[Ross]

ESF SURVEY RESULTS

DEC 2015 APPROVAL: 99% (-15%)
MAR APPROVAL: 84%
MAR OVERALL RANKING: LOWEST PERFORMING AREA.
MAR DIVISION RANKING: LOWEST PERFORMING DIVISION.

DEC 2015 EVENT APPROVAL: 99% (-4%)
MAR EVENT APPROVAL: 94%

DIVISION REVIEW: IN PROGRESS

I've never been a member

Ross: Please do join us. ESF is a great group of people and we want our group to grow! Please check out our recruitment thread here!

Britsurfer: ESF is a great place to learn and improve about all aspects of Star Trek Online, whatever you are into, I am sure ESF can help to achieve your goals.

No Complaints

Ross: Fair enough

Britsurfer: Ok

Ross is extremely rude and impersonal. He runs ESF like a Russian soup kitchen...poorly. His general attitude stinks. On a more general note, the creation of ESF "only" events is surely stupid. Let's alienate people from ESF is pretty much what that's going to do. And telling people to get out the ESF TS channel is unacceptable. Sort yourselfs out become you are an embarrassment.

Ross: I am sorry that I have left such a negative impression on you. ESF Members Only events were posted on the events page to serve as an advertisement for the division, as a "recruitment tool", if you will. ESF, as a division, wants to demonstrate that we are a group of people dedicated to hosting and attending Star Trek Online events. Alienating members is the last thing we want to do and ESF is doing a number of things to share our expertise/experience (i.e. Build Discussion event, various STF events, Intro to Ground STFs event, various STF guides and walkthroughs). Additionally, it takes time, effort and practice and to understand and to perfect the end game content challenges and the tactics and builds required to complete such challenges. ESF members, during the ESF Members Only events, dedicate their time and effort to go through the end game content and to bring our expertise to the UFP membership. Please join us during any one of the many events that ESF hosts and I will do my best to change your mind about ESF and myself in particular.

Britsurfer: I am sorry, but I totally disagree with your comments about Ross, he isn’t rude or impersonal. I do believe this is a culture clash plain and simple. In regard to your comments regarding ESF Members only event. There are 2 good reasons we agreed to do this: 1. To serve as an advertisement for the division, as a "recruitment tool" and 2. To inform ESF Members when these were happening. An internal tool, as there was always comments from ESF members saying they didn’t know this event was happening.

Wish there was more events for the western folks (usa region)

Ross: ESF strives to capture multiple timezones for our events and are exploring introducing more events all the time! We host STF Friday at 7PM PST and I host the Black Ops event on Thursdays at 7PM PST. Please come and join in the fun!

Britsurfer: I wish there were more Western USA Time-Zone Members joining the community events

ESF was getting better, but it seems to be on a slide back to the days of hiding in it's private channel playing alone and kicking out anyone who tries to enter. That isn't a criticism of all ESF members, most of them are decent people, but some of the leadership seems to have forgotten that ESF was, at one time, highly controversial for it's perceived elitism and reputation as a 'private club'. Even more importantly, they seem to have forgotten that ESFs advertised purpose was to improve the endgame experience for ALL of the STO players in UFP, whether they were in ESF or not.

Ross: Thank you for your feedback, I hope I have already addressed many of your concerns in the post above. The entire ESF team is dedicated to improving the end game experience of ALL of the STO players within our community. The ESF channel is open to all members of the UFP and we hope you will be joining us in the channel regularly. Everyone at ESF is encouraged to join other community members in the Battle Bridge channel whenever they can. Our focus is on improving the STO experience for all UFP members and I hope we will change your mind soon with all the material that we are working on for the community.

Britsurfer: The above comments have covered this.

Good leadership. Plenty of events with feedback!

Ross: Many thanks. We have plenty more to come!

Britsurfer: : Thank you, we always strive to improve for ourselves and the community. This is what ESF is about.

S

Ross: I do need a bit more.

Britsurfer: Hmm, S is the question

I'm not sure what this is.

Ross: We are a dedicated group of Star Trek Online players who put a heavy emphasis on end game content, with a particular focus on Special Task Force missions (STFs). We work hard to make sure we help others master the end game content with Star Trek Online and hope you can join us soon.

