DEF CON 34 · United States · 2026
Pre-event CH32V303 Portal puzzle badge from a public DC34 source tree
BigFuckingBadge's live DEF CON 34 page calls this year's Portal Badge a 14×14-inch Companion-Cube-shaped, touch-activated badge, marks presale open with limited quantities, and advertises $120 before DEF CON 34 or $150 through hackerwarehouse during the con. A public GitLab hierarchy at `hexum-public-share/bfb/dc34/public/badge/portal-badge` contains separate software, hardware, and sound projects for the same Portal-themed badge. The source names a `ch32fun-portal-badge` firmware project and a `ch32v303-48lqfp-portal-badge` board project; its current software configuration targets a CH32V303CBT6 with PlatformIO and ch32v003fun. The committed firmware defines 85 LED pixels, fourteen active-low inputs, SD-card-backed audio with DAC playback, flash-persisted unlock state, a serial Portal Gun SAO/badge-to-badge protocol, and diode-solder-on detection. Its design document describes standby, Nyan, and a four-level Portal puzzle game built around spheres, portals, fire, and unlockable features. Public commits show software “final code checks” and hardware acrylic SVG work on August 2, 2026. This is a source-backed pre-event independent record, not proof of a completed sale, physical run, event allocation, pickup, official DEF CON credential, final binary, safety validation, third-party-IP permission, or reusable-image rights.
People
The public firmware project's current August 2 commit is authored by Hexum and titled “final code checks.” The reviewed project does not provide a fuller credit/role statement, so the catalogue does not infer sole authorship of hardware, firmware, art, audio, or event distribution.
SourceThe public hardware project's reviewed history attributes board bug-fix, first-prototype-finalization, and acrylic-SVG commits to Branden Boucher. Commit authorship is preserved as a narrow source-backed credit, not a claim of sole design or event-organizer role.
SourceIt preserves an unusually complete in-progress badge source trail before the event: board files, Gerbers, fabrication/acrylic material, firmware, sound assets, design notes, and current commit history live together under an explicit DC34 project hierarchy. The dossier makes that work discoverable without mistaking a working source tree for evidence of distribution, a public release, a final production board, source-license permission, or rights to reproduce Portal-themed art and audio.
BigFuckingBadge describes a 14×14-inch Companion-Cube-shaped, touch-activated Portal Badge. The PlatformIO configuration targets `genericCH32V303CBT6` with the ch32fun framework, and the firmware configuration enables the CH32V30x family with 128 KiB flash. The source defines 85 24-bit LED pixels and fourteen active-low inputs with labels for spheres, portals, radio, camera, turret, cake, Nyan, and aperture surfaces. It initializes SD-card SPI, DAC audio with an amplifier-enable pin, SPI LED output, flash status storage, serial and I²C-facing SAO connection code, and a solder-on diode detector. The separate hardware project contains KiCad projects, Gerber/production folders, board variants, position data, acrylic DXF/SVG material, and manufacturing-oriented files. The sources do not establish a final assembled hardware revision, exact production BOM, battery/power design, independently measured dimensions, quantity, test results, or safety/certification status for any event unit.
The public C source implements standby, Nyan, Simon, fire, game, display, audio, unlock, random, SD, and SAO modules. Its design document describes four game levels where users move personality spheres with portals while avoiding fire, then unlock features through game progress, a connected Portal Gun SAO, a serial badge-to-badge condition, and a diode-solder-on condition. Firmware uses an SD card for 22,050 Hz DAC sound playback and flash to retain unlock state; the current branch's August 2 commit is titled “final code checks.” There is no tagged release, published final binary, flashing guide, tested upgrade/recovery process, or statement that a particular event unit runs this exact source revision.
