The first thing that anyone needs to do to gain access to the Dark Horizons: Lore universe is get hold of a copy of the game. You can obtain your copy of the full version of Dark Horizons:Lore here: Get your full version of Dark Horizons: Lore here!.
Now you've got hold of your copy of Dark Horizons: Lore, you need to install it. The retail copy is a .exe files, not CDs. Therefore, after you have downloaded the .exe file all you need to do to install the game is simply run the .exe file and let the game install.
Now that you have Dark Horizons: Lore installed on your computer you need to register your pilot so that you can play the game. To do this you need to be ingame, so run Lore and go to the main game menu. When you reach the menu for the first time you should be confronted by a popup window telling you how to create your pilot. Once you have clicked OK in this window you will then be confronted with another window into which you can input your registration details. Into the Pilot Name box you should input your desired ingame name, and into the password section you should input your desired password.
Your username and password will be required each time you run the game to allow you to login to the online lobby, but you only need to input them once and, if you wish it to, the computer can remember them for you. Allowing the computer to remember your username and password is not recommended if you are using a shared computer.
Into the E-Mail address box you should obviously input your e-mail address, and into the final box you should input your product CD Key. Demo users may ignore the final box as you will not have a CD Key, however retail users must input the product key or else their copy of Lore will possess limited features. Once you are done, click OK and you will be taken to the main menu. Input your username and password and click Connect to take yourself to the Online Lobby.
Once you've inputted your details and clicked Connect you will be taken to the online lobby. Here you will be able to chat with other players in the lobby, talk to the developers if you have a problem, and get to know the Dark Horizons: Lore community. From here it's a very short step to getting involved in your first game, you simply click the Server List tab and a list of currently running games will be displayed on your screen with details of what maps are running and how many players are currently playing on that server.
To join a server simply select it in the list and click Join Game. You will then be taken ingame.
When you first join a game you will be confronted by a menu-like screen that will allow you to select your MAV, and your team. The first screen to display will be team selection where you can choose between playing as the Federated States or the Eastern Confederation. It doesn't matter which team you choose, you may pick either. It is merely a matter of personal preference, basically which team's MAVs you prefer. One you have selected your team you will be taken to another menu where you can select your MAV and customize it's loadout. Each team has a choice of four MAVs, designs and weapons are different for each team.
Scouts which have less firepower but which are much quicker than other MAVs, Scouts also possess rocket boosters enabling them to fly.
Infantry which are more heavily armored than scouts and possess better firepower, but also have the ability to fly using rocket boosters.
Assault Class MAVs which possess better armour and firepower than the Infantry class, but these MAVs do not have the ability to fly using rocket boosters, but their additional firepower and armour makes up for this.
And finally there is the Armoured Class MAV which is basically the MAV equivalent of a tank. The Armoured Class is slower than other MAVs and does not possess the ability to fly using rocket boosters, but its firepower and armour are very strong and can withstand much more fire than any other MAV.
Again, choice of MAV depends on personal preference, different people may prefer using different MAVs, only by playing with each of them will you learn which MAV you prefer.
When you have selected your MAV you have the option to customise its armour and weapons, remember that lighter armour makes for a speedier MAV, but also a weaker one. Change the weapons the MAV carries and its armour level if you wish, then click Start Game to be taken into the game itself.
You are now inside the game and ready to wage war against the other side. All I can say now is good luck, and enjoy the game!
I hope that this guide is useful to new players. If you have any questions which are not answered in the guide or you wish to see something added to the guide then please post on the Dark Horizons: Lore Group Forums.
