H
uman VS Infected returns to the U of O
HUMANS VS INFECTED (HvsI), a campus-wide zombie game, is returning to the University of Ottawa for its fourth year. Starting on Halloween and lasting until Nov. 4, HvsI has grown significantly since its launch.
“We got the idea from a college in the states—it started out down there,” said Michael Eagar, HvsI co-president. “The game started with about 50 people in its first year at the U of O. It has increased to an estimated 300 people this year.”
Participants are required to wear a coloured armband, white for humans and green for infected. The last human standing is the winner.
“Personally, I loved the game,” said Cody Zulinski, a fourth-year English student who participated in HvsI last year. “It’s unlike any game of tag you’ve ever played before; something about it just messes with your mind if you have any sense of competitive spirit. As a human, you cannot walk down the street without scanning every direction for any hint of green, and as a zombie, you can use some pretty deceptive tactics.”
Humans are required to check in twice per day, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., to ensure they come to the university campus and participate.
“It’s a huge commitment to try to survive the whole week, but it’s so worth the excitement,” said Zulinski. “It’s basically like a roller coaster ride that lasts all week long: You’re terrified for your life, but at the end of it all, you know you want to do it again.”
The infected don’t have it easy either. There are designated safe zones they are not allowed to tag players in, such as 1848, classrooms, offices, and the library. Humans can also stun the infected, giving them a chance to get away from their attackers.
“Last year, the zombies got creative and assembled an army to trap me in my classroom,” said Zulinski. “So I got creative and assembled a three-person military rescue mission to get me out of the building in one piece.”
Some of the prizes include an Xbox 360 for the infected with the greatest number of tags, an iPod Touch for the best-recorded tag, and a PlayStation 3 for the winner.
“As of right now we play just for kicks and prizes, but I hope to make it for charity throughout the upcoming years,” said Eagar. “It’s good timing, people are all freaked out about midterms, it gives them the chance to relax a bit and have some fun instead of freaking out about school.”
There are also a variety of events throughout the week, which are meant to help players earn extra points to put toward winning other prizes offered by the event organizers.
“If you like excitement and adventure, this is the game for you,” said Zulinski.
To register or to learn more about Humans VS Infected, visit Hvsi.ca.
—Kyle Wallace
