How to Play the Game

What is Humans Vs Zombies?

  • Essentially, we are a cool game of tag with a twist:
    • Humans use dart blasters or sock balls to survive.
    • Zombies tag humans to turn them into the undead and grow the horde.
    • There are objectives and a storyline unique to each game to follow.
  • All players start as Human.
    • Except for a few who start as the Original Horde
      • The Original Horde can be joined by opting into the pool of Original Horde during registration and being chosen.
  • You must either show up to a Rules meeting or go to an online rules meeting if you are not in Gainesville
  • You must be registered in our system (NeoSource) to play our game.
    • More details under “Registration”.
  • You must wear one of our loaned bandannas:
    • 360o visibility is required at all times.
    • Avoid wearing orange so it doesn’t blend in!
    • Do NOT SHARE them. We will collect them from you at the end of the game.
  • You must carry a real form of ID and/or your UFID at all times.
    • Human players must also keep their NeoSource Brain ID on them so zombies can log their kills.

Rules to ensure we stay safe while playing

Game Pause

  • When a Game Pause is called, all gameplay STOPS.
  • A Game Pause can occur if:
    • A Moderator calls out “Game Pause”
    • A non-player seems concerned or worried
      • Stop, calmly explain the game to them. Do not chase after them if they leave.
    • Any situation or location occurs where safety is at risk/seems dangerous.
    • When close to No-Play zones.
    • While entering/exiting buildings.
    • Unlocking a bike from a bike rack or using stairs with >4 steps.
    • Waiting for/using crosswalks.

DON’T BE A DICK

  • It’s just a game – don’t get worked up
  • Perspective & respect will add enjoyment
  • Respect everyone
    • Do not mess with non-players
    • Keep profanity to a minimum

Vehicles

You are a Non-Player while on a vehicle

  • If you aren’t on your own feet, you’re on a vehicle by our rules.
  • Vehicles are not allowed during missions.
  • Using them isn’t as fun & forfeits the mission for you.

Safe Zones

  • Areas where everyone is safe from tags/stuns.
    • Both feet must be fully inside.
    • Humans CANNOT stun zombies from inside a safe zone.
    • When leaving, humans have a 2-second head start before zombies may chase after them and tag them.
  • Temporary Safe Zones:
    • Bus Stops – ONLY when a bus is arriving or leaving.
    • Any crowded area – be aware of people around you.
  • You cannot be tagged at Non-GHvZ events.
    • But you are not safe while traveling to or from those activities.

No Play Zones

  • Construction Sites
  • Police Station
  • Administration Buildings
  • Reitz Breezeway & Fountain Area
  • Inside Athletic & Academic Buildings
  • Music Buildings
  • Fraternity Row
  • Campus Events (e.g. Gator Nights)
  • Parking Lots/Garages
  • Off Campus

Crosswalks

If you need to cross a road, the GAME PAUSES.

  • Walk and USE crosswalks.
  • DO NOT RUN.
  • Look both ways.
  • Never linger on crosswalks.
  • The 2-second human head start applies when using crosswalks.

Human rules

Ways to Stun a Zombie

  • Shoot them with dart blasters – The darts/rival balls must leave the barrel of the blaster to count.
  • Hitting them with sock balls – Sock ball must leave your hand; only one may be thrown at a time.
    • Sock Ball Creation: A piece of cloth wrapped in a single piece of tape. At least 50% of the sock must be visible; the sock ball must fit in the palm of your hand solidly. (You can wrap your fingers almost all the way around it.
  • Hitting loose clothes/hair/straps will NOT count.
  • Ammo (socks, darts, etc.) can bounce off of one non-ground surface and still stun a zombie (this includes people).
  • Last Resort – If no ammo left, you may pick one dart up off the ground and use it.

Allowed Weaponry

  • Nerf & Nerf-like toy blasters. (Loaners available)
  • Nerf/Zing bows.
  • Dart blowguns and Rival slingshots.
  • Sock (or cloth) balls.
  • Modified/Homebrew blasters
    • Subject to our Modification Guidelines (Found under “files” on our FB)
      • Applies to blowguns and rival slingshots as well
      • Must be approved by a Moderator.
      • No realistic-looking blasters.
  • No water, airsoft, paintball, or real guns.
  • No melee weapons (unless given to you by a Moderator).

Allowed Darts

  • We allow many kinds of darts, but all Non-Nerf darts require Moderator approval.
  • We do not allow:
  • Full Vinyl Jacket (FVJ) – Voberry – Nipple Darts – Modified Darts

Allowed equipment

  • Holstered Blasters must have visible brightly-marked tape on the handle.
  • Flashlights – Useful for nighttime missions.
    • Point them below barrel level, pointed down as often as possible.
    • No strobe lights, lasers, or lights over 200 lumens.
  • No Masks – UFPD ruling so as not to interfere with facial recognition technology.
  • Please carry a backpack to store your blaster(s) if you plan on entering buildings during, right before, or right after a mission.
  • It is strongly recommended to mark everything you own that you will want back.

Zombie Rules

Tagging Humans

  • Firm touch to any part of a human
    • Blasters, hair, or loose clothing does not count.
    • No tackling or physical violence.
  • Log tags onto our system immediately.
    • The link to log your tags can always be found posted on our event page for the game you are participating in.
  • Backpack rules:
    • If the backpack (or similar item) wasn’t there, would you have tagged the person?
  • Never use Moderators, Actors, Stunned Zombies, or Non-Players as a shield.

Life as a Zombie

  • Zombies wear their bandanna in one of two ways to indicate their in-game status.
    • Around the Head – Active Zombie; can make kills.
    • Around the Neck – Stunned Zombie, cannot make kills.
      • Alternatively, if you have glasses that get in the way, you can take the bandanna off of the top of your head and hold it in your hand, but it must be out and VERY VISIBLE for human players.
  • Zombies can only make tags if the bandanna is securely around their head.
  • Zombies cannot use weapons.

Getting Stunned

  • You are stunned when you are hit with a dart/sock/other valid ammo or weapon.
  • Stunned zombies must not tag people and must stay out of human’s blasters accurate range as a rule of thumb.
  • A zombie remains stunned for: 1-5 minutes (Depending on the Mission).
    • If a zombie is hit again while stunned, their timer resets to its maximum value (It does not stack or exceed the maximum value).
  • While stunned, please take some time to pick up darts and help keep our campus clean.

Conflict Resolution

Sometimes people disagree on what happened: this is when disputes occur, and usually a conflict resolution follows.

  • Please be mindful and respectful during a dispute.
  • All involved in the dispute must agree on the conflict resolution.
  • The conflict resolution cannot violate any other game rules.
  • ONLY those involved in the conflict resolution are temporarily safe, and they should move away from the main action of the game.
  • Conflict Resolution Suggestions:
    • Coin toss, Nerf Roulette, Ninja, Rock-Paper-Scissors, Beatbox/Rap/Dance Battles (Get this on video if it happens)
    • Thunderdome (Popular; 1v1 Human vs. Zombie battle).

Contact a Moderator if a dispute gets out of hand or a resolution method cannot be agreed upon.