Illarion.org

When I click "Start Game" or try to download the Client from the Downloads page the download opens a WordPad Text File filled with gibberish that I don't understand?

Before you Ask:
Yes I have an Account
Yes I've Created a Character
Yes I Installed the Java RunTime from the link on the Dowloads page
and Yes I am using Window's Vista

if Vista's going to be a problem (again) and i'm gonna have to DL and install a million and one other drivers and garbage in order to get Illarion to DL the Game Client instead of a WordPad TextFile full of nonsensical gibberish then I give up already...

if however there is a quick fix i'd be grateful to know why your Client DL is giving me a WordPad File and not your Game Client...
and remember to use small words and use the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stoopid) to its fullest extent as these technical details are beyond me...

Thank You Much, I hope I can get into Illarion sooner rather than later...

Seems as though I've figured it out...

While bumbling about I was able to set the file to open with the Java program and I'm in the game now...
sorry for a useless post, hopefully someone with a similar prob might garner some help from it otherwise feel free to delete it...

glad to be in Illarion

Try this: Click the link and select 'save file' instead of 'open with', then hit OK. Go to the directory you downloaded the file to. It should be named 'llarion_client.jnlp'. Right click that and select 'open with' now.
In the window that appears, there is a button right above 'cancel', don't know what it's called in English. Hit that and another window appears. Navigate to 'programs' or 'program files' or whatever it's called in English, you know the directory where all your stuff installs to by default. From there go to 'Java', on to 'jre6' and finally 'bin'. Double click 'javaws.exe'.
The window closes and you're back to the previous. Now there should be the option to open with 'Java(TM) Web Start Launcher'. Select that, check the box that tells Vista to always open this file type with that program by default and hit OK. That will solve the problem of Word Pad trying to open that file.

You can move that file to your desktop or any other directory and even rename it, by the way. Welcome and have fun.

Have fun playing !
Keep in mind that a few things are in heavy development at the moment, so if you don't see what your character is wearing etc, that is not a bug, but will work after the next big update.
( More details about this "VBU" can be found in posts on the general forums. )