9

My son would like to play Minecraft. If I download it to his laptop can he play it without an internet connection?

Improve this question
1
  • 3
    Is USB actually involved here? Do you want to install it to a flash drive maybe?
    – Matthew Read
    Mar 17, 2012 at 0:52

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
16

Yes. Once you have logged in at least once with internet connection, you become able to play Minecraft in "offline mode" simply by attempting to log in without internet connection. However, this still requires a paid account to be logged into the computer at some point before.

Improve this answer
2
  • Yes @Jake King. But the biggest part of minecraft, in my opinion, is the multiplayer and obviously without internet, is not possible. But yes, minecraft singleplayer is possible without internet connection.
    – Kubtops
    Mar 5, 2013 at 14:28
  • 1
    @Kubtops Lots of players prefer singleplayer, so your particular preference is just that: your own preference. It's not relevant to this question or this answer.
    – SevenSidedDie
    Mar 5, 2013 at 15:42
1

If you don't want to ever connect his laptop to the Internet, you can copy across your minecraft folder. This is the folder where your saves are stored, along with texture packs and the actual minecraft.jar file which contains the game (as opposed to the launcher) Browse to this folder and copy it to your flash drive. Put it in this same location on his computer. Also, give him a copy of minecraft's launcher. (It's in your home folder, Library, Application Support, Minecraft on a mac, your home folder, .minecraft on linux, or Documents and Settings, your name, Application Data, .minecraft on windows.) It has to be on the same operating system as you are (mac to mac, windows to windows, linux to linux) because even though both are using the same java code they have different natives for sound, etc…. Also, if you want him stuck in offline mode - not able to use your username to get on servers and not accidentally kicking you off when he joins if you are each on separate computers - remove the lastlogin file from the minecraft folder on his computer.

To run it with the saves stored on a flash drive, leave the minecraft folder on the flash drive and create a symbolic link (Mac or Linux) or whatever Microsoft calls it (someone say in comments?) from where the minecraft folder should be to this folder.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    It's called a symbolic link (or symlink) in windows as well. One can be created using the mklink command on the command line. If the windows in question is pre-vista, you'd have to use a junction point instead.
    – Fambida
    Mar 21, 2012 at 4:53

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .