User:Thekooks/Frog

What is a Frog?

A Frog in Urban Dead is not an amphibious creature that hops around on lily pads and eats flies. Rather, a Frog is a person who falls into a particular mindset, an incredibly elitist mindset that can be intolerable to other people playing the game who want to have fun as opposed to those who say it must be played a "certain way" that is often coupled with an ego of astronomical proportions.

Why call them Frogs?

The term emerged in an instant messenger discussion in drawing a comparison between the kinds of foolishness that can emerge in the Urban Dead community, the stupidity that comes out of a lack of common sense (which happens much more than it should) and the stupidity of elitist attitudes, or as was eloquently put in the conversation stupid in a " 'I drink only FRENCH wine' kind of way." As a more common slang for French is to call them Frogs, the term came from that statement.

How to spot a Frog

Frogs are often found not so much in the game as on metagaming message boards, since they truly can't let their elitism shine in the game without blowing all of their AP to explain how superior their way of doing things is compared to the common run of things, and after all if they die they are obviously not so much better than anyone else. Instead here are some following criteria for determining if someone you are in a conversation with is, in fact, a Frog:

• High Post Count: A Frog often is quite verbose and active on their relevant message board and as such usually will have a high post count, one of many ways they use to prove their superiority to others.

• Holds an Important Position: Frogs often hold a position of some importance in an established group, although it does happen there are lower ranking Frogs more often than not they have a position of some power which fuels their ego.

• Current or Former Member of an Old, Famous, or Large Group: Part of the attitude of a Frog comes not just from being a person of importance in an established group, usually that group is an older one and/or quite large or had some noticeable impact on the game. It does not matter if the Frog themselves is still having such an impact, that they are part of an important group or were a part of a powerful group matters as much, if not more than present deeds and accomplishments.

• Insulting to New Users: A Frog will often insult someone who has a noticeably lower post count than their own if that user does not conform to the Frog's opinion on how things should be done.

• Insulting Users Who Question Their Opinions: This is the BIG one, the others can happen with anyone but Frogs are known for mercilessly, rudely, and in some cases childishly insulting another user who dares to offer a possible approach that does not conform with their particular orthodoxy. It does not matter what that orthodoxy is, what is key to understanding a Frog is that they will berate the individual and instead of handling the matter in an intellectual fashion as well as that they will NEVER stray from their Holy Doctrine.

• Chronic Misunderstanding or Misconstruing of Posts: Frogs will often twist the meaning of a post and imply an intention or meaning to another user's post that may not be there, some examples include implying a post is attempting to "force" something that is not in line with how they see things working. While many people fall prey to this, Frogs do this on a regular basis with anything that does not fit into their ideological filter.

• Never Admit if They Are Wrong: If a Frog is called on misconstruing a post or insulting someone they will NEVER, under ANY circumstances, admit they are wrong or made a mistake.

• Reminisce About the "Good Old Days": Frogs will often wax eloquent about how "in my day" survivors were smarter, mall sieges more epic, zombies weaker, etc. This is part of their orthodoxy is a strong nostalgia for a past that is already gone by as well as their resting on past laurels.

• Regular Use of the Term Trenchcoater: This is the red flag. Frogs will often accuse another user if they advocate something that is a more combative approach than they would favor of being a Trenchcoater regardless of the merits of the plan itself. This is quite similar to how Frogs will use insults or an overbearing attitude to try to browbeat someone else into submission with their superior rank, association, and/or post count. This is also part of their refusal to consider an idea outside of their "box".

You Have Found a Frog

You find yourself in a conversation on, lets say Brainstock, something related to recent events, possibly a recent mall siege or something. You have someone stumble in who is some high mucky muck with a post count of over a thousand who promptly insults your posts and called you a trenchcoater. You may be wondering, "What next?" Here are some things NOT to do:

• Reason With Them: Frogs will ignore logic and reason if it does not gel with their world view. Don't bother wasting your breath.

• Ask For Them to Explain Themselves: Don't bother, a real Frog will NEVER explain why they are being a prick to you or pissing on your posts.

Instead here is what you should do, since reason does not work, employ the best strategies for arguing with intractable people on the internet, also known as Trolls:

• Call Them on It: Don't just call them out as a Frog, make it clear exactly WHY you say they are a Frog and what they did was very rude, arrogant, and certainly uncalled for.

• Don't Let Up: NEVER, under ANY circumstances, allow a Frog control of the debate. Instead hammer away at their bad attitude and their arrogance until they shut up and leave.

Remember, while the above may seem very similar to what they do, Frogs cannot be reasoned with, they do not leave their precious box, and they believe in a modified version of the Copernican Theory: the world, or at least Urban Dead, revolves around THEM and THEIR opinions. The only way to deal with a Frog is force them out of the situation.

What if I'm a Frog?

What if you read this article and realize *gasp* I fit this description to a T. Fear not, for there is a way to cure this condition.

• Urban Dead is Just a Game: Repeat this to yourself regularly: Urban Dead is Just a Game, it is NOT the center of my universe, it is not essential to my daily life. Therefore, I should not become so greatly invested in it as to walk around like my farts don't stink.

• Games Are Meant to be Fun: Remember, by being an elitist snob about how to play a free, web-browser based MMORPG that maybe from a practical standpoint takes all of ten minutes a day, tops, you are ruining someone else's fun. In some places that is called Griefing.

• Questioning an Idea is NOT an Attack on You: If someone is questioning how you approach something, it is NOT an attack on you, your integrity, how good you are in bed, how much money you make, or any other thing you could think of. It is NOT a personal attack if an idea you support is being questioned or criticized, so don't act like it is!

If You Don't Like Frogs

Here is a fun template to put in your user profile:

put in with the following code:

{{froghater}}

and don't forget to link them to this article when you call them out on a Frog, just in case they don't know what a Frog is. This other one is a fun one too for them to chew on:

	It's Just a Game, Douche-Bag
	This User Is Sick Of The Word "Trenchcoater" and The Attitude That It Represents

put in with this code:

{{Anti Elitism}}

Putting both next to eachother is even better!

Final Thoughts

Remember, Urban Dead is a GAME, and games are meant to be fun, not an ego replacement. If you find yourself committing any of the above sins or practicing any of the above behaviors, then take a step back and remember, this is not contributing to other people's fun. And in all honesty, if you get a kick out of putting other people down, then what are you doing here? Incidentally, this page will not contain a list of known Frogs and examples of their crimes and never should, after all that is a very Frog thing to do.

If you found this funny and are thinking to yourself, "yep I know someone like that" then you both have met a Frog and are not one yourself. Congratulations!

And as a final note, if you read this article and are somehow offended by it, you might just be a Frog.

Happy Gaming!