Humans vs Zombies vs Maturity

[Red Velvet]

I've come across many articles online that criticize Humans vs. Zombies and label it as a game for immature nerds with no social lives. How do you folks handle that kind of stigma?

Is it true that a lot of the people who participate in HvZ don't go out partying, drinking, blazing, etc? Are there a lot of people who party and play HvZ at the same time, or even people who are involved in top fraternities in their campuses?

I'm personally in a fraternity. I love to party, drink, etc. and I'm really interesting in HvZ, especially modifying blasters. (I've been building, modifying toy and real weapons since I was in elementary school).

So, how much of the HvZ community tears down that stereotype?

(Then again, if you play HvZ and party, you're probably going to get turned into a zombie while you're ****faced lol)

[Ghost Reporting]

I've come across many articles online that criticize Humans vs. Zombies and label it as a game for immature nerds with no social lives. How do you folks handle that kind of stigma?

I don't think there is any stigma. 

From watching videos about HvZ on YouTube, it looks to me like the game appeals to a very wide variety of students (and sometimes faculty), whether they are nerds, fraternity brothers, athletes, couch potatoes, guys, girls, artists, or anything other category you could think of.

[Red Velvet]

I don't think there is any stigma. 

From watching videos about HvZ on YouTube, it looks to me like the game appeals to a very wide variety of students (and sometimes faculty), whether they are nerds, fraternity brothers, athletes, couch potatoes, guys, girls, artists, or anything other category you could think of.

Judging from some articles in school newspapers, there IS stigma. However, I think it stems from envy They want to do what you do, but they are afraid of stigma that they perpetrate on themselves.

[legoexpo]

it depends on the school.

I know the greek community here at Purdue seriously has issues with us. Several frats have a requirement for pledges that ban any of them from playing hvz or risk getting black balled. We've had instances where the Agricultural kids also had issues with us (water ballooning, shooting us with airsoft pistols from a car, etc)

Several alumni have also made comments in the school paper. "You all must have easy classes or something" "We're a 'blight' on the community here at Purdue" etcetc.

However, most of the rest of campus doesn't mind either way. They enjoy watching.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule as I know plenty of Greeks, Alumni, Farmers, Nerds, Athletes, and more social circles that do play.

[KatanasPWN]

On the topic of us being immature nerds: I know I'm a nerd and I'm fine with it, due to me having advanced classes and being smarter than most of the troglodites out there, and I admit I'm not the most popular, or social kid (Socially awkward) in school but that is one of the reasons I have a hobby. Honestly men never grow up, so you can suck on that 
"The moment you can no longer see the fun in running around like a little child is the moment you begin to die."
-Carbon

[SpookyLucaZ]

Things I'd like to point out about myself:
I act my shoe size, not the way some people think I should. If everyone acted exactly the same...need I explain? I am almost old enough to buy my own Stoli's, and yet I still own some of my legos and play with "nurrf gunz".
I am, forever will be, and admit whenever need be a fucking nerd. I love dragons, the 12sided die, MTG, D&D, and even the WoW. Well, maybe not all those...ALTHOUGH I do play HVZ with my sexy GF and shes got a higher level imperial on Skyrim. Booyah.
I can debate with someone for hours about important issues without raising my voice,ignoring what someones said, or speaking over them. I accept all forms of life or culture regardless of what I feel personally about.
I am in regards, immature when I choose to be. I know when its appropriate, and I enjoy letting loose every now and then.If you don't know how to have fun, you're not someone I want to be around. I am very much a nerd, and there is no problem with being one whatsoever.

[Red Velvet]

Ehh screw it. I'll participate. It's not very often when you get to legally shoot at people and not feel bad about it.

And hey, I'll hide at a party, people who usually don't party wont be able to get me If they want to, they better crash into my fraternity house (which isn't amusing to my brothers but I'd enjoy it haha).

Now lets turn this into a movie.

[SpookyLucaZ]

What could be more fun than blasting zombies away? Crashing a party as a zombie with 'the horde' and creating utter havoc

[Boildown]

I've long since stopped giving a damn about whatever anyone else thinks about me, least of all when I'm playing HvZ.  However, if you make a physical action attempting to harm me or prevent me (or those I"m with) from taking part in this University-sanctioned event, I will take out my camera-phone and record you making an ass of yourself, and either give it to the proper authorities or post it on the internet, depending on the severity and circumstances. 

Not that I've seen that, not even once.  I've heard people make comments or yell a few (usually homophobic) slurs at HvZers, but that's the worst I've seen personally.  I think 100% of the people playing HvZ have thick enough skin to laugh that off.  The vast majority of people who see the game think its awesome but don't have the time or energy to play, or are too afraid of what the neighbors will think (psst, the neighbors will probably think its as awesome as you secretly think it is).

[jjj2576]

Red: HvZ at SRU is meant to attract a diverse group of players. We get players of all types. Some are heavy drinkers, like the fellow who brought HvZ to SRU (me). :3 I review craft beer regularly. Others don't care for drinking or smoking.

Cheers,
The Jesse Jennings (SRU Student & Rough Rider)

[yuiikari]

At Western, we got on well with the administration, were generally welcoming to any newcomers, and had pride in our costumery and theatricality.  Certainly, we were a minority (our games average a few hundred players on a campus of around 25,000), but we made good with other, similarly-minded (read: geek) organizations, and it helped that we generally had a few of the ROTC guys running in our game (they said it was a great workout, which it certainly is).

That said, there have been problems in the past.  Our game's founder occasionally caused problems after he was removed from power (there was a coup).  I got kicked while hiding in a cardboard box and sent tumbling down a hill by some bothersome drunks.  There was an incident with a banana that is best not spoken of, as it continues to cause flashbacks for one of our most dedicated (now former) moderators.  We're not allowed to wear masks because some pranksters unaffiliated with our game decided that it would be fun to scare people and claim to be us.  And this is not to mention many of the smaller incidents (people yelling human or zombie hiding spots, complaining about non-existent noise issues, or just being drunk.  This is why you should be wary about running your game during St. Patrick's Day, as we've done twice now).

The point is, there's always going to be trolls on a given college campus, whether they be drunk frat boys, freshmen on a dare, or just some bored dummkopf who thinks they're cleverer than they are.  There are drunk players too, and while that is strictly against the rules, I found them more than agreeable in the pre-moderator days (and they generally managed to survive).

As for frats, we've had our issues, but as a general rule, things are pretty good (while I tend to lump frat boys into an archetype, it's really more just a few bad apples.  One of our long-time moderators is a frat boy, and a number of our players are, and things generally do okay, despite some rampant displays of machismo).

Moreover, our after-parties are a thing of legend, when a week's worth of tensions for the moderator crew and the selected invitees finally breaks into a half-remembered evening of drunken debauchery wherein everybody makes out with everybody, slurred speeches are given, and almost nobody is allowed to drive home; a night of a great many bad decisions, but when everyone makes them, it isn't so bad.  And if any of that lot ever runs for office, oh, the blackmail photos I have...

Mostly, the point is you should have fun and not care what the rest of campus thinks.  You want to party it up?  So be it.  We always had a grand old time, especially when the week went bad and we REALLY needed it.

[Ozymandias]

If you can't beat 'em, Fuck 'em.

Its our party and we'll nom brains if we want to.

[xkrisxmasx]

Drinking and partying is mature?

[Spaztikko]

i thought this was like a three way battle.

zombies win.

[SpookyLucaZ]

Drinking and partying is mature?

Says who?