Hacker Con Badges

Gothcon

Gothcon 2026

The Gothcon gothic dance party at DEF CON 34 on Saturday, August 8, 2026. Its official badge store identifies the associated $80 bat-shaped electronic badge as a fundraiser for the free party, says the badge is not required to attend, and announces DEF CON availability after pre-orders close. The party and badge remain separate from the official DEF CON Human-badge programme.

DEF CON 34, Las Vegas, Nevada · United States · 2026

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Gothcon's official badge store describes a custom bat-shaped PCB LED badge for the free Gothcon dance party at DEF CON 34. The $80 fundraiser package names 44 independently controlled RGB LEDs, a 2,000 mAh Li-Po battery, USB-C recharging with overcharge protection, a removable laser-etched acrylic shield, a custom lanyard, and an ESP32-C3 with 4 MB flash. The public `claviger/gothcon-firmware` repository adds MicroPython firmware, KiCad schematic/PCB/Gerber material, GPIO mapping, pattern/palette controls, and ESP-NOW badge-to-badge contagion. The store explicitly says its SAO connectors are mirrored and not functional with a standard SAO. Pre-orders are closed and the store says badges will be sold at DEF CON; this remains a pre-event party-fundraiser record, not proof of final sales, delivery, party outcome, or official DEF CON credential status.

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge public firmware documentation

badge-to-badge interaction

ESP-NOW pattern contagion and wireless opt-out

The README says Down broadcasts the current pattern/palette over ESP-NOW, with nearby badges cascading up to about three hops and rate/interaction safeguards. A five-second Down hold disables wireless until reset or power cycle; no BLE protocol is claimed for the default application.

Compatibility: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge public repository documentation

firmware and maintenance

MicroPython application and flash/deploy workflow

The repository provides MicroPython application source, `flash.py`, esptool/mpremote prerequisites, separate firmware and application deployment paths, and host-side unit tests. The visible repository root has no explicit license and no tagged release is asserted here.

Compatibility: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge official-store-documented

hardware compatibility limitation

Mirrored non-standard SAO connector limitation

The official store says the board's intended SAO connectors are wired mirrored and are not functional with a standard SAO, with no time to correct the layout before the convention. This is a source-specific compatibility limitation, not a generalized claim about all Gothcon or DEF CON hardware.

Compatibility: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge public repository documentation

hardware interface

ESP32-C3 GPIO control surface

The public firmware maps 44 WS2812B LEDs to IO10, directional buttons to IO4/IO3/IO0/IO2, and identifies separate BOOT and RESET flashing controls. The store names ESP32-C3 with 4 MB flash; the repo does not establish every production-board part or measurement.

Compatibility: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge official-store-documented

physical badge package

Bat PCB, 44 RGB LEDs, acrylic shield, and lanyard

Gothcon's store describes a bat-shaped custom PCB with 44 independently controlled RGB LEDs, removable laser-etched acrylic logo shield, custom DEF CON 34-color lanyard, and a pre-order package containing the PCB, shield, screws/nuts, lanyard, 2,000 mAh LiPo, and mounting tape.

Compatibility: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge

Operational history

Issues & Camp Impact

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge note

battery, charging, and modification safety boundary · primary organizer store and public repository · needs operating and safety documentation

The store names a 2,000 mAh LiPo and USB-C recharging with overcharge protection, while the source tree supplies firmware and board files. Neither reviewed source publishes battery cell identity, charge settings, thermal/current measurements, fault behavior, battery replacement procedure, safety certification, or a safe-modification guide.

The record does not transform source component claims into an electrical-safety endorsement, battery-service procedure, or sanctioned repair/modification instruction.

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge note

missing rights-cleared image · local project policy · needs licensed original replacement

No Gothcon 2026 badge image is published because the Shopify store, GitHub README, and linked Imgur media do not pair a specific image with a reusable license or explicit permission basis, attribution, and processing notes.

The pre-event record remains source-backed and image-free instead of copying store photos, repository embeds, Imgur media, screenshots, placeholders, or generated approximations.

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge note

pre-event party, sale, and fulfillment boundary · primary organizer store · awaiting Gothcon 2026 outcome

The store says pre-orders are closed and badges will be sold at DEF CON, while describing the party as free and the badge as optional. Gothcon and DEF CON 34 have not yet occurred at this source pass, so the listing does not confirm final build count, DEF CON sale availability, delivery, party attendance, or fundraiser outcome.

The catalogue records organizer-published plans without converting them into proof of manufacture, sales, party results, or beneficiary accounting.

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge note

repository license and final-release boundary · public repository review · needs explicit license and release terms

The public repository contains source, KiCad, Gerber, and documentation material but the reviewed root has no explicit LICENSE file and no tagged final release was identified. Public visibility alone does not establish rights to reuse code, hardware, documents, embedded images, or final production firmware.

The catalogue can link the technical trail without representing it as licensed open hardware, free software, a released production artifact, or a valid source of reusable images.

Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge note

wireless behavior and default-firmware scope · public repository and organizer store · documented with scope boundary

The repository documents ESP-NOW pattern contagion and a user opt-out, while the store says Wi-Fi and BLE are not used in default firmware. The sources do not publish a production firmware hash, final RF configuration, range/interference testing, regulatory documentation, or a Bluetooth interaction protocol.

The record describes public ESP-NOW application behavior without claiming final radio performance, BLE functionality, a production firmware identity, or certification.

Resources

claviger/gothcon-firmware firmware and hardware repository · Public source repository for the Gothcon 2026 badge firmware, flashing tooling, tests, and hardware directories. The visible repository root has no LICENSE file, so public access is not treated as a reuse license for code, hardware, documentation, or images. Gothcon 2026 Badge README firmware and operating guide · Primary repository documentation for the ESP32-C3, 44 WS2812B LEDs, GPIO map, pattern/palette control, ESP-NOW contagion behavior/opt-out, MicroPython runtime, host tool prerequisites, and firmware/application flash/deploy workflows. Gothcon 2026 hardware tree hardware design files · Public repository tree containing KiCad project, PCB, schematic, Gerbers, and production folders. No explicit repository license was identified, and no repository image is reused locally. Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge official badge store · Official Gothcon Badge Store listing for the $80 Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge, party-fundraiser relationship, free-party/non-ticket boundary, pre-order/DEF CON sales terms, published hardware/package contents, ESP32-C3/4 MB statement, mirrored-SAO limitation, and no reusable-image permission.

Sources

GitHub / claviger: Gothcon 2026 Badge README Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary firmware and operating source for the 44-LED/ESP32-C3/GPIO mapping, patterns, palettes, ESP-NOW contagion behavior and opt-out, MicroPython runtime, flashing/deployment, tests, and host tooling. Embedded Imgur media is evidence only and lacks a reusable-image license or permission basis. GitHub / claviger: claviger/gothcon-firmware hardware tree Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary public archive source proving a KiCad project, schematic, PCB, Gerbers, and production folders. The reviewed repository root has no explicit LICENSE file, so it does not establish reuse rights or a final manufactured-board configuration. Gothcon Badge Store: Gothcon 2026 Blinky Badge Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary organizer storefront source for the Gothcon party setting and August 8 date, $80 fundraiser/non-ticket terms, pre-order closure and DEF CON sale statement, custom bat-PCB/44-LED/LiPo/USB-C/acrylic/lanyard/ESP32-C3 hardware claims, package contents, and mirrored-SAO limitation. It does not grant reusable image permission or prove final sales, delivery, or electrical safety.