Fight zombies in an abandoned shopping mall

[Neil]

...about 45mins from me...


In this spectacular ‘full immersion’ experience, you’ll be briefed and armed by the Police Special Zombie Bashing Unit. They’ll fill you in on the full, unfolding, undead apocalypse that is going down in Reading town. An apocalypse that, for once, you didn’t cause, but will have to try and fix.

Then you’ll hit the spooky, deserted shopping mall, but you won’t be shopping for that lovely little Pashmina you saw in Littlewoods. Instead, you and your team will be depleting the zombie population with full Bronson-style perspicacity. Using state of the art special effects and large, blood-inducing props you’ll tackle a series of computer game like missions in a full-on 'run and gun' gore fest.

http://wish.co.uk/zombie-shopping-mall/

[AcesandEights]

...about 45mins from me...

You need to do this, Neil. For science.

Okay, if you don't buy that, then do it for hpotd and write an article about it. It'd be over the top nerdy and cool (yes, it's possible to be both at the same time).

[Neil]

£120 though :eek:

[Knighty]

Friend linked me to this yesterday. Only a short train ride away...hmmm

Tea,coffee and snack bars are provided! My kind of zombie apocalypse

[Neil]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4247320/Ghoul-of-duty.html


Like in a shoot-’em-up video game, 15 of us tiptoed in the dark with glow sticks strapped to our bullet-proof vests. Then a scream sparks panic.

Armed with pump-action shotguns — which fire plastic bullets — and coming face-to-face with one of the creatures is horrifying, actors or not.

I unleash a flurry of bullets into the three walking corpses, sending them flying on to their backs.

From then on the four-hour hunt races past in an adrenaline-fuelled blur of blood-spattered walls and reanimated corpses.

Being chased through a disused children’s play area — ball pit and all — is an eerie experience.

While more Shaun Of The Dead than Dawn Of The Dead, for £119 it is a bloody great day out.


I assume the pictures are misleading as the zombies surely have to wear goggles?

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01487/ZOMBIE-532_1487068a.jpg

[Tricky]

Do you think they'll do group discount? Get a whole bunch of us UK HPOTD'ers together for a live action game of Left 4 Dead! :p

[SymphonicX]

Do you think they'll do group discount? Get a whole bunch of us UK HPOTD'ers together for a live action game of Left 4 Dead! :p

I read through the site, and they do specifically mention no discounts for groups - the thing about this is, the mall could be demolished any second - so they don't know when it's gonna end - but it could be a ploy to get in mass bookings, so no group discount blah blah

I just booked two tickets, it's down the road from me in Surrey. Myself and my gf are gonna go kick some zombie ass!!


The good thing is, you don't pick a date when you buy your ticket - they send you a pack which you use a code to book your date - so theoretically anyone wanting to sync up dates can do so in an easy way!!


-- -------- Post added 12-Apr-2012 at 08:45 AM ---------- Previous post was 10-Apr-2012 at 10:08 PM ----------

We got our tickets this morning - that was proper quick.

Can I just say - in lieu of this thread dying and this event disappearing off the face of the Earth...ask yourself how many zombie-experience days there are, then ask yourself just how many of them are situated in an abandoned mall and THEN ask yourself, just how likely in our lifetimes is it to see an experience offered like this EVER again? It's worth the £120 - this is literally once in a lifetime here fellas.

it's only £120, and you will never ever get to run and gun zombies in a shopping mall, ever again.

[Neil]

I read through the site, and they do specifically mention no discounts for groups - the thing about this is, the mall could be demolished any second - so they don't know when it's gonna end - but it could be a ploy to get in mass bookings, so no group discount blah blah

I just booked two tickets, it's down the road from me in Surrey. Myself and my gf are gonna go kick some zombie ass!!


The good thing is, you don't pick a date when you buy your ticket - they send you a pack which you use a code to book your date - so theoretically anyone wanting to sync up dates can do so in an easy way!!


-- -------- Post added 12-Apr-2012 at 08:45 AM ---------- Previous post was 10-Apr-2012 at 10:08 PM ----------

We got our tickets this morning - that was proper quick.

