The DefCon Ninja Party Badge Will Let You Battle Strangers [Ninjas]

Jul 28th 2010
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A hacker group generally known as the Ninjas has created what stands out as the best DefCon badge ever. The badge allows wireless ninja battle between badge holders. Unlike the official badge, attendees can\’t buy this one: it\’s free.

DefCon, the arena\’s largest hacker convention, is more than just a collection of hackers getting together to switch the most recent exploit code and hacking techniques. It\’s a time for hackers who may only see one another each year, to socialize head to head. Essentially the mostsome of the most exclusive venues for fraternizing at DefCon is the Ninja party. To attend the party attendees have got to know one of several Ninjas and they must give them a badge.

In years past, a Ninja would give a party attendee a sticker or a paper invite that might get them in to the party. Last year the Ninjas took the party invite to the following level after they created their own custom badge for their party attendees. This year, badge designers Amanda Wozniak and Brandon Creighton decided to take the badge to the subsequent level, and then some. What started as a sketch on a napkin ended up as an incredible hacker gaming and development platform.

The DefCon 18 Ninja Networks badge is an interactive wireless game system, including role-playing style Ninja battles. The badge shows a listing of different badges within range and allows the badge holder to fight them. Each time players fight, they gain experience points, making them more powerful.

The badge has a column of LEDs with an analogous color coding as World of Warcraft items. The players receive virtual items by completing missions in various locations around DefCon and Las Vegas.

The badge transmits stats intermittently to a lot of Android-badge-powered base stations hidden around the convention. a frontrunner board at the convention shows current scores. The badges also interact wirelessly with other undisclosed devices at the convention and likewise to ninjas the badge also features a pirate.

This year\’s badge also addresses the recurring problem of party attendees heading inside and out of the party with two badges and bringing in uninvited guests. The wireless badge checks in when attendees enter or leave the party, and a black-badge holder can grant a +1 guest.

The badges were designed, programmed, manufactured and assembled inside the U.s.. To offset the high cost of the badges and the party that serves free alcohol, the badges were sponsored by Facebook and Lookout. When the photos were taken last weekend, the badge software was still being tested. See below for more photos of the badge, software and manual.