Humans vs. Zombies Tag is a zombie apocalypse-themed game of tag. There are two teams: the Human Resistance and the Zombie Horde. The Humans attempt to outlast the Zombies until the Humans achieve their winning objective. The Zombies strive to tag all of the Humans, thereby “infecting” them and turning them into Zombies.

The game is run by the officers to enforce rules and ensure fair and safe game play. Questions and concerns should be directed to the officers either through the UWHvZT Facebook page, the official Discord channel, or to uwhvzt@gmail.com.

The officers can be found on the officers page.

With recent acts of violence that have occurred on college campuses across the country, it is important that Humans vs. Zombies Tag is never considered a risk to the safety and security of our [University of Washington] campus. We work closely with the University of Washington Police Department (UWPD) and the University of Washington administration to make sure that our game does not cause unnecessary disruption or concern. It is the responsibility of every player to be sensitive to their own behavior and to be open and honest at all times about their activities.

While players are allowed to keep their blasters on themselves in class, the libraries, and other safe zones, they should never flaunt them, point them at people, or be evasive about them. In the past, when this has been an issue, blasters were banned for all players for the quarter. When they are in use, blasters must be put out of sight in a backpack or bag immediately after a player enters a building. Players should never take any action that would make a blaster seem like a suspicious object, such as hiding blasters or concealing them under clothing. Failure to properly store a blaster while indoors is grounds for potential removal from the game.

The law supersedes game play at all times. Any player caught breaking traffic rules of any other law, will be immediately removed from the game and referred to UWPD.

Players are to respect the requests of University of Washington staff. If a staff member asks for a player’s name, or requests the players to leave due to distractions, the player must provide the information and cooperate to the best of their ability. This is to ensure the longevity of the game on campus. At no point should a player be evasive or argumentative to an employee of the University of Washington.

​As described below, there are restrictions in place to avoid confusion about our game. All players are expected to comply with these restrictions, or be immediately removed from the game. Officers reserve the right to remove players at any time for any behavior deemed not conducive to maintaining a safe environment.

Any registered UW student or faculty member may participate. Individuals who would like to participate, but are not affiliated with UW, may be received permission to play from the officers. Decisions will be made by the officers on a case-by-case basis.

Anyone not participating is prohibited from directly intervening in the game. This includes bringing resources to Humans or spying for either team.

The game begins Monday morning, and continues until curfew each day. Curfew is assessed before the start of each game based on when the sun sets. Curfew is typically:

• Fall Quarter: 8 am - 8 pm

• Winter Quarter: 8 am - 6 pm

• Spring Quarter: 8 am - 8 pm

Play may be paused immediately following the Wednesday mission, no matter what time the mission ends. Play will always resume the next day at 7:00am.

Mandatory:

• Orange bandanna — This can be purchased at registration for $2 or home-made as long as it can be properly tied around your arm and head. You may also receive one (1) orange bandana for free if you follow our Instagram account @huskyzombies. See Section 4 "Bandannas and Placement" for more information.

• Human ID card (created at registration) — Each card displays the owner’s name, discord display name, school email address, and a six-digit number code, created by the Human. These codes are used to authenticate tag reports. Humans must keep their card on them at all times and surrender it to the Zombie player who tags them. See Section 7 “Zombies tagging Humans” for more information.

Optional:

• Blaster(s) and/or rolled sock(s) — See Section 5 “Stunning Devices and Equipment” and Section 6 “Humans Stunning Zombies”.

• Face mask - As we are an RSO affiliated with the University of Washington, we adhere by the the UW'S mask policy. While not required, we do recommend wearing a face mask in order to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
  

While players are encouraged to actively participate in the game and be enthusiastic about it (such as wearing Zombie makeup), this is not permission to go overboard. Combat masks, combat attire (this includes but is not limited to, camouflage of any kind, combat fatigues, and flak or "tactical" vests), and other unnecessary equipment are not to be used, and could result in disqualification from the game.

Chest/waist straps holding NERF darts and magazines as well as side pouches are welcome attire while playing Humans vs Zombies, as long as they have not been decorated in a war/combat aesthetic.

Orange (and in a few instances, green) bandannas serve to identify game players from non-players and must be worn at all times while within free-play areas. The placement of the bandanna on the body indicates whether players are Humans or Zombies.

Humans wear their bandanna around their left or right upper-arm. Zombies wear their bandanna around their head. When stunned, Zombies put their hands on their heads. In all cases, bandannas should be plainly visible and not obscured by hats, hoods, umbrellas, or anything else of the sort.

Bandannas may be removed while within safe zones, but bandannas must be put on completely before entering a free-play area. Any tags or stuns made without a bandanna are invalid.

In general, players may remove their bandanna if it is essential for academic, work, or safety reasons. Players in organizations that require professional dress and behavior at certain times are exempt from playing may remove their bandanna. In addition, players who are required to be outside during work or class are exempt from playing during such times.

The only blasters that are allowed are ones that shoot foam darts. Blasters that shoot discs or balls e.g. Nerf Rival blasters, are prohibited. Blasters should NEVER be modded or painted to closely resemble or hurt like a real gun. Any blaster that too closely resembles a real firearm and any black painted blaster WILL be prohibited from play. Any blaster that shoots over 100 FPS (feet per second) is also banned from play. A good rule of thumb: if you are not willing to shoot yourself point blank with the blaster, then it is best to not use said blaster. If you are concerned about your blaster, please reach out to an officer via discord or email to get confirmation that your blaster is legal for play.

Foam darts should be soft tipped and should not be modified in any way, shape, or form to increase performance (except for cutting darts to fit your blaster). For example, embedding BB pellets into the tip of a dart is prohibited. You will be issued a warning if found using modified or hard tipped darts and will be removed from the game/banned from future games for repeated offenses. If you are unsure about your foam dart, please reach out to an officer.

Socks may be used to stun Zombies. Socks should be clean and rolled up into balls, not cut or stretched. You are allowed to modify socks by adding more socks into the ball, but no other modifications are allowed.

Melee weapons, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HvZ GIVEN POOL NOODLES, are prohibited, and their use constitutes an immediate disqualification from the current game and a ban from all future games. Anything you are carrying is considered an extension of your body. This means if a zombie hits your blaster, you are considered tagged out as well.

Aside from simply running away, Humans can defend themselves against Zombies by stunning their pursuers. Zombies are stunned by a foam dart from a blaster or a rolled sock thrown by a Human. See Section 5 “Stunning Devices and Equipment” for more information on valid equipment.

Stunned Zombies will need to put their hands on their heads for one (1) minute, then touch any door handle attached to a door to respawn and come back into play. During this minute period, stunned Zombies are free to move around, but cannot participate in the game in any way. This includes following Humans, alerting other Zombies of a Human’s location, intentionally distracting players, blocking darts with their body, or in any way assisting the Zombies while stunned.

In the event that the stunned Zombie is part of a larger skirmish, he or she must immediately move out of the way so as not to interfere with active players.

Zombies “infect” Humans by tagging them. A tag is defined as a firm touch on any appropriate part of the body* and should be recognizable by both parties. A Zombie may tag anything a Human is carrying or wearing, including their blaster. The Zombie must use their bare hands to tag.
If a player has health/safety concerns about direct physical contact, a small orange pool noodle will be granted to replace bare hand tag. Please contact an officer you would like to use a pool noodle. Because of limited reserve of pool noodles, please do not reach out for one if you just want a reach advantage.

Tackles, pushing, and other applications of excessive force are never acceptable means of completing a tag, and any tag made with such is invalid. Offenders are subject to disqualification from the game.

When a Zombie successfully tags a Human, the Human must immediately surrender their Human ID card to the Zombie.

Humans who have been tagged become Zombies 15 minutes after they are tagged. Within this 15 minute time frame, tagged Humans, who are not yet turned into Zombies, are no longer a member of either team and must place their bandanna around their neck, and stow away their blaster(s), during the transition. If the blaster cannot be put away within the 15 minute change time, the tagged Human may not participate as a Zombie until the blaster is sufficiently put away. At no point should a Zombie openly carry a blaster.
If you do not have a backpack that can fit your blaster and/or require help putting away a blaster, please contact an officer through Discord and we will attempt to meet you to take your blaster.

The rise of the Zombie Horde begins with the introduction of a number of Original Zombies (OZs), a special class of Zombie that will be operating disguised as humans for the first day of the game. Original Zombies obey the same tagging and stunning rules as regular Zombies, but with the added benefit of stealth.

OZ's can lie about being an Original Zombie, but will carry some form of official identification to prove they are an OZ in case they wish to tag somebody.

Human players will become regular Zombies if tagged by an OZ. After the first day, OZs will become regular Zombies.

Zombies who tag 8 or more Humans are eligible to become Super Zombies. Super Zombies are distinguishable from ordinary Zombies by the green bandanna instead of orange, which is worn around their head granting them special abilities (dependent on each quarter's game). A Zombie with 8 tags must present 8 index cards from the Humans they’ve tagged or prove they have tagged 8 humans to an officer to receive a green bandanna. One can also become a Super Zombie by coming to missions, as one person might randomly be chose to become one at missions.

Humans and Zombies cannot be tagged or stunned while within safe zones. No form of play should occur within these safe zones.
The main Safe Zones players will have to keep in mind are:

• ALL INDOOR AREAS (dorms, academic buildings, businesses, etc.)

• Official Athletic Practices and Facilities (Husky Stadium, IMA, Tennis Fields, etc)

• Areas that would normally have restricted entry

• Outdoor Academic Events

• Public Transit and stops for Public Transit (Bus Stops, Link Light Rail Stations)

• Streets where automobiles regularly pass by

• Parking Garages

• Allen Library Loading Dock

• UVillage Shopping Center

While in safe zones, players are encouraged to stow away any equipment related to the game, such as blasters, socks, and pool noodles. If asked about the game by either students or faculty, players should answer honestly and without evasion.

Players are absolutely prohibited from holding doors closed, barricading doors, or otherwise physically impeding passage. At the other extreme, players may not force another player to leave a safe area against his or her will. This includes picking up and carrying that player outside.

Players are discouraged from passing through no-play areas. Any player caught actively participating in the game while in a no-play zone may be subject to expulsion from the game or other forms of discipline.

The Light-Link Rail Station at Husky Stadium is officially a NO-PLAY ZONE.

This includes:

- the entirety of the Station itself (stairs, escalators, elevators, any building involved with it)

- the bridge above Pacific St.

- the parking lot surrounding it

While off-campus areas (other than the exceptions listed in this section) are technically considered a free-play area, please exercise common sense when attempting to stun or tag other players . The law always supersedes these rules.

Players cannot stun or tag across safe zone boundaries, even if opponents across the boundary are within reach. To be considered safe, a Human player must be touching a door that is able to be opened. Humans may not use the door as a safe base to blast Zombies from inside. Any stun/tag made while either party is in a safe space will be considered against the rules and invalid.

The area within 10 feet of buses and bus stops are considered a safe zone. There must be no play that happens within a bus.

Rule of thumb: NO WHEELS. Automotive and non-automotive vehicle use is prohibited during the game; This includes, but is not limited to: Bicycles, scooters, longboards, skateboards, rollerblades, Heelys, hoverboards, etc.

If you are on a vehicle of any sort, you may NOT play the game while on the vehicle. In order to be considered in play, both of your feet must be touching the ground. Any tags or stuns made on a vehicle will be considered illegal and invalidated.

Players who ride these vehicles to school may seek to disembark off their vehicle quickly, as you are free game as soon as both of your feet touch the ground.

Cars are allowed when used enter campus, however once a player has reached campus the car may be visited, but may not be used to travel for game reasons except to leave campus.

A typical week of HvZT usually features an optional Wednesday mission and a final Friday mission. Missions serve to promote inter- and intra-team interactions, as well as provide rewards for completion of various objectives. The game is not limited to only two missions.

Mission details are announced and distributed beforehand via the UWHvZT discord.

Rewards for success and/or penalties for failure are determined based upon each team’s performance during missions, so players are encouraged to go out and lend their assistance!

Winners of the quarter will be determined by the final Friday mission. Humans who successfully complete the final mission escape the clutches of the Zombie Horde and are officially recognized as survivors of the game. Humans who fail to complete the final mission are assumed to be overwhelmed by the Zombie Horde, and subsequently fail.

The Zombie Horde is successful if no Humans complete the final mission and no Humans survive the final Friday game.

In the event of a disagreements between players, concerning stuns, tags, safe zones, etc., the involved parties are encouraged to to reach a resolution themselves. If an agreement cannot be reached, all parties should contact the UW HvZT officers via Discord to request arbitration. Please include the names (or descriptions, if names are not available) of those involved and a detailed description of the incident. Remain civil and courteous at all times. If immediate assistance is required, you are more than welcome to DM an officer an ask for assistance,

Be safe. Be sensitive. Be a good sport.

​This game works on the Honor System. There are no prizes for “winning” and no reason to cheat on any of these rules. At the end of the day, this is all one big game of playground tag. Please be courteous and respectful of your fellow players at all times.

​All inquiries must be answered truthfully. Lying is not allowed. Players must not be evasive and must be completely transparent when questioned by non-players (UW administration, police, bystanders, etc.). Players must be completely truthful about their status within the game, questions from other players about a player’s human/zombie status must be answered truthfully, or not at all.

Players are expected to use and emphasize the correct terminology associated with the game. For example, this game is played with Nerf "blasters", not "guns." Humans are tagged or infected, never “killed”. Zombies are stunned, never "killed".

Players should not enter any area that is specifically closed to the general public. Areas that are roped off for landscaping, or closed for construction are not to be entered. Any player caught entering areas that are specifically closed will be subject to discipline.

Players are responsible for keeping track of their darts and socks, as well as cleaning up after themselves. Please do not litter.

The officers keep a database of all players. Your personal information will only be used to send out HvZT-related information. If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please let an officer know.

Officers can remove players from the game at anytime for behavior deemed unsafe, disruptive, or not in-keeping with the spirit of these rules.

Players are encouraged to report any player who may be excessively breaking any of the mentioned rules. Please reach out to an officer so we may pull the rule breaking player aside.

These rules are subject to change at any time before, during, or after the game.