Read Me First

Spring is an engine! To play, you need at least one Game and a Map installed!

If you haven't installed the current version of Spring, Download and install it. Keep in mind, that you'll need the latest version to play it online.
Spring is a game engine, not a "game". The content itself (the buildings, units, sounds, images) are packed in game files. To play you need at least one Game and one Map.

Getting / Installing Games

A list of the most commonly played and recently updated games can be found in the Games page, and you download them from the links on that page.
These files are a ".sd7" or ".sdz" files. To install this files move them into (Unix) ~/.spring/games or (Windows) "My Documents\My Games\Spring\Games".
Some games have multiple .sd7 or .sdz files for single player games modes or mutators. These should be installed in the same directory, just like a game.
Once a game has been installed, you can use the "refresh maps/games" option from the "tools" list in SpringLobby.

Maps can be found here.
These files are also ".sd7" or ".sdz" files. To install this files move them into (Unix) ~/.spring/maps or (Windows) "My Documents\My Games\Spring\Maps".
As is the case with games, use the "Reload maps/games" option from the "Tools" menu in SpringLobby.

(after installing a game and map)

Open the Spring application, by double-clicking on the Spring icon.
Select a Game.
Select a Map.
Select an AI.
Click "Test the Game".
Some games come with their own custom menus, single-player missions, etc, but these are not supported by the Spring default menu at this time.
Not all AIs will operate with every game. For more infomation, see the AI section, below.
You may also play single-player games with SpringLobby.
Some games support missions; these can be obtained either by installing the game, or by downloading them via SpringDownloader.

To play a game of Spring online, you must run one of the lobby clients.
You can start a lobby through the start menu link it creates. Currently there are Springlobby or the Zero-K lobby.

See the dedicated page Playing on a lan.

For a general Keys please look at the Keyboard page.

Bots are AI controlled players. There are several AI projects in development. Most of them are at a playable stage.

There are bots packed with Spring, so you should already have several AI to fight against.

A list of AIs can be found at: AIs