This section of the website is intended to act as a guide for the Empire's newest members. However, even the most experienced veterans of JAM may find this information useful.

That being said, welcome to the JAM Empire! You may have already noticed the size and scale of JAM with her enormous player base and comprehensive rules. You're also probably a little unsure as to where you should begin. This page will act as a starting point for you and should give you a general idea of what you'll require to launch your career as a soldier of the Empire.

Step 1: Read the rules! The first thing you should do is decide whether or not JAM sounds like the type of online community you'd be interested in joining. Take a good look at our rules to make sure that they don't conflict with your interests. Try to learn a bit about the hierarchy and ranking structure of our organization. Once you've at least learned what an officer is you can proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Try Out! Now that you've read the rules and decided they aren't too intimidating, you'll want to be in contact with existing JAM members. No web page will ever be more useful or helpful than good old fashioned human contact. Before becoming a trial member of JAM, you'll likely need to tryout for the division you wish to join (for more information on divisions and the games JAM plays, visit our info page). If you have already been tried out then you can skip ahead to the next step.

In order to set up a tryout, you will need to contact an officer who belongs to the division you wish to join. Don't know how to get a hold of anyone? Check out the members page and try contacting an Admiral or other platoon officer that belongs to the division you wish to join. Make a Post on the New Member Request forum and you will be contacted within a short time.

Step 3: Get Set Up! If you've been tried out and have been told by an officer of JAM that you have been accepted, then the hard part is over! The first thing you should do now is find out which division and platoon you've been recruited into and learn who your commanding officers are, especially your Admiral. You're also going to need to ensure that you have all the necessary software required to keep in touch with your new team-mates. Ventrilo™ and Xfire™ are mandatory for anyone who wants to be in JAM as it is our main tool of inter-division communication. The person who recruited you and the Admiral of your platoon are both responsible for helping you get started in JAM. Make sure that you have them on your Xfire™ list, and get them to send you the contacts of some other JAM members. Don't be afraid to ask them questions either!

You should also have an email account, www.hotmail.com © is a good place to get free web-based email. If you're in JAM long enough to attain an officer rank, you may be awarded an email account at jamempire.net. Also, depending on which division you are in, there will be different chat clients that you will be required to use in order to participate with your teammates. Ask your Admiral or consult your division's website for details.

Step 5: Settle In! Now that you're all set up and ready to be a JAM member, take a breath! There's still much to be done! Ensure that you have the Xfire™ contacts of everyone in you platoon, and spend some time introducing yourself. Take a while to check out the websites of your platoon and division. Also, read and re-read through this entire website to familiarize yourself as much as possible with JAM and her workings.

Step 6: Get Involved! By now you should have a fairly comprehensive understanding of what JAM is and how we work. You'll be wanting to sign up an account on our forums. Ask someone in your platoon for help on what name to use and anything else you may need to know. Also try to take an active part in JAM affairs. Show up for divisional and platoon events and get to know as many members as you can. By acting responsibly and contributing in any way you can think of you'll be sure to go far in JAM and find yourself among the top ranking members in the Empire!

Congratulations, if you've completed all of the steps above then you're well on your way to becoming a prominent member of the Empire. Now you'll just want to start socializing with people, playing games, signing up for any tournaments or competitions that may be relevant to you, climbing the ranking ladder, and participating as much as possible. Make sure you visit this website and read the forums every day to keep up-to-date on what's happening in JAM. Good luck and have fun!