Beginner's Path

What is the Beginner's Path?

It is a list of tasks for new members to undertake that familiarizes them with the Rebel Squadrons and its website. It is available to anyone of a rank under Captain, which is all Cadets and Lieutenants. Once you have reached Captain, you are not considered a "beginner" anymore, and the path becomes unavailable; however, only the first part of the Path is mandatory.

The Path is divided into five categories: Basics, Communication, Education, Other, and Advanced. There are 30 possible points on the path, and earning points yields rewards in the following manner:

   * 10 points: "Beginner's Path Award" and promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade
   * 20 points: "Beginner's Path Honors Award" and promotion to 2nd Lieutenant
   * 30 points: "Beginner's Path Master's Award", for high-achieving members

A description of each of the tasks on the Path follows.

Basics

Confirm your email address.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
This is the first step on the Beginner's Path, and it provides you with a RS profile with which you will be able to complete the rest of the Path. After you complete and submit the RS join form, you will receive an email from our site asking you to confirm your email address. Go to the link in the email to activate your RS profile.

First Contact (Reply to an email from your Primary Instructor)
1 point. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
As an online club, email is one of our most important methods of communication. If we can't get in touch with you, we can't help you. De-spam the RS email addresses of the Academy CO and your Primary Instructor, to begin with. You can let us know that you have done this by replying to the initial emails that they will be sending out. After you get into a division, you will need to check the spam box a few times until you are sure that you are getting all the emails that you are supposed to be getting.

Set up an Orientation Chat with your PI
1 point. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
Your Primary Instructor is going to be your 'buddy' for a while, teaching you how to do things and showing you the ropes. Send him an email and get together via IRC, AIM, Yahoo, MSN, Skype, etc. Whichever chat client you both have, and talk to them for a bit. They will help you through the tough stuff!

Edit your RS roster profile.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
Find the profile editor and add some information about yourself and your character. Submit your changes to earn this point.

Send an email using the RS site.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
The RS site allows you to send email to other RS members. Two common ways to access the system are to click on a member's email address in their profile, or by using the "Email" link on the left nav bar.

Write your character's biography.
2 points. Automatically awarded.
Give your character some fictional background by writing about him/her/it. Having a history and a way to act "in character" will make your Rebel Squadrons experience much more enjoyable. Your biography can be short and simple at this stage, but you may want to expand it later. For tips on a good biography, visit the RgF Academy's biography guide.

Communication

Sign up for the forums & link your roster and forum profiles.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
You will need to create a new username to post with on our forums; this can be whatever you like. After doing so, visit your RS menu and follow the link to connect your RS profile and your forum profile, so that your rank and RS name shows up on your posts.

Post once on the forums.
1 point. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
Write one post anywhere on the forums - it can be introducing yourself on the General forum, responding a post on your fleet's forum, or whatever you like. Send the link to your post to ADM Joshua Hawkins.

Sign on to IRC, join #rebelsquadrons or #RSAcademy, and login to the RS bot.
3 points. Automatically awarded.
Please visit our chat website for assistance with IRC. To login to the RS bot, open a private message window with MrBot, then type "!login [your PIN] [your password]", substituting your own information. If you are having difficulties, try asking for help in #rebelsquadrons or #rsa.

Make a comment on a RS news post.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
Visit the RS news archives and make one comment on any news post to earn this point.

Install Xfire, Voobly, or GameRanger and add VA David "Heavy" Pasiechnyk to your friends list.
1 point. Admin approval required: ADM David Pasiechnyk.
Xfire is a gaming instant messenger system and Voobly/GameRanger are game hosting systems. Even if you do not intend to play multiplayer games with other RSers, it is still useful to have as a form of instant messaging with RSers who are not found on IRC. For xfire, add username "rsdavid"; for Voobly, add "_HeavyD"; for GameRanger, add "RS_HeavyD", to your friends list and when he receives the request, he will award this point.

Education

Read all five Bylaws pages.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
The Bylaws are the highest code of law in the Rebel Squadrons, and it is important to be familiar with them and know their dictates. Read the Bylaws in their entirety to earn this point.

Read all thirteen Operations Manual pages.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
The Operations Manual is your briefing on the Rebel Squadrons. Much of it is an easier-to-understand version of the Bylaws, and there is also a good deal of new information as well. If you make it all the way through the OpsMan, you will have learned most of the essential information about the Rebel Squadrons. To access the OpsMan, click "Reference" on the left nav bar.

Other

Vote on ten quotes.
1 point. Automatically awarded.
Visit our Quotes Database and vote "Good" or "Poor" on any ten different quotes to earn this point. Enjoy the often wacky humor of RS members; the "Top Quotes" page is highly recommended.

Upload one real-life or character picture to the gallery.
1 point. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo .
Visit the RS Gallery, look at a few members' pictures if you want to, and upload one of your own. It should be a picture of you; if you are uncomfortable with a real-life picture, then you are free to upload a rendering of your RS character. This point will be awarded when an admin approves your submission.

Create an Avatar for your Forum Profile
1 point. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
This is a great way to have some fun and show off your personality. WeeMee's are always fun, but you can do whatever you want (keep it clean!). Email LCL Tá'Ré Djo with a link to your forum profile when you have added your avatar.

Advanced

Write a quality biography of at least 500 words in length.
3 points. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
You've written the first version of your biography; now write a lengthy one that you and your character can be proud of. Or perhaps you did that the first time. To earn these points, your biography must be written with good English, cover several aspects of your character's personality and history, and have approximately 500 words or more. Email your Primary Instructor when you think you are ready to submit your biography, and he will review it and notify you if it is good enough and you have earned the points, or what it still needs in order to be completed.

Participate in one standard gaming activity, as defined by your fleet(s).
3 points. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
Participate in a primary activity for a fleet you are in: one mission report on an ITOD, one multiplayer match, one sim, one post in a run-on, and so on. Send proof of this activity to LCL Tá'Ré Djo to earn the point.

Post five times on the forums, at least twice with 100 or more words.
3 points. Admin approval required: LCL Tá'Ré Djo.
To enter more fully into the RS conversations, post five times on our forums, and at least two should be on-topic and of medium length: approximately 100 words or more. When you have completed this, send ADM Joshua Hawkins the links to the five posts at which you wish him to take a look. He will award the point upon approval.

Join the RS wiki and make an edit with it.
2 points. Admin approval required: ADM David "Heavy" Pasiechnyk.
Find the RS wiki. Create a new account, with whatever username you like, and edit one page of whichever type you like, including your own user page. After you have done this, send ADM David Pasiechnyk a link to the page you edited, and he will confirm it.

---Ray Djo 13:20, 28 January 2011 (EST)