The project’s design documentation is explicitly Portal-themed: it frames puzzle modes around personality spheres, portals, fire, the Aperture surface, a turret, a camera, a radio, and a cake, with Nyan as a separate mode. BigFuckingBadge's current page describes working portals, games, sounds, achievements, Easter eggs, and a Portal Gun SAO companion, while the public project hierarchy uses `dc34` and source changes were made in the lead-up to DEF CON 34. The maker's advertised price and limited-presale wording do not establish ticket inclusion, an order or recipient ledger, completed manufacture, pickup location, maker-event affiliation, or final attendee experience. The catalogue therefore preserves its source-documented creative direction while not presenting it as an officially licensed Portal product, an official DEF CON artifact, or a completed conference delivery.
Lifecycle
BigFuckingBadge advertises the Portal Badge at $120 before DEF CON 34 and $150 through hackerwarehouse during the con, while its live page says presale is open and quantities are limited. This is a maker-stated current offer, not proof of a completed order, payment, manufacturing run, stock count, hackerwarehouse availability, pickup, delivery, refund, replacement, or post-event sale outcome.
SourceSource initializes SD-card SPI and DAC/DMA sound playback at 22,050 Hz, with a no-SD state, amp-enable pin, and on-chip fallback settings. Separate flash-state code records diode, SAO, badge-to-badge, game, and sphere unlock flags. The sources do not establish installed media, speaker/amplifier hardware, volume, content rights, storage-card provisioning, power/runtime behavior, or final event software configuration.
SourceThe design document says a connected Portal Gun SAO, a two-badge USB connection, and a back-side soldered diode can unlock features. Current source implements 9,600-baud serial status handling, portal-SAO and badge-to-badge counters, a retained I²C pin setup, and a directional diode check. It does not publish a final compatible accessory, connector pinout, USB electrical design, I²C behavior, voltage/current budget, or test matrix.
SourceThe design document describes Standby, Game, and Nyan modes plus a four-level puzzle in which spheres move through portals while users avoid or extinguish fire. The committed source contains standby, nyan, game, Simon, fire, display, random, and unlock modules. Design notes include TBD/possibly-change language, so this is a documented pre-event design and implementation trail rather than proof of final gameplay or attendee instructions.
SourceThe firmware defines 85 24-bit LED pixels and fourteen active-low input positions labelled for four personality spheres, four portals, radio, camera, Nyan, Aperture, turret, and cake. The design document calls these button/touch interactions. The sources do not confirm the final physical input technology, LED package, enclosure, brightness, current draw, or accessibility behavior.
SourceThe committed PlatformIO configuration targets `genericCH32V303CBT6` using the `ch32v` platform and `ch32v003fun` framework; firmware configuration enables the CH32V30x family and declares 128 KiB flash. No source identifies a final flashed event binary, board configuration, toolchain lockfile, test report, or recovery path.
SourceThe companion hardware repository includes KiCad project/schematic/PCB material, Gerber and production directories, board variants, position data, acrylic DXF/SVG files, and manufacturing-oriented archives. Recent commits include board bug fixes and acrylic SVG work. GitLab shows no detected license, and the source does not establish a final approved BOM, build instructions, production completion, or safe redistribution/assembly permission.
SourceOperational history
The catalogue describes the maker's published theme at a high level but does not represent the project as officially licensed, authorize reuse of themed art/audio, or make a legal conclusion about the source materials.
Source-level game and interface behavior remains discoverable without labeling the branch as a final, universally flashable, supported event firmware package.
The record does not transform source tree names and schematic/fabrication material into a verified production bill of materials, safety endorsement, repair guide, or field-operating recommendation.
The dossier treats the Portal Badge as an independently sourced DC34 maker/project, not an official DEF CON credential or a substitute for registration.
The source-backed pre-event record remains image-free instead of copying repository previews, board exports, screenshot-like documentation material, Portal-themed art, placeholders, or generated approximations.
The catalogue preserves a live maker offer and active DC34 design trail without turning either into evidence of units built, distributed, sold, collected, or received.
The catalogue links the public preservation trail without presenting it as open hardware, free software, a licensed build kit, or a cleared source for images/audio/artwork.