Correction appended
Marshmallows and balled-up socks are the only things that can save the humans from the impending zombie apocalypse.
Members of the Penn State Urban Gaming Club will don their green and orange headbands today, kicking off the club's annual two-week long Humans vs. Zombies (HvZ) game.
The original zombie begins the game by tagging players and spreading the "virus" which will eventually turn them into zombies. Zombies are stunned for 15 minutes when hit by a marshmallow, sock, or Nerf dart, allowing humans time to escape.
Right now, the only weapons players can use to fend off the zombies are marshmallows and socks, but on Thursday morning when the pre-game period has ended, green-banded humans can arm themselves with Nerf guns to further ensure they remain virus-free.
There are no restrictions on the type of Nerf guns allowed, said Martin Castner, secretary of the Penn State Urban Gaming Club.
"There's one gun that holds 35 darts that's been pretty popular lately," Castner (sophomore-information science and technology) said.
The Nerf guns are not allowed in dorm buildings, and players don't use them after dark on campus, said Tom Pacewicz (sophomore-information science and technology), a participant in this semester's HvZ game. He also said that marshmallows are not to be thrown indoors.
There are no limits to the playing field, but there are some safe zones to prevent disruptions to campus life. Bathrooms, the dining commons, classroom buildings during class hours, and classes in session are all off-limits for the game. Every year the club has to add rules to address things that have happened in past games, Castner said.
The strategy for staying human during the first 72 hours of pre-game is not to trust anyone, said Nate McGinn (freshman-computer science). Travelling in large groups is a bad idea because during pre-game, no one knows who the zombies are. After the 72 hours are up, though, the zombies tie on their orange headbands and the strategizing begins.
Castner said onlookers often have mixed feelings about the game.
"Some people seem to enjoy watching it, others hate it, and some people get angry at us. We haven't figured out why," he said. "A lot of people think it's dorky, so they stay out of the way."
Kelly Togashi, who has seen past games in progress, said the premise was interesting.
"They're very competitive," Togashi (senior-advertising) said. "Maybe too competitive."
Jess Saleh said she agreed that the HvZ games could get pretty intense.
"You'll see this group of people randomly running by," Saleh (senior-civil engineering) said. "You're like, 'What is going on?'"
HvZ is played at college campuses across the nation, said Castner. It was founded by students at Goucher College in Maryland, and other campuses have tailored the basic rules to fit their own schools.
"At Goucher, there are only on-campus students," Castner said. "Our version is tailored to fit the State College lifestyle, it lets off-campus students play."
This semester's game has about 140 people registered to play, which is average, Castner said. Each year, the club gains popularity.
"We try to get all the freshman before their friends tell them our game is lame," he said. "I think it adds a sort of flavor to the school."
McGinn said he enjoys all components of the game, but especially the constant suspense.
"I like guns and zombies, so the marriage of the two is absolutely beautiful," he said.
It's not just about shooting zombies and avoiding the virus, however. The overwhelming sense of community is what the club is all about for Pacewicz.
"You have paranoia on one side," he said of the game. "But then you get such bonding on the other."
This article incorrectly states information about the game. The Penn State Urban Gaming Club's Human vs. Zombies games are played every semester. The pre-game period is also only one day long.
