I am tagged. I represent HR (Hell's Rangers). Plisskin had named me his successor as PSB/SS Contact, as he stepped into the H1Z1 realm. He forwarded my contact info on, but no one ever reached out to me via email, so I reached out but never got a response.
Hell's Rangers have participated in Planetside Battles style events since PS1's utilization of old Oshur for Outfit v Outfit private events. My own pedigree is from Konried on PS1 and I have administered various Quake ladders on Stronger Than All (now defunct) and LAN Parties.
HR was well represented in previous Server Smashes and then fell out. Partially because we were left out of the loop over the course of several events. The first time, either late 2013 or very early 2014, we were left on the doorstep despite going above and beyond to communicate our numbers and commitment to the event. It honestly felt like we had the door shut in our face.
The second time it happened, for Mid-2014's event, we were left off a sign-up sheet, but were able to work it out with the organizers and eventually were born into 'Team 2' which was a disappointment, but still a bone is a bone is a bone, right? So we happily gnawed the shit out of the scraps we were thrown and sucked that marrow out.
Participated in September and November 2014's events and had a great time.
The third time we were left off, in February 2015, I spammed my PSB point of contact(s), but no response. My time investment was substantial in sending emails, tracking down contacts, reviewing forums, and I felt incredibly frustrated that the fruit was 0. Even typing this response, investing my time to provide this feedback, I wonder if it is worth it. If I didn't type 120wpm and have a desire to see PSB hit super saiyan levels of awesome, I would just be pulling a Devastator and throwing flippant commentary.
It has been my experience that the Hierarchy for Emerald has strong interpersonal relationships and hold the decisions made between them above the discourse that occurs in group meetings. Nothing wrong with that at all. If anything the team and plan is much stronger as a result.
Overall I see two areas for improvement.
Feedback, for and from force leaders (squad leads), have a conduit to be heard and acknowledged. Even if discarded, just to know my feedback was received and considered is better than no response at all.
Calendaring for meetings and decision making.
I wish I could be best friends with you all and maintain those relationships with late night drinky chats in TS/Mumble, yall Emerald-kids are cool cats.
That kind of commitment isn't possible from me and I end up delegating/relying on RLP or JasonWebb to help manage those items, attending meetings and tracking people down in-game when needed. Previously it had been DeathTollDavid, myself, and Plisskin organizing these events for HR.
Anyways, I want the best for these events and this organization, with Win after Win, you guys make us all stand a bit taller, and I am quite impressed with your Wins. Which is great, if the priority is success, then keep barreling down this path, because you got that shit in spades and it is awesome. Plus, it makes the replays more fun to watch, for me.
I could do with more SS/PSB in my life and I know my outfit would be stoked to be rolled back in, but I need it to be easier and more transparent, more google docs. I don't want to invest even 3 hours attending meetings and then be left on the doorstep the month/week before the event, finding that we were not included on a roster like I did back in February.
The opportunity for the other leagues, like Farmers, was tantalizing, but not really what we are into. We want that massive Prime Time Alert feel except with that super satisfying PSB result.
So, maybe 'broken' isn't the right word to use. Privileged, whether right or wrong, would probably be more accurate.
P.S. I have not listened to Hebe's YouTube commentary as I am locked up in meetings this AM, but I befriended him at some point in the past, so guessing that we share some common perspectives.