FREEZE: Freshman psychology major Macario Candia poses with his Nerf gun on the West campus Tuesday afternoon. Candia is a "human" in theHumans beware when walking around the West campus this week: Zombies are being created.
The zombie apocalypse is well under way and the students are ready to put down the books and pick up their Nerf guns.
“Humans vs. Zombies” was organized by the Residence Hall Association at the West campus as the first big event of the year, said Edwin Maturino, director of programming at RHA.
The object of the game is to stay human until Friday evening and to become heroes for the next game’s story line. Safe zones where “tagging” is not allowed are inside University buildings and bathrooms, Maturino said. The event’s website states constructions zones are safe places as well.
Humans wear bandanas on their arms while zombies wear their bandanas on their heads.
Humans use Nerf guns, referred to as “blasters,” socks and marshmallows to shoot and stun the zombies. Zombies must physically tag a human to transform them.
The game has gone viral with communication between humans and zombies done through Facebook as well as the “Humans vs. Zombies” website, a database with player information, rules and zombies “In need for feeding.”
The game consists of riddles and scavenger missions making it more advanced than a simple hide-and-seek game, Maturino said.
RHA worked with Utah State University, where the game originated, to plan the objectives and missions, said Amanda Butkiewicz, director of RHA West.
Participants were required to sign a safety waiver as a part of registration.
Butkiewicz said she wouldn’t want the playing privileges to be revoked due to injury because this is the first time the West campus has hosted the game.
“We told players to be respectful and inform other students about the game if they ask,” Butkiewicz said.
Maturino said the only problem programmers have encountered thus far is players not wearing their bandanas on their arms or foreheads.
“It’s okay not to wear them if they are in class but not when they are just hanging out with friends,” Maturino said.
In the long run, Maturino said “Humans vs. Zombies” will have positive effects.
“Students will learn team building, leadership skills, social skills and to survive (the) zombie apocalypse,” Maturino said.
Butkiewicz has noticed “humans” seek protection so they walk to class with other “humans.”
“People are getting out of their shell and building a community,” Butkiewicz said. “I like seeing the increase in presence on campus, especially at night.”
Each day the number of zombies is increasing.
Monday began with one zombie, Butkiewicz said. Tuesday saw an increase to 15.
Maturino said Tuesday was more active than Monday night because the number of zombies had increased.
“(Tuesday) was very active,” Maturino said. “Zombies are hiding in the bushes and pillars, wherever they hide to catch a human.”
History freshman Cody Goodman found it amusing seeing the paranoia.
“It lightens up the studying mode, it makes it fun,” Goodman said.
Special education junior Briana Gallegos said she hasn’t played hide-and-seek since she was six-years-old and is excited to play.
“It’s a lot less stressful throwing marshmallows at people,” said Gallegos. “You don’t get to do that ever.”
Reach the reporter at thania.betancourt@asu.edu Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
