Previous |
Next Legislation to Ease Problem of Orphan Works Is Introduced in Congress |
April 25, 2008, 10:08 AM ET
Technology Is Key to Zombie-Themed Game of Tag
College students have played elaborate games of tag using toy guns for decades, but the Humans vs. Zombies game makes unprecedented use of the Internet and other communication technology.
The students at Goucher College who devised the rules of the game also created Web-based software to manage game play, and the software has been adopted by students at several other colleges. (See a Chronicle video report on the game to find out who won the latest game at Goucher.)
Every player starts the game with a unique ID number written on an index card that they carry at all times. When a player on the human team is tagged by a zombie, the human must hand over their card to the zombie, and the creature logs on to the game Web site and registers the kill. The player also marks the location of the kill on a Google map of campus.
Players can log in at any moment and see live statistics showing how many humans have become zombies — there are even pie charts and graphs.
Moderators of the latest match at Goucher, which finished on Sunday, even used the campus television station during the game. Students tuning into Channel 10 in their dorm rooms saw messages about the game’s next mission. —Jeffrey R. Young
Categories: Student-Life
Add Your Comment
Commenting is closed.