Britsurfer: See Ross’s Comment

cant tell wen ross is happy or mad

Ross: I am always happy! I am working on perfecting my "poker face"

Britsurfer: Ross is a happy chappie, but has a rubbish poker face, where I have a great poker face

I have had no issues with the Elite Strike Force within the past few months. However, the recent controversy with the ESF Channel being changed back to Members only, and the CO being belligerent, has only had the effect reducing my respect for the ESF Command Staff.

Also, the notion of ESF only events just reinforces the already potent stigma that ESF is some kind of special super Elitist club with Elitist and Holier-than-thou attitudes. You're meant to help everyone, not just your own little niche.

Whilst this is not an attack of the general members of ESF, in fact, most of them are nice people, it's the CO I have a problem with, him and his ego.

Telling a non-ESF members to get out of the channel when there was nobody in the STO channel for them to talk to, just further alienates new members and discourages them from joining ESF.

Ross: Thank you for your feedback. I believe I have addressed your concerns in several posts above. I don't think I have let my ego get the better of me, but if you have anything specific you would like to discuss, please PM me on the forums or poke me on TeamSpeak.

Britsurfer: See above comments, I am always happy to discuss any specific concerns you may have.

Just as a comment, there's no way I can put up a consistent enough commitment to join ESF, but it does sound like you guys are doing some fun stuff in your ESF only events. Perhaps someday if RL lets up.

Ross: Thank you for your feedback. I do hope that your RL commitments will allow you to join us in the future. Please join us during any of the other events that we are hosting for the community. Please check the events calendar to learn more.

Britsurfer: Thanks, as what Ross said, please check the events calendar to learn more.

Please come back Bill! You made ESF great, and now it's going in ruins with this other guy.

Ross: I am sorry you have had a less than enjoyable experience so far. I hope to change your mind soon.

Britsurfer: I feel this is unfair comment on Ross, as he has only been in command for a short period of time and myself even less. We have great plans for ESF. But this is a team effort and it can only work if members are willing to help. If you have any specific concerns, please contact me to discuss.

Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow. hiss!

Ross: I think this is a fair assessment.

Britsurfer: Woof Woof!!

Helping other members should be paramount, other than creating a 'member's only' club; come on, enough of the drama, get things sorted.

Ross: Thank you for our feedback. Helping other members is paramount to ESF. I trust that is demonstrated through the many events, guides and activities that we regularly host for the community.

Britsurfer: I believe the above comments have addressed this.

Bill had changed my opinion on this division however my opinion on this division has gone down drastically in the past few months the attitude of both current leaders is elitist in such way that I would not want to join this division under this leadership. I thought the elisists had left the UFP a while ago but these 2 are just like those that left.

Ross: I don't think this is a fair assessment or characterization of either myself or Britsurfer. If there is anything specific that you want us to focus on to improve your experience within this community, please send me a PM on the forums or poke me on TeamSpeak. I hope that further interation with us will sway your opinion.

Britsurfer: I believe Ross has answered this. If you have specific issue with me, please contact me directly.

[Kerry Malone]

I have to say I am quite disappointed with some of that feedback. Its not very productive to reduce your feedback to personal attacks on people.

Whilst there's a lot that ESF has done wrong in the last couple of months, it hardly justifies what I'm reading here. Ross has been CO since January, Britsurfer has been XO since the end of February. They've barely had a chance to make any impression at all, and they're learning as they go. ESF is a very hard division to manage at the best of times, and I think they're doing the best they can.

I also feel that the huge focus on the ESF channel incident is very unfair. It was an isolated incident based on a lack of understanding regarding the channel rules. Once the misunderstanding was cleared up between Ross and Three Of Seven, the issue was not repeated.

ESF member only events are so that the ESF members can get together to have a good time, enjoy each other's company, and try more advanced techniques, polish existing ones, and work together to produce the quality training that ESF does provide to the membership through five other ESF managed events that are 100% for all UFP members to attend. Would it be better to call them ESF Member Training Events? That's effectively what they are, so that all members know all the tricks and strategies to leading all the end-game content, so that we can help the members through it.

Overall, I feel that most of the feedback is unhelpful, unnecessary, and hurtful - and was only made because of the pure anonymity offered through the UFP Survey. If any of the people above have issue with Ross' management of ESF, they should either speak to Ross directly, or speak with Three Of Seven, so that the issues can be worked out amicably, and Ross can improve. This feedback really isn't all that helpful in improving ESF.

That being said - thank you to everyone who did leave feedback

[Solace]

I have to admit, after reading through some of these comments. I feel there a quite a few very personal attacks directed at Ross and some at Britsurfer, personally I feel that those types of comments have no place on the forums and really should be discussed privately.

I personally am quite saddened by some of the categorizations of the ESF command staff. As Ross and Britsurfer said, it better to discuss these things privately rather calling someone out on the forums in this manner.

[thexpl0r3r]

As I really like and enjoy being part of ESF and participating in these activities I feel that I need to put my two cents in.

I don't find ESF being elitist or exclusive club. It is open for all members of the community. I would say that this division has a very special place in the community as it gathers STO players with a slightly more serious attitude toward the game and keeps them in the community. It is one of the key reasons why UFP has strong STO organization and presence. ESF members learn how, when and what to do and how to do it better and share that with the community. There are certain requirements for membership which are more than acceptable. The only investment is time, dedication and willingness to learn and ESF provides training for all community members that would like to join.

'ESF only' events purpose is not to be part of "the special super Elitist club with Elitist and Holier-than-thou attitudes" and they are not "stupid". Their purpose is to play and successfully complete end game content like Hive Space Elite and this is not possible without having proper strategy, coordination, team assignments and knowing some elements of the game mechanic. For players who are already knowledgeable it is very easy to join ESF and participate in those runs and for those who are not it is very easy to learn as ESF provides necessary training.

ESF has members only event once a week, and numerous other events during the week aimed at improving endgame experience for all STO players in UFP. Furthermore, if you take a look at STO events at this point, all of them are hosted by players who are also members of ESF.

When it comes to new ESF leadership, it is just different than the previous. New leadership has brought new energy, approach, direction and many other new things in the shop that I'm personally looking forward to. During the last 18 months of being in UFP I have heard STO Divisions leaders to be direct (not just ESF) I have never heard any of them being impolite and rude, whether in TS or chat, and I'm convinced that there is nothing more than misunderstanding behind these comments.

Just to summarize; Anyone who is willing to invest some time, dedication and patience will find ESF to be quite enjoyable.

[Kains]

This seems like a flashback; Almost as if I've read some of these before.

I haven't been as involved as I would like (Re: At all), but my interactions with Ross and Brit have been exactly what I have come to expect from fellow UFP members: They are an animated, polite, and fun group of people to work and game with.

Obviously something happened, something I am not privy to, regardless I am still in complete confidence that between the CL6 staff and the new ESF command staff the incident has been taken very seriously and steps have been taken to ensure it is not repeated.

Please don't allow previous drama, which in this case was now a number of years ago, taint what these guys are trying to do.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

[Jake Tyler]

This seems like a flashback; Almost as if I've read some of these before.

I haven't been as involved as I would like (Re: At all), but my interactions with Ross and Brit have been exactly what I have come to expect from fellow UFP members: They are an animated, polite, and fun group of people to work and game with.

Obviously something happened, something I am not privy to, regardless I am still in complete confidence that between the CL6 staff and the new ESF command staff the incident has been taken very seriously and steps have been taken to ensure it is not repeated.

Please don't allow previous drama, which in this case was now a number of years ago, taint what these guys are trying to do.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

Just a fleeting visit, but i second what Kains says. This is a recurring theme and similar criticisms have been aimed at the ESF from day one (the amount of "chats" i had with the executive at the time i lost count of).

I am looking at getting more involved again, once ive done some research, but stick with it, it is a great division, no doubt being soundly led, yes there may be some issues, but they will be ironed out no doubt.

Hang in there.

[Bar'ol]

I got no problems with ESF. I enjoy their company and conversions from each and every one of them. I'll admit at first the ESF only events rubbed me the wrong way. I even participated in listening to how they run their events in TS, however I wish I could of seen what was going on like through twitch or some other streaming service. At first I was really intimidated by ESF due to the high caliber it gave off. But Ross and the other ESF members and through time have taught me more about the endgame and always encourage others, like myself, to help improve our ships/equipment/builds. None of the members I have encounter have given off elitism. Attitude of some of these comments I can see their point of view to a degree but I think they should of brought the personal attacks to PM system.