Suggestion: Step-By-Step (photos included) new member tutorial!

[Calcifer]

I understand that this website can be a bit overwhelming at first, so I've put together a step-by-step tutorial on how to set up/edit your first account.
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-STEP 1:
Making your Out Of Character profile

So you've read the rules and you're ready to join? Great! But where to start?
>On the top left side of your screen you should see a little dark grey box with a blue header labeled "User Links". At this point in the joining process it should read, "Hello there, guest!" with the two options "Login" and "Register" beneath. To make your OOC account, you'll want to click the "register" option, circled below in red.



Filling in the necessary information

After clicking "register", you should be re-directed to a page that allows you to fill out the registration form. Here's where you'll fill out the basics needed to start playing the game.
>In the field labeled "Username", you'll put in your very own unique Out of character name! This is the name that everyone else will be able to identify you by on the game (Be sure you search through the member database so you don't use a name that's already been taken.)

>Be sure to fill out the other fields, such as your password and a current e-mail address. (you'll need this email to confirm your registration)



Right below this information you'll see a tiny drop-down box labeled "Type of Account". This allows you decide whether or not you'll be making your OOC (out of character) account, or a Horse account. You can choose to have only your OOC account and play all of your horses off of that account, or you can make individual accounts for each of your horses! Generally speaking, making individual accounts for each of your characters allows you keep better track of them, plus you have more to personalize. Also, you can link all of your horse accounts to your main OOC account for easy switching back and forth. (I'll explain how to do this later.)



After you've filled out all the information necessary you'll want to click "create account", this will direct you to a thank you page that will also tell you to go into your email and verify your account. Once you've gone to your email and clicked on the verification link, it should re-direct you back to the Beqanna website and on the left where the user links box is, you should now see the name of your new account with all your account options!



-STEP 2:
Editing your profile

Now's the fun part: Personalizing your account!
>Under your user links box you'll see an option labeled "user cp". This is how you edit your profile.



After clicking on that it should re-direct you to a page that looks similar to this:



To the right of the screen is your menu with all of your account options. By clicking on the option, "Edit profile" underneath the label "Your profile", you can go to a page where all of your options to personalize your OOC account, or your horse's account, are located.



(this will take you to a page that looks like this - where you can fill in everything about yourself or your character!)



Editing your avatar

Underneath the menu on the right-hand side of your screen, you should see the option "change avatar". This changes the picture that will be displayed in every post you make. Your avatar is just another way to visualize you, or your character.



This option will re-direct you to a page that looks like the image below. Here you can edit your avatar and show all of Beqanna you or your horse!



-STEP 3:
Linking your accounts

Linking accounts is a great, easy way to keep all of your characters neatly together while also providing the option to switch between them without having to log on and off again. Handy, right?
>First things first: Click on "user cp". To the right of the screen should be your menu box. ALL the way at the very bottom should be an option labeled, "account switcher".



This does exactly what it says! Once you've clicked on it and gone to the account switcher page, under options there should be a search bar that you can type in. Here's where you search for your horse profiles! Once you've found your horse and typed in the appropriate password you can click "attach" and it will attach that profile to your main OOC account.



You can attach unlimited accounts to your main OOC account. Once the account has been attached, you can access all your accounts straight from the "user links" box on the left.



So there you have it! The basics of this site.
>If you're wondering about how to create a horse account, Log out of your OOC account and follow the instructions listed in step one at the beginning of this tutorial, ONLY: Change the type of account from "OOC" to "Horse". Again, be sure you check the member database so you're not using a name that's already taken!
After you've created your first Horse account, then you may proceed to the Join board and post your joining thread.
>You don't need to wait to be accepted to start posting, but make sure you check back on the joining board in a day or two to ensure that an officer doesn't have any questions/concerns about your character/joining post.

The more you play around with your profile the more you'll learn! Of course, if you have any questions at all be sure to ask for help, and welcome to BQ!

[Cassi]

I LOVE THIS

I'm also a moron at anything technical so I 100% support Kyra putting this...in the rules? in OOC? on the join board?

[Calcifer]

Haha Anywhere it's deemed necessary.
EDIT: With Kyra's helpful suggestion I've added in a bit of instructions at the end for creating/joining a horse profile.

[Kyra]

I think gonna plop this on the join board I think, since people will probably go look there first. If that proves to be not the smartest place, I can always move it. Haha.

And also the rules (-cough-Cassiofficerlounge-cough-)