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CD Player's Site Hints, Tips, Strategy and FAQs for playing Populous III online

Are you ready for this? It looks horrendous, but it's not actually that bad. What you have to do is:

Go to http://zone.msn.com/directplay/default.asp which is the access screen for the strategy game section. Click the 'Sign in' button, top left. If you have a .NET Password, sign in and skip to section 11. Click on the link 'Get one now' at the bottom of the box. Fill in the form. They want to know everything about you except your religion, race and sexual orientation. They'd probably ask for those too, if they thought they could get away with it. (Of course, I'm sure not everyone will give 100% truthful answers....). Note that when you have entered the country, the display will change if you live outside the US. It's ok, they adjust it to cope with different national province names in the drop-down list. When you're through, click the button saying 'I agree' to sign away your rights. That will take you to the confirmation screen. Click out of that, and the next screen will allow you to choose your nickname. Your first choice will always be taken (there are probably a million or more MSN users) but with perseverence you will eventually get a name accepted, even though you hate it (why else would it still be available?).

8. If it takes long enough, the page will expire before you find a good name, but you will only find that out when you've got your name and the next page throws up an error. If that happens, hit the back button on your browser, enter the same name and try again. It may take several tries.
9. When you are successful, the next screen will ask you for your email address (again). Don't forget to uncheck the box marked 'Yes, send me all your junk' (unless you want it in your inbox). When your done, hit the 'Finish' button.
10. You're not finished, of course. First there is an advertising popup window to be dismissed, although it's hard to resist their unrepeatable subscription offers. Your machine may seem to lock up before this appears, but be patient, as you need to close it to get back to the access screen we started with (remember that?).
11. Ok - if you're here, you should be signed in. Hit the link marked 'Strategy Games, which has a number by it (the number of people in there).
12. If this is your first time in, a message will come up telling you that you don't have the right software. Don't worry, it's only about 900K of download. Click 'OK' to proceed. Depending on your browser settings, you may get a security warning, asking if you want to install and run "Essential Zone File". Click on 'Yes'.
13. Next up is a page which says 'download complete' which they put up ready for when it's finished. This being Microsoft, it hasn't started yet. Click the 'Continue' button.
14. The installation dialog box is next. Choose the location for the files and hit 'Install'.
15. Up comes another agreement dialog where you get to sign away some more of your rights. Hit 'I agree' and the download will start.
16. When that's finished, you get the option to create a desktop icon, and then the option to change the settings on the 'Zonefriends' program.
17. OK, with those taken care of, you're ready to rumble. You now have the option to take the 5 minute tutorial ('Tutorial'), or to dive straight into the lobby ('Return' - for some reason).
18. There is then another automatic download (only about 20K) and then a tips screen which you can dismiss, and then you're *in*!