Installation & Setup

Get Turtle WoW up and running! This guide walks you through downloading the client, creating your account, and setting up the game on Windows, macOS, Steam Deck, and Linux.

Alright, let's get you set up to dive into Turtle WoW! Think of this like getting your gear ready before a big adventure. We'll go through downloading the game client and creating your account step-by-step. ## Account and Client First things first, you'll need the game files and an account. Here’s how: 1. Head over to https://turtlecraft.gg on your computer. 2. Look for the 'Download' button and click it. You'll see a few options like Direct Download, Google Drive, and Mediafire. They all have the same game files, so pick the one that works best for you. The download is about 8GB, so it might take a little while. * Pro Tip: If you're comfortable with torrenting, there's a torrent option too. You'll need a torrent client like Deluge for that. 3. While the download is chugging along, go back to https://turtlecraft.gg and click the green 'Sign Up' button to create your game account. * Important: Make sure you remember your account name and password – you'll need them to log in! Keep them safe and secret. We strongly suggest *not* using a password you've used anywhere else for security. * Your email is important for password resets and any official news from the Turtle WoW staff. * The username you choose for the forums (https://forum.turtlecraft.gg/) will be visible to everyone if you decide to post there. Once your download is finished and your account is all set, the next steps depend on your operating system. ## Windows Getting Turtle WoW running on Windows is pretty straightforward: 1. Open the downloaded Turtle WoW .zip file using your file explorer. 2. Extract the contents. You can put it pretty much anywhere you like, but we recommend a spot within your user folder. Crucially, do NOT extract it into your system's `C:\Program Files` folder, as this can sometimes cause issues. 3. Navigate into the extracted folder. Right-click on `WoW.exe` and create a shortcut on your desktop. If you have a widescreen 16:9 monitor, it's better to create a shortcut for `WoWFoV.exe` instead. 4. Go to your desktop, double-click the shortcut you just made, log in with your new account, and you're ready to play! ## macOS (Silicon, M Series) For Mac users, especially those with newer M-series chips, you'll likely need to use a virtual machine solution. The common options are: * Parallels: This is a paid software but generally offers good performance. * VMware Fusion Pro: This is a free option that also works well. Once you have one of these set up, you'll essentially be running Windows within your Mac and can follow the Windows installation steps. ### Intel Macs If you're on an older Intel Mac, you have a few more options: * Crossover/Wineskin: Some players have had success using these tools, which can run Windows applications on macOS. They might require a bit more technical know-how. * Porting Kit: For Intel Macs running Catalina or newer, Porting Kit has been reported to work well with Turtle WoW. Here’s how to use it: 1. Install Porting Kit first. 2. In Porting Kit, go to 'Add Application'. 3. Select the Turtle WoW executable file. 4. When you get to the 'Advanced Settings' screen, make sure to set the Engine Version to `WS11WineCX64Bit19.0.2`. 5. Continue with the installation. The default settings for everything else should be fine. 6. You can then launch Turtle WoW directly through Porting Kit. ## Steam Deck Got a Steam Deck? You've got a couple of ways to go: * If you installed Windows on your Steam Deck: Just follow the #Windows guide above. * Using the Steam Deck's default setup (SteamOS): This is for those who want to manage the game through Steam. 1. First, make sure you've completed the #Account and Client steps in Desktop Mode on your Steam Deck – you should have your account ready and the .zip downloaded. 2. In Desktop Mode, extract the .zip file to a folder you like. 3. Note down the full path to your `WoW.exe` file (or `WoWFoV.exe` if you prefer for widescreen). 4. Open Steam in Desktop Mode. 5. Go to your Library, then click 'Add a Game' in the bottom-left corner and select 'Add a non-Steam game'. 6. Click 'Browse' and find your `WoW.exe` (or `WoWFoV.exe`). 7. Once the new entry appears in your library, select it. Click the gear icon (Settings), then 'Properties', and under 'Compatibility', check the box for 'Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool'. 8. From the dropdown menu, choose 'Proton Experimental'. 9. Close the settings and launch Turtle WoW from Steam. Enjoy! * Optional Flair: You can grab some cool Turtle WoW banners from Steam Grid DB to make your game entry look even better. Right-click the entry, go to 'Manage' > 'Set Custom Artwork' for the banner, and right-click the top of the game's page > 'Set Custom Background' for the background. * Handheld Mode: For a smoother experience in handheld mode, consider using the ShaguController addon or Ryac's Steam Deck UI. They help adjust the UI and keybindings for controllers. * Moving Your Game: If you ever decide to move your game folder later, just move the folder in Desktop Mode and then update the game's location in Steam's properties to match the new path. ## Linux + Lutris If you're a Linux user, you have a couple of solid options: * Steam: If you manage all your games through Steam, the instructions for the #Steam Deck will work just fine. * Lutris: For a more dedicated game management experience on Linux, Lutris is fantastic. It handles dependencies, runtimes, and gives you a lot of control. First, make sure your Linux system is up-to-date and your graphics drivers are installed correctly. If you're unsure, check your specific Linux distribution's guides (e.g., Arch, Pop!_OS, Ubuntu, Debian). Once your system is ready: 01. Extract the Turtle WoW .zip file to a location in your home folder where your user has full read, write, and execute permissions. 02. Copy the full path to where you extracted the folder. 03. Go to https://lutris.net/downloads and follow the instructions to install Lutris on your Linux distribution. 04. Next, visit this guide by GloriousEggroll to easily install all the necessary dependencies your system might need for games like Turtle WoW. 05. After Lutris and the dependencies are installed, open Lutris. Click the '+' button in the top-left corner and select 'Add locally installed game'. 06. Name it 'Turtle WoW', and select 'Wine' as the runner. 07. Go to the 'Game options' tab. Click 'Browse...' and navigate to your Turtle WoW folder, then select `WoW.exe` (or `WoWFoV.exe` for widescreen). 08. For both the 'Working Directory' and 'Wine prefix' options, set them to your Turtle WoW folder. For example, if your executable is at `/home/username/Turtle/WoW.exe`, then both these options should be set to `/home/username/Turtle/`. 09. Click 'Save' in the top-right corner. 10. You should now see Turtle WoW in your Lutris library. Launch it from there!