Zombies will attack Chico State.
They will be wearing bandanas on their heads and feeding on humans for five days.
The game is called “Humans vs. Zombies” and it started in 2005 at Goucher College in Baltimore, Md. It has spread to college campuses around the world. Chico State’s first official game commences at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 26 and ends Oct. 30.
The idea of zombies possibly attacking humans in real life is an interest of freshman Gabe Maddox, who is registered to participate. He has watched zombie-related films and read “The Zombie Survival Guide” by Max Brooks. He has also developed a potential plan should zombies ever really attack.
“If there were a small outbreak, I’d get into the woods, stay away from population centers and head to the cold,” Maddox said. “They would probably freeze in the cold — in theory, of course.”
HvZ at Chico State was started by fifth-year student Will Owen, an applied computer graphics major, who saw Stephen Colbert’s coverage of the game and then organized a trial game last October. HvZ is essentially a form of moderated tag, said Owen, the only moderator and leader of the game at Chico State.
Everyone starts off as “humans” wearing bandanas around their arm. One person is chosen to be the “original zombie” who must tag, or “feed,” on humans. When humans are tagged, they turn into “zombies” who must “feed” every 48 hours or they are dismissed from the game.
Humans can only defend themselves by throwing balled-up socks at zombies, which stuns them and keeps the zombies out of the game for 15 minutes, Owen said. Humans win the game if there are any humans remaining by the end of the last day.
Students aren’t the only ones getting in on the action.
John Pozzi is an applied computer graphics lecturer who is a faculty member currently registered to participate in HvZ.
Pozzi played in the trial game last year and chased a student from one side of the campus to the other in order to “stun” him, Pozzi said.
“I guess I was sort of a zombie hunter,” he said.
Moderators are allowed to tweak the standard rules to fit their campus, Owen said. He made a few changes including mandating participants be on campus for at least five hours a day and play only during daylight hours.
“I’m trying to encourage off-campus play as well,” he said. “I want people to be standing in Safeway and have to drop everything and run because there is a zombie coming,” he said.
However, there is one universal rule that cannot and will not be changed.
“Rule number one: Don’t be a d-bag,” Owen said.
The point is to have fun and set up a stable game for future semesters, Owen said. People trying to hurt other participants or refusing to follow the rules will not be tolerated.
Safety is vital during the game, though injuries are very rare on most campuses, Owen said.
“If you’re worried your sock isn’t safe, try to throw it at your own eye and decide if it hurts or not,” he said at the first meeting Oct. 5. “If it does, then it looks like you need a new sock.”
Owen has talked to University Police risk management and university officials to get the game cleared, he said. The game requires leadership, marketing and management skills of all those involved, which is a reason the university gave the OK for the game to be held on campus.
On Facebook, humans can sign up to go on “secret missions” during the game, Owen said. The missions may include scenarios such as escorting a “scientist” carrying a “vaccine” without getting tagged.
Participants can register until Oct. 23 by visiting chico.hvzsource.com.
Participants must sign two waiver forms and be briefed on the rules in person by Owen. The next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 19 in O’Connell Technology Center 136.
“It looks like I need to buy more socks,” Maddox said.
Patty Conover can be reached at
pconover@theorion.com
Be the first to comment on this article!