Can I just say - in lieu of this thread dying and this event disappearing off the face of the Earth...ask yourself how many zombie-experience days there are, then ask yourself just how many of them are situated in an abandoned mall and THEN ask yourself, just how likely in our lifetimes is it to see an experience offered like this EVER again? It's worth the £120 - this is literally once in a lifetime here fellas.

it's only £120, and you will never ever get to run and gun zombies in a shopping mall, ever again.

When do you envisage going?

[Rumsfeld]

I want to know if I can grab some goodies from the sporting goods store while I'm in the mall. I think it's a requirement for anyone living in a zombie world that you have to get swag from at least one shop in the payment of dead zombies and spent ammunition.

[SymphonicX]

When do you envisage going?

We're probably going to do ours the first or second week of June - we're going to check tonight and book. I'll post my date here in case anyone else is thinking of going...

[AcesandEights]

We're probably going to do ours the first or second week of June - we're going to check tonight and book. I'll post my date here in case anyone else is thinking of going...

Psyched to read your recount of the event. Hope it's a good time for you both, Symph.

[SymphonicX]

Psyched to read your recount of the event. Hope it's a good time for you both, Symph.

Thanks bro, we'll be looking into getting some sneaky videos recorded as we do it too, so hopefully I can post something back!

[Zed Events]

Hi Guys,

We do not allow video or other media recordings of the first part of the event. This isn't to prevent a true experience being documented, but to stop others who have paid their money having their own event spoiled by others posting the scenario on youtube etc. Anyone found to have surreptitiously planted recording equipment on their person risk being removed from the event. All this is explained in a confirmation e-mail sent when bookings are done. Hope you guys understand. There is ample opportunity for participants to record their experiences in the second 'go it alone' phase, plus the chance to have your photo taken with the zombies at the end of the event.

Cheers,

Zed.

[Sammich]

Uh oh, looks like now someone and his conspirators are going to be subjected to a TSA style pat downs before being let in.

There are plenty of abandonded shopping malls in the U.S. here but all the empty stores get used for now are indoctrination meetings for multi-level marketing pyramid schemes.

[Neil]

Hi Guys,

We do not allow video or other media recordings of the first part of the event. This isn't to prevent a true experience being documented, but to stop others who have paid their money having their own event spoiled by others posting the scenario on youtube etc. Anyone found to have surreptitiously planted recording equipment on their person risk being removed from the event. All this is explained in a confirmation e-mail sent when bookings are done. Hope you guys understand. There is ample opportunity for participants to record their experiences in the second 'go it alone' phase, plus the chance to have your photo taken with the zombies at the end of the event.

Cheers,

Zed.

How are you connected to the event exactly?

Seems its getting a lot of attention, with even the Sun posting an article, so is it proving popular? If so, do you think "The Walking Dead" series has helped too?

[SymphonicX]

Look at that, fuckin' rumbled before we got there!!
Hahahaha no worries, I don't care which bit gets filmed as long as I get a bit of footage to post here - so that's completely OK with me.

Anyone remember Alien War? Goddamn if only we had camera phones back then....

[Tricky]

Its a fair point I suppose, it would kind of spoil it if you watched a full walkthrough of it on Youtube prior to the event. Would be good if it was filmed and sent to you on a DVD months after the event though a bit like skydives are. :cool:

[AcesandEights]

Let's just focus on the important part: Symph, which characters are you and your girlfriend dressing up as to kill zombies? Do you guys own SWAT-blue tactical jump suits?

[Neil]

Let's just focus on the important part: Symph, which characters are you and your girlfriend dressing up as to kill zombies? Do you guys own SWAT-blue tactical jump suits?

Let's not get too carried away else she might need to be up the duff!

[AcesandEights]

Let's not get too carried away else she might need to be up the duff!

I have to go consult my Brit to 'Merkin dictionary before I comment.

[SymphonicX]

Let's just focus on the important part: Symph, which characters are you and your girlfriend dressing up as to kill zombies? Do you guys own SWAT-blue tactical jump suits?

LOL
about 10 years ago I remember seeing what was allegedly the Swat Uniforms from Dawn of the Dead (Peter and Roger's) - but part of me said it was a fake...still...looking back on it I should've bought them both....goddamnit!!!

I think I can muster up some sort of plaid shirt, maybe some tan brown trousers - I've got the career and arguably the attitude of "token media dickhead" - so I could go as Stephen...

The old lady isn't planning on being up the duff though...She's usually the one dressing up as a zombie for halloween (ironically, something I've never done) - but that could be confusing....

[Wyldwraith]

I'm not terribly familiar with the sport but,
Down here in Florida they do Airsoft-use Zombie Apocalypse scenarios every October, most of which I've heard are in cool, lot of effort put in to construction inside a warehouse or other large indoor spaces. Even a couple expensive events using (get this) bank-rented multi-story mansions they've foreclosed on.

Another system I'm not real familiar with (may be the same thing as Airsoft, dunno) are the glow-in-the-dark waxy splat-bullets used by some PDs for live-fire training in a non-risk-oriented setting. GearsofWarpaintball does these in a bunch of different varieties of events and locations.

Just thought I'd mention it, since someone mentioned the UK zombie-shooting event was unique, and I thought some of my fellow Americans might want to know such zombie goodness IS available in at least some areas of the U.S.

Another example: Salem, MA has a town-wide event starting after the 1st week of October that goes into the 1st week of November called Haunted Happenings. It's basically a 3-4 week long Halloween that supports the economy of 75% of Salem the rest of the year. They've got everything from the best haunted houses in the WORLD, done by 1st-rate FX companies, to various sort of interactive horror-themed events...including a Nerf-gun using zombie hunting scenario a couple years back.

My point is that I'm sure a bit of due diligence would reveal the existence and location of more of these sorts of events. Particularly in October. Just an attempted helpful FYI.

[babomb]

So, then what does "up the duff" mean? I looked it up and it says it means to be pregnant.

[Neil]

So, then what does "up the duff" mean? I looked it up and it says it means to be pregnant.

Up the duff means pregnant. Aces suggested Symph and his girlfriend needed to dress up as characters from Dawn... To which I replied not to get too carried away else his girlfriend would need to be "up the duff" (life Fran)!?

[SymphonicX]

So we're booked in for August 4th - there's no availability before that really.

If anyone does decide to also go and wants to meet give me a shout and I'll re-arrange the day if possible, as I think 4th of August is totally booked now.

We're playing squash a few times a week until we go...I'm so totally out of stamina so I need to build up a bit of resistance...!

[Neil]

^^ Exciting! You get to be the HPotD roving reporter for the day :)

[AcesandEights]

So cool, Symph. What will you be doing before hand to get in the mood? Just Dawn, or a marathon the night before?




We're playing squash a few times a week until we go...I'm so totally out of stamina so I need to build up a bit of resistance...!

Jazzersize to the Gonk at least once a day!

[Zed Events]

How are you connected to the event exactly?

Seems its getting a lot of attention, with even the Sun posting an article, so is it proving popular? If so, do you think "The Walking Dead" series has helped too?

I'm one of the guys who runs the events at the mall site. For those who attend, I'll be dressed as a police officer and carrying a gun. A big gun.

It's very popular and lots of things such as TV, film and video games have helped propel zombies into the public eye.

Cheers,

Zed.

[Neil]

http://venturebeat.com/2012/05/26/how-i-survived-the-real-zombie-apocalypse/#s:zombie-experience-portrait


It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Three of us have been separated from the main group and we’re low on ammo. Trapped in an abandoned store, they’re coming at us from all sides. The undead, if indeed that’s what they are can’t be stopped. Even when we take them down, they’re rising up again. With one last gasp we make a break for it, heading into the darkness, shooting fast and aiming for the body, then stepping past the crumpled mess of half-decayed creatures that have been tracking us all day.

[vilkami]

i seen that on the site dude i want that. it looks real fun.

[Neil]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20971389


High Streets and town centres have faced tough times with shoppers moving out of town and online, but could special events revive the areas?

The BBC's Steph McGovern visited an empty shopping centre in Reading to find out about attractions attempting to draw customers back