🛸 SECTOR 7 USMG Internal Portal
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About Sector 7

What each tool is for and how to use it.

Sector 7 is the internal operations hub for US Military Gamers (USMG). It brings together multiple tools under one login to support internal operations, community engagement, and staff coordination. Each tool has a distinct purpose; this page explains what they are for and how to use them.

🐛 Tracker — Issue Tracker

Log, track, and resolve internal issues across all USMG systems.

The Tracker is where technical problems and development work get recorded. Any logged-in member can submit a ticket; staff and admins can update status, reassign priority, and close tickets. Everything is in one list so nothing falls through the cracks.

Key components:

  • Type tabs — Filter tickets by category (e.g. Bug, Incident, Dev Task, Feature). Types are configured by admins and can expand over time.
  • Status — Each ticket moves through: Open → In Progress → Resolved → Closed. Use the status dropdown to narrow the list to active work.
  • Priority — Low / Normal / High / Critical. Critical issues should be resolved before anything else.
  • Ticket detail view — Click a ticket title to see the full description, comments thread, file attachments, and the full history of status changes.
  • Reporter — The person who opened the ticket. Reporters receive updates when staff post comments or close their ticket.
  • Pagination — Tickets are shown 20 per page, newest first. Use the page controls at the bottom to go back in history.

Use the Tracker for anything that needs to be fixed or built. If you are unsure whether something belongs in Tracker or Helpdesk, ask: is this a technical issue or a support request? Technical → Tracker. Support → Helpdesk.

💬 Helpdesk — Support Tickets

Submit support requests that need a staff response.

The Helpdesk is for member-facing support — access problems, account questions, permission requests, and general help inquiries. Unlike the Tracker, which is staff-visible and team-oriented, the Helpdesk is private: each user sees only their own tickets.

Key components:

  • My Tickets list — Your personal view. Shows every ticket you have submitted with its current status at a glance.
  • Status — Open (awaiting staff review), Pending (staff is waiting on you for more info), Resolved (staff has answered), Closed (done).
  • Priority — Set when submitting. Higher priority tickets are addressed first by staff.
  • Ticket detail view — Shows the full conversation thread between you and staff. You can reply directly on the ticket page.
  • Staff View — If you have a staff role, a "Staff View" button appears. This opens the admin queue showing all users' tickets, where staff can respond and update status.
  • New Ticket — Use the "+ New Ticket" button to submit a request. Include as much detail as possible in the description.

For technical bugs or development requests, use the Tracker instead. The Helpdesk is for anything that requires a one-on-one response from staff.

💡 Ideas — Community Suggestions

Submit and vote on ideas to improve USMG.

The Ideas board is where members can pitch suggestions for features, events, or changes they would like to see across USMG. Unlike a Tracker ticket (which logs something broken or already agreed on), an Idea is a proposal open for community feedback. The most supported ideas are reviewed by staff when planning future work.

Key components:

  • Submit an Idea — Any logged-in member can post an idea with a title and description. Keep titles concise and descriptions specific so others can understand and vote meaningfully.
  • Voting — Members upvote ideas they support or downvote ideas they oppose. Each member gets one vote per idea. You can change your vote at any time.
  • Score — The net vote count (upvotes minus downvotes) is displayed on each card. Ideas are sorted by score so the most-supported rise to the top.
  • Status badges — Staff label ideas to signal their standing:
    • Open — Active and accepting votes.
    • Under Review — Staff are actively evaluating it.
    • Planned — Accepted and will be worked on.
    • Closed — Declined or no longer being considered.
  • Detail view — Click an idea title to read the full description and see a breakdown of the vote tally.

High vote counts do not guarantee implementation — staffing, scope, and priorities all factor in. But Ideas with strong community support are taken seriously. If you want something changed, this is the right place to advocate for it.

🗺️ Roadmap — Planned Work

See what the team is working on now, what comes next, and what is planned further out.

The Roadmap is a high-level view of direction across USMG projects. It is not a ticket queue — it shows initiatives and goals at a planning level, not individual bugs or tasks. Staff manage the items; all logged-in members can read it.

Key components:

  • Now — Work that is actively in progress. If something is in this column, it is being worked on.
  • Next — Work that is queued up and will start once current items complete.
  • Later — Planned but not yet scheduled. Good ideas with no committed timeline.
  • Done — Completed work. Items stay here briefly as a record before being archived.
  • Owner — The person responsible for the item (shown with a 👤 icon on the card).
  • Target date — An estimated completion date (shown with a 📅 icon). These are targets, not guarantees.
  • Item count badges — Each column header shows how many items are in that phase at a glance.

If you think something is missing from the roadmap, submit a Feature ticket in the Tracker or a request via the Helpdesk. Staff will add it if it is approved.

📋 Changelog — Deployment Log

A running record of every change, fix, and deployment across USMG environments.

The Changelog answers the question "what changed and when?" It is written by staff after deployments and updates. If something behaves differently than it did before, the Changelog is the first place to check for an explanation.

Key components:

  • Date — The date the change took effect on the server (not the date it was written).
  • Area — The system or site that was changed (e.g. Forum, Tracker, Main Site, AREA51).
  • Summary — A short plain-language description of what changed.
  • Type badges — Color-coded entry types:
    • Feature — New functionality added.
    • Change — Existing behavior modified.
    • Fix — A bug or problem corrected.
    • Maintenance — Infrastructure, updates, cleanup.
    • Security — Security-related change. Pay attention to these.
  • Type filter — Use the dropdown to narrow entries to a specific type (e.g. view only Fixes).

Entries are sorted newest first. Staff can add, edit, or delete entries. Regular members can read the full log but cannot modify it.

📖 KB — Knowledge Base

Searchable articles, how-tos, and reference material on common topics.

The Knowledge Base is a library of self-service articles. Before opening a Helpdesk ticket, check the KB — your question may already be answered. Articles are organized by category and each gets a unique KB number for easy reference (e.g. KB-0001).

Key components:

  • Search bar — Full-text search across all article titles, bodies, and KB numbers. This is the fastest way to find what you need.
  • Categories panel — Browse articles by topic. The number next to each category shows how many published articles it contains.
  • Recent Articles table — Shows the 20 most recently published articles across all categories when no search is active.
  • KB number — Each article has a unique identifier (e.g. KB-0042). You can link directly to an article using its KB number. Tracker tickets and Helpdesk replies may reference KB numbers — click the badge to go directly to that article.
  • Visibility badges — Articles marked Staff Only are only visible to staff and admins. Public articles are visible to all logged-in members.
  • Drafts — Staff can see draft articles (shown as an orange badge count in the header). Drafts are not visible to regular members until published.

The KB is distinct from Docs. KB articles are short, focused, and answer specific questions. Docs are longer, more structured references like SOPs and runbooks, and are restricted to staff and admins.

Quick Reference

Tool Use it when… Who can write?
Tracker Something is broken or needs to be built All logged-in members
Helpdesk You need help from staff personally All logged-in members
Ideas You want to suggest or vote on a community improvement All logged-in members
Roadmap You want to see what is planned Staff & Admins
Changelog Something changed and you want to know what Staff & Admins
KB You have a question that may already be answered Staff & Admins