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I apologize for how stupid this question is but it's my first time going and I want to make sure I now what's going on before I go. Can I still get in with cash at the door after the first day?
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DEF CON badges are still sold for cash at the con, and there is still no pre-order ticketing system nor is there any reservation system.Originally posted by scoom View Post
Last year, some people arrived in line more than 24 hours before sales of badges started. The line grew slowly. However, the people that arrived at the end of the line just as badge sales started only spent less than 2 hours. This is no guarantee for time to buy badges this year, but can help you manage your expectations.Last edited by TheCotMan; March 29, 2016, 15:27. -
We got in line shortly before 8:00am last year and had our badges shortly before 10:00am. The line moved really quick and, perhaps more importantly, we met a LOT of great folks standing in line. Last year was my first DEF CON and I put together a quick postmortem with some details that seemed pertinent while it was still fresh on my mind.
https://forum.defcon.org/forum/defco...r-future-n00bs.: This post contains 100% recycled electrons :.Comment
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Being in line is half the fun. You will have an hour or so to chat with those aound you. You will be amazed at the sorts of people you meet.Comment
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I am also arriving late this year. Is it possible for one of my friends to purchase a badge for me?Comment
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If you trust your friend with your cash, and trust them to spend it on a badge, and then give you the badge later, that should work. It is common for people in line to buy badges for many people. I do not know if there is any per-person limit for badge purchase. I've heard people pay for 10 badges in line, and second hand claims that more than 20 badges have been purchased by one person in line. (This is only for Human badges, not for other badges like "Press" or "Speaker" etc. That is totally different.)Originally posted by OnTheSpaceShip View Post
In the end, people buying many badges in line helps to optimize the badge purchase process, since only one money-transaction takes place with one person, and they handle the actual distribution of the badges to their friends.
I do not speak for DEF CON or badge sales, only comment on how things have happened for many years in the past. It is assumed sales of many badges per person will still happen this year.
Good luck!Comment
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Thanks for the quick reply, TheCotMan. I hope to run into you at DEF CON this year. Have a great day!Comment
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Sorry... due to needs to share my vacation time with non-DEF-CON events, I only attend it every other year. I was there last year, so I won't be there for 2016.Originally posted by OnTheSpaceShip View Post
I hope you have a great time! If this is your first year, check out the Thursday presentations in "DC101" as they often cover suggestions on ways to get the most out of your DEF CON. Much of it is advice, and some of it is introduction into various topics; everyone was a "newbie" in something, and even the most skilled in things like Metasploit and ASM/reversing are newbies in other topics. Nobody is "elite" in all topics of hacking.
Good luck!
-Cot
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Do they only sell badges the first day or can I come in Friday?
Thanks,
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Historically, badges are sold every day of con for several hours from morning to early evening, sometimes including Sunday morning. There are no guarantees on which kind of badge you will get. Once supplies run out of the "dedicated" badge, they may switch to laminated paper, or something else. Whatever they sell will still function as a token to get into the DEF CON controlled spaces, but may not allow you to participate in badge-related contests as others.Originally posted by TacoT View Post
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Thanks for documenting your experience. And thanks to those who replied. I'm going for the first time this year too and was wondering about the badge/line process. Sounds like a blast. :)Originally posted by sainate View PostComment
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Does anyone know the sweet spot for badge queueing on the Thurs morning? Our flight is 11 hours and arrives about 3pm wed, then we have some time to play about in Vegas the first night and hopefully get to bed early around 10pm as we'll have been up a long time by then (flying from UK), so I'm thinking we can get to the queue pretty early. The documentary showed people queuing at like 1am IIRC, but that'll mean presumably an 8 hour wait, so I'm thinking maybe 4-6am is a good time? I'm guessing the queue will have grown by that point but not be enough to make the wait too long. I'd also prefer to be through the doors not long after the con starts so we're not late to register for things.Comment
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The line went relatively quick last time (my first trip) but, more importantly, