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Show HN: Run With Zombies. A free browser game where GPS zombies chase you

3 points by mfernandes 2mo ago

I need an extra incentive to run and I love games, so I vibe-coded a real world zombie chasing game where a horde of zombies tries to catch you. If you escape you win, if not you lose. You can try it here: https://runwithzombies.com https://runwithzombies.com It uses your phone's GPS to render you on your real location with zombies around you. It's login free (although you can login to save your score), free to play and ad free. It runs on your browser and from my tests it runs better in Chrome. I would love to have some honest feedback. Would you use this? If not why? What would make it better?

runvoid 2mo ago
[dead]
rahuldhole 2mo ago
The game controls are not clearly visible. I am confused & figuring it out by random key-mouse combinations.
- mfernandes 2mo ago
  There are no mouse or key controls. You control your player by walking or running in the real world. :-)
jakswa 2mo ago
I remember trying out a zombie running app ~15yrs ago and am a fan of the concept. That was a podcast pretty much, audio-only storyline in your ears describing proximity/urgency/etc. I didn't grant this thing GPS access (work computer), but my immediate goal was to figure out how much attention it wants while running. The real problem nowadays (running in a city on city paths) feels like I would be oblivious to the people/cars around me and end up a safety hazard.
- mfernandes 2mo ago
  Yes, that can be a real safety problem. When I use it while running I only look at the screen when it warns me by vibrating. Vibration means zombies are nearby. Sometimes I also use it while walking, in this case I feel safe looking at the screen even in the center of Lisbon which is a very busy city.
- vunderba 2mo ago
  You're probably thinking of Zombies, Run!, which was an incredibly popular game that went viral over a decade ago. IIRC it did use GPS, but more for tracking your speed, distance, and overall movement. I don’t think it used your precise location to determine the proximity of zombies, though. Was a pretty fun game. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies,_Run https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies,_Run! A zombie game properly paired a decent pair of "AR glasses" (that worked well outdoors) would be great fun to just head over to the nearest unoccupied soccer field and run for hours tho.

3 points by mfernandes 2mo ago

runvoid 2mo ago

[dead]

rahuldhole 2mo ago

The game controls are not clearly visible. I am confused & figuring it out by random key-mouse combinations.

mfernandes 2mo ago
There are no mouse or key controls. You control your player by walking or running in the real world. :-)

jakswa 2mo ago

I remember trying out a zombie running app ~15yrs ago and am a fan of the concept. That was a podcast pretty much, audio-only storyline in your ears describing proximity/urgency/etc. I didn't grant this thing GPS access (work computer), but my immediate goal was to figure out how much attention it wants while running. The real problem nowadays (running in a city on city paths) feels like I would be oblivious to the people/cars around me and end up a safety hazard.

mfernandes 2mo ago
Yes, that can be a real safety problem. When I use it while running I only look at the screen when it warns me by vibrating. Vibration means zombies are nearby. Sometimes I also use it while walking, in this case I feel safe looking at the screen even in the center of Lisbon which is a very busy city.
vunderba 2mo ago
You're probably thinking of Zombies, Run!, which was an incredibly popular game that went viral over a decade ago. IIRC it did use GPS, but more for tracking your speed, distance, and overall movement. I don’t think it used your precise location to determine the proximity of zombies, though. Was a pretty fun game. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies,_Run https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies,_Run! A zombie game properly paired a decent pair of "AR glasses" (that worked well outdoors) would be great fun to just head over to the nearest unoccupied soccer field and run for hours tho.