The idea is basically to ensure that we're represented properly. As I believe I've discussed in other threads, the aim here isn't to kick people in the mud and make them feel like their costume isn't 'up to scratch' - everyone's welcome to build and do their absolute best.
We are absolutely NOT about being elitist jerks who sit around hunting for imperfections in somebody's work. We want people of all abilities to be able to join in and participate in the community - but, at the same time, when it comes to representing the 405th on deployment, it's natural to want to display the best we have to offer. There's nothing wrong at all with having some standard of workmanship expected of our members, but likewise, we're not going to kick people out onto the curb just because their costume doesn't 'meet a standard'. Members of all ability will be able to contribute.
As long as you've put a decent amount of effort into your costume and don't simply turn up to a deployment wearing a bunch of cardboard boxes painted green, you'll likely be fine. And we don't expect all of our members to turn up to a deployment in olive green Mk VI armour, either - while we realise that there are going to be 'named' builds (Noble Team/John-117/Sarah Palmer, etc) from the Halo Universe, the great thing about the games is that they allow us to create our own identity. We're certainly not going to deny somebody wearing a mix of armours, as long as that mix isn't too outlandish. We don't, for instance, really want Titanfall Spartans walking around wielding lightsabers, do we? We're here to celebrate Halo first and foremost.
I feel that yes, some line needs to be drawn with standards, but maybe it should be in regards to recognizably or intent. Technical worksmanship is a very thorny subject and we should thread carefully. So, lets say if someone shows up with a couple of cardboard boxes painted green or some relatively shoddily made armor. I feel we should aim to be inclusive and welcoming. Rather than say "sorry kid, maybe you can come with us next time when you make better armor", I'd rather let them come with us and be inspired by being among others that have built more elaborate or detailed armor, let them feel like they belong and maybe strive to make a better one just by being included with us. Someone like that has the courage and passion to at least attempt something and go into the public expressing a fandom that we all share. The last thing I want to do is to turn that person away on a technicality. I know, that as costumers we're striving to make the best and stand out and we want to set the gold standard. But we have to remember that everyone starts somewhere and we should be ready to extend a hand of encouragement and friendship to anyone that wants to join in.
One thing I feel I have to note is that 343 themselves have said they love the range of costumes from the 405th, from the shoddiest looking hunk of cardboard to some of the crazy mastery we've seen in the elite sections. As a more concrete example, take a look at our outing at SDCC in 2012:
We have a wide variety of Spartans on stage and all were welcomed, I want to make sure that the new rules can maintain this openness and welcoming attitude.
You can't, on the one hand, be a part of the community, and then at the same time, not be a part of it. I'd imagine that people are more than welcome to attend conventions in costume, but it's unlikely they'll be recognised as part of the 405th community and invited to deploy with us.
This is a product of the unique situation of the Pacific Regiment, so I'll give a little backstory so you have the proper context.
Back during the Dark Times (when the 405th was in decline, overrun with spyware, and basically unusable), we banded together and organized ourselves as a regiment thanks in no small part to
Trooper0621. The central point of this was the Facebook page and private group for 405th Pacific. It's over there, especially in the Facebook group where we get together, coordinate, and have been growing the regiment. When Art took over the 405th last year, the regimental subforums were created to bring us "back into the fold" as it were and try to bring that activity back over here. As you can tell by the level of activity in the Pacific subforum, that hasn't happened yet. I would say that's mostly because the Facebook private group "works" and people have very little incentive to move away from something that A) is what they're already familiar with and B) already working. Right now, the group is buzzing with activity over preparations for WonderCon (which we have a table and panel lined up) and SDCC whereas the subforum here is a bit of a ghosttown.
The thing about the Pacific Regiment is that we formed, grew, and thrived mostly outside of the wider 405th community. So the people within the regiment have formed and participate in a community, it's just a more locally focused community. You can think of it as some self-governing autonomous region from the greater whole that is the 405th.That's just how it developed organically and and we'll have to find some way to integrate as we go further down the line.
So the reason the account requirement is causing some consternation inside Pacific is that some of the members see no need or interest in migrating away from our currently working setup. I understand the reasoning behind the requirement, but with the history of Pacific, I'm hoping you can see the reasoning behind the objections to that requirement.
Non-Costuming Members
- Type A - Recruit Membership (New Member): is limited membership open to persons 13 years or older with a registered personal account on the 405th official website. These members have maintained a personal account on the 405th official website for less than 90 days AND made less than 50 posts on the 405th official website.
- Type B – Enlisted Membership (Full Member): is limited membership open to persons 13 years or older with a registered personal account on the 405th official website. These members have made 50 posts+ and have maintained a personal account for 90+ days on the 405th official website.
Recruits and Enlisted Members are defined as a member in good standing whose presence is limited, primarily, to the 405th website and who do not meet the finished costume requirements of the organization. Recruits and Enlisted Members may attend physical events as part of the attending public, but have no physical representation rights outside that of the 405th's internet presence.
A Recruit/Enlisted Member is eligible to:
- Register and participate on the 405th website/forum.
- Attend official/unofficial events as a representative of the 405th in a non-costume (supporting/handler) capacity under the supervision of a Deployed Member (Type C) with the express consent of local, regional, or organizational command.
- Buy 405th merchandise.
A Recruit/Enlisted Member is not eligible to:
- Vote in unit elections.
- Run for unit office.
- Create 405th or Unit merchandise.
- Buy "Auxiliary Member Only" or "Deployed Member Only" merchandise.
- Access unit “Deployed Members-only” forums.
- Attend official/unofficial events in/out of costume as a representative of the 405th unsupervised without the express consent of local, regional, or organizational command.
Recruit/Enlisted members do not receive the right to official investigation, special tribunal, or alternate dispute resolution. Recruit/Enlisted Members found in violation of the 405th Mantle and/or the Move Prop Sites Community Guidelines/Terms of Use may be removed from the community.
Recruit/Enlisted members who participate in events with a Deployed Member that represents the 405th in an official capacity, or who participate in conversations within a Regiment/Battalion forum may be subject to disciplinary actions by the 405th/Regiment/Battalion for infractions of the 405th Mantle or forum Code of Conduct.
Regiments/Battalions may allow Recruit/Enlisted members non-costume participation at official events if they so choose. Should a Regiment/Battalion choose to allow a Recruit/Enlisted member non-costume participation at official events, 405th/Regiment/Battalion take responsibility for the actions of those Recruit/Enlisted members while representing the 405th.
This section of membership is for all of our people here who don't costume but still contribute to the forums and potentially attend events as handlers/helpers. These are our support people. The 501st doesn't officially recognize this type of membership - you're either 501st or you're not - so that is certainly one of the ways we are different.
With respect to the tiers within Deployed - yes in fact this is somewhat like the 501st, however, it's not something that anyone has to do in either group. In my 11 years, I've never sought to get a higher "rank" with respect to one of my costumes because it just isn't my thing. I have approved gear that looks great and I get a lot of joy out of trooping in it. I'm content to be at the base level. Others, however, really do get a lot of joy out of being very exacting and put a lot of time and effort in to getting to that level of completeness. Giving them a higher tier ranking because of that is a kudos to them, not a knock at others who haven't achieved it. And those that haven't achieved it, it gives them something to work towards if they want to. The point, however, is that they don't have to.
Does that help at all?
I think the problem here is that the Type C members have all the rights and privileges, this is putting a greater emphasis on costumers whereas the community is built up from and survives on more than just that gruop. Handlers/3D moldelers/ etc. should have the same standing as the costumers. They're as much a part of the community as the more visible costumers.
I'll just give an example of one of the situations we've got here.
Traghatti and his girlfirend are currently coordinating our table setup for WonderCon. She's been a part of Pacific for years working as a handler and now at the forefront of coordinating some of our Regimental activities. At this point, she doesn't the inclination to sign up on here for an account, and if she does won't be using it much as a lot of the coordination and interaction is occurring off this site. By the rules, she doesn't even qualify as Type A, and even if an exception were made and she ended up Type B, she doesn't have the full rights and participation allowed by Type C yet I'd argue she's done a lot more for this Regiment than some Type Cs. Her situation is not unique as we have other SOs, family members, friends, etc. of people who participated in the forums before the Dark Times and ended up growing into the regiment and taking a greater role while this forum was down. To further compound that, people are coming to us through Facebook or meeting Regiment members in person at events and being integrated into the Regiment without having passed through these forums. It's a problem that certainly needs to be looked at. I'm not sure what the solution is going to be, but wholesale forcing everyone to migrate from something that's comfortable and working is going to upset and alienate a lot of people.
