Zombie Survival
In Zombie Survival, teams compete for survival in the zombie apocalypse.
Each team plays the role of the leaders of a guild of survivors aiming to make a home in a dangerous world. Guilds must manage resources, negotiate with each other, and fend off the zombie horde in order to fight for survival.
Each team plays the role of the leaders of a guild of survivors aiming to make a home in a dangerous world. Guilds must manage resources, negotiate with each other, and fend off the zombie horde in order to fight for survival.
Goal of the Game
Every round, teams earn victory points based on their current population.
The team with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
The team with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
1. Determine Teams
Divide the class into 4 relatively even teams. If possible, arrange the classroom so that teams are seated together for the duration of the semester. For a bit of fun, let each team come up with a unique team name.
2. Prepare the Score Board
You will track each guild's statistics and progress in this Google Doc.
Before the game starts, you should add a copy of this scoreboard into your own Google Drive and then link or embed it within your learning management system (such as Blackboard). Once you've got the scoreboard loaded into your own Google Drive, type the team names where indicated. The sheet allows for up to 4 teams. If you have less, just leave the unused ones alone. |
Google skills not up to snuff?
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3. Grab some Dice
You and the students will roll six-sided dice to determine the outcome of actions in the game. You'll probably want to have about 10 available. You could use one of the many online dice applications out there, but you'd be surprised at how engaged students get just from shaking and rolling old-fashioned, analog polyhedrons.
Zombie Survival is a game of resource management. Each team has several stats that you will keep track of in your Google Doc. The stats are described below.
On the scoreboard, many of the stats are indicated by visual icons. To adjust the stats, simply delete icons or copy and paste them.
On the scoreboard, many of the stats are indicated by visual icons. To adjust the stats, simply delete icons or copy and paste them.
Victory Points (starting value = 0)
Victory Points (or VPs) represent each guild's progress over time. The guild with the most VP at the end of the game is the winner.
Population (starting value = 100)
This number represents the number of survivors that currently belong to each guild. Every round, a guild earns VP equal to its current population. On the scoreboard, population are indicated by the white people icon.
Barricade (starting value = 10)
This number represents the strength of the guild's defenses against the zombie horde. If the barricade ever reaches 0, zombie attacks will begin to reduce the guild's population. Barricade can never exceed 10. On the scoreboard, barricade are indicated by the green shield icon.
Supplies (starting value = 10)
A guild's supplies are used to rebuild their barricade and purchase special upgrades. On the scoreboard, supplies are indicated by the blue wrench icon.
Zombies (starting value = 0)
This is the number of zombies currently attacking the guild. The more zombies at the gates, the more damage the guild will take to its barricade or population every round. Zombies can never exceed 20. On the scoreboard, zombies are indicated by the red skull icon.
Turns
The game is divided into turns. When integrated into a class, playing one turn per weeks works out well. It should only take about 5 minutes out of class. Every turn, complete the following steps. (Track any changes to the guild stats in your Google Sheet you downloaded from the Setup tab.)
Step 1: Award Victory Points
Every team earns victory points equal to its current population.
Step 2: Roll Zombie Attacks
For each team, roll one six-sided die per zombie. Each roll of a 4, 5, or 6 deals one damage. Each point of damage reduces the team's barricade by one. Once the team's barricade reaches zero, any remaining damage reduces the team's population.
Step 3: Roll New Zombies
Each team rolls 2 six-sided dice and adds them together. The sum is the number of new zombies added to their current zombie total.
Step 4: Spend Supplies
Guilds may spend supplies to purchase the following upgrades:
Upgrade
Repair Kit Explosive Ammo Radio Transmitter Nuke |
Cost
1 5 5 5 |
Effect
Increase barricade by 1 (max = 10) If you go on a Zombie Hunt this turn, kill twice as many zombies If you go on a Rescue Mission this turn, gain twice as much population Reduce your zombies to 0, but also lose 10 population. |
Step 5: Mission Success Report
You, the game master, report each team's mission success. The mission success is simply the average score of all team members on the previous week's assignments. Or, if you grade using numerical points, it is the percentage of the total possible points that the team earned.
EXAMPLE 1
Team member 1 scores 80%
Team member 2 scores 90% Team member 3 scores 0% Team member 4 scores 75% Mission success = 61.25% (80 + 90 + 0 + 75 / 4) |
EXAMPLE 2
Team member 1 earns 5 out of 5 points.
Team member 2 earns 4 out of 5 points. Team member 3 earns 2 out of 5 points. Team member 4 earns 0 out of 5 points. Mission success = 55% (5 + 4 + 2 + 0 / 20) |
Step 6: Choose Mission
Each guild chooses ONE of the following missions, adjusting their guild stats as indicated.
A time efficient way to complete this step is to have students tell you their mission before they leave class. Then, you can update the spreadsheet after class is dismissed.
- Rescue Mission. Increase population by Mission Success x 20.
- Zombie Hunt. Decrease zombies by Mission Success x 10.
- Supply Run. Increase supplies by Mission Success x 10.
A time efficient way to complete this step is to have students tell you their mission before they leave class. Then, you can update the spreadsheet after class is dismissed.
The game ends after a pre-determined number of rounds, which is up to you. The team that has the most victory points at the end is the winner.
You could make the game last the entire semester, but then it might feel like it's dragging on. A better idea would be to divide the semester into two and play the game twice. So, if you teach a typical 16 week semester, let the first game end at week 8, declare a winner, and then start a new game.
You could make the game last the entire semester, but then it might feel like it's dragging on. A better idea would be to divide the semester into two and play the game twice. So, if you teach a typical 16 week semester, let the first game end at week 8, declare a winner, and then start a new game.