Nerf gun? Check. Balled-up socks? Check. Orange armband? Check. The moderated tag game "Humans vs. Zombies" (HvZ) is back for its fifth annual session at Notre Dame.
Senior Alex Muench, the game's primary moderator, has helped run the event hosted by WVFI radio station since Notre Dame's first game in the spring of 2011.
"I'd say it's a week long game of team-based tag. With Nerf and zombies," Muench said.
The game involves campus-wide strategy and is played at colleges throughout the United States.
According to the rules listed on the game's website, everyone who signs up to play is automatically registered as "human" and is distinguished by an orange armband tied around his or her arm. When the "Original Zombie" tags the first "human," he or she becomes "infected" and must play on the "zombie" side, the website stated.To protect themselves, some humans buy large Nerf guns or carry socks. If they "kill" one of the zombies, they earn a 15-minute time out. Zombies hit with a projectile must move their bands down to their neck to show they're inactive and cannot "feed" on other humans, the website stated.There are also missions every night when the humans come out to complete tasks that can create more safe zones for humans to hide from zombies or earn longer time-out times to prevent zombies from attacking. It all comes down to a huge showdown on Sunday night: If any humans are left standing at the end of the mission, humans win, the website stated.
Despite the formulaic procedure, Muench said every game is unique.
"What really makes a difference is the players,"
said. "A small sub-group of friends can gain notoriety and change the course of the game this semester. And that's what always makes things interesting."
Into its third year at Notre Dame, HvZ is closing in on just over 150 players. This year's game runs from Sept. 25 to Sept. 29. The game is open to all students at Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross. Sign-ups are accepted until Sept. 21 and can be accessed at www.hvzsource.com/nd.
Contact Charmagne Solomon at csolomo1@nd.edu
