choose one that suites you. You can click on the links to the right to visit the server pages, or go to The 4th Coming main page and look at the servers.
In order to start playing just double click the 'The 4th Coming' desktop icon that should have been added during the installation. Also note that the first time you run T4C, it will automatically decompress some music files. This could take a little bit depending on your system, but its a one time deal.
After running T4C it will bring up this window, called the 'Client'. This where you will choose a server to play on, and keep your username and password stored (you get a username and password in various ways depending on the server you chose to play on, visit your server site for details on starting an account).
Click on setup, to display the account setup screen. Notice the bottom left corner, here you can select screen resolution, language, and the new windowed mode. Please note that by NOT selecting a resolution, the game will run in 1024x768 resolution.
Lets work with Server name. This is where you get to label your acct name. I like to use the server and main character name for mine, but you can decide how you want to label it.
Next, choose your server IP.
Notice that it automatically places the server IP in the box if you used the drop down list to make a selection.
Then enter the username and password provided by your server. Once you're done, click Add. Take a moment to see the new entry on the list to the left, and click close.
Now that your acct has been saved to the client, your ready to begin play. Click on the 'Direct Connection' Box and select the account you just created. Then click 'Connect'.
Read the 'Message of the Day' for your server and click 'Enter' to continue to the server. Depending on your server you may experience a patching session.
After the patching session, it will tell you to restart T4C. This time you will be connected to the Main Menu. Congratulations! You're all set to play.
Lag Debugging Icons
Occasionally during play you may experience one of three different types of Lag Icons:
Disk Access: This occurs when the client software is accessing your hard disk, either to access game graphics or to manage its memory allocation.
Network Access: This is due to a slow or lagging internet connection (a ping time of at least 1500 milliseconds). If you find that you are experiencing network access lag a lot, this may be due to a bad connection or some other form of network slowdown.
World Map Access: The client is slowing down because it's loading a new section of the map that wasn't in memory. If you find that this icon stays on for inordinately long amounts of time, you should report it to your server admin or Dialsoft.