Part 1

Your first steps in Star Wars: Zero Company! Learn about pilot registration, the Concourse, and the Proving Ground maze. Get ready to fly!

Alright, let's get you started in Star Wars: Zero Company! Think of this as your initial briefing before you even hop into the cockpit. First things first, you'll need to register your pilot. This is where you'll set up your unique identity in the game – your name, your rank, your achievements, and your score. It's pretty cool because each pilot you create gets their own progression.

In the older versions of the game, you could even use your registered pilots as wingmen in missions, but that feature got tweaked in the Collector's Edition. Still, your pilot's info is super important. You can check out their 'Merits' – that's where you'll see their current rank (it's shown on their uniform, neat!), any training patches or flight badges they've earned, and ribbons from completing Tours of Duty. Plus, any medals you snag from high scores or finishing tours will be displayed here too.

Then there's the 'Statistics' section. This is your personal scoreboard, showing your mission scores, your overall accuracy, and how many ships you've managed to lose. Honestly, if you can beat this game without losing a single craft, you're a legend – it's tough!

Once you're all registered, you'll find yourself in the Concourse. This is your central hub, kind of like the main lobby. From here, you can access a few key areas:

• Rebel Proving Ground: This is where you'll catch a shuttle to practice your skills in 'The Maze' with all the different Rebel starfighters.
• Rebel Training Ground: Another shuttle ride takes you to the Training Frigate for simulated combat missions and replays of tours you've already completed.
• Tour of Duty Registration: Ready for the real deal? Sign up for actual combat missions here, and you can also watch unlocked cutscenes after beating certain tours.
• Film Room: If you've been recording your flights with the in-flight recorder, you can review them here.
• Tech Room: Want to know the specs on all the ships? This is the place to check out technical details for starfighters, freighters, and capital ships.
• Registration: Need to switch pilots? Just head back here to where you started.

Now, if you're brand new to X-Wing or games like it, I highly recommend heading straight to the Rebel Proving Ground. It's the best place to get a feel for the controls and the general flow of flying in 'The Maze.' You can try it out in the X-Wing, Y-Wing, A-Wing, and B-Wing. You start with access to just the first level for each ship, but as you clear more, you'll unlock up to level 8. After that, you'll start at the highest level you've unlocked and work your way forward.

The maze itself is pretty straightforward: there are 110 gates in total. Most platforms have 3 gates, with the final one having just a single gate. When you start on level one, only some platforms will have lasers. Destroying a laser with your own weapons adds 2 seconds to your timer – remember this, it's important!

As you climb the levels, you'll notice more lasers, and they'll actually start firing back at you with surprising accuracy! Your goal is to destroy them to gain more time on your clock. Things get tricky at higher levels, with some platforms even facing backward, firing at you from behind. You've gotta take them out before they get you!

If you finish a level with time left on the clock, that extra time gets added as bonus points to your score. More time left means a bigger bonus. Sometimes you'll get a nice bonus, especially early on, and other times you'll just be happy to finish before time runs out. If you're struggling, try changing up your approach or focus on improving your aim to destroy more targets.

Here’s a quick rundown of the time limits and setup for the early levels:

• Level 1: You get 8 minutes 30 seconds. It has the fewest targets, and they don't fire back at you. Easy peasy.
• Level 2: Time drops to 6 minutes. More targets appear, and they start firing with low accuracy.
• Level 3: You have 4 minutes 30 seconds. Even more targets, still firing with low accuracy.
• Level 4: Down to 3 minutes. This level has the most targets, and they're firing with relative accuracy now.
• Level 5: You get 5 minutes 30 seconds. More targets, firing with relative accuracy. Heads up: Completing this level earns you a promotion from Flight Cadet to Flight Officer!
• Level 6: 5 minutes on the clock. More targets, still firing with relative accuracy.
• Level 7: 4 minutes 30 seconds. Most targets, and they're firing with near pinpoint accuracy.
• Level 8: Another 4 minutes 30 seconds. Most targets, near pinpoint accuracy, and some will be facing backward to shoot at you from behind. Finishing this level earns you... well, the source cuts off here, but it's likely another promotion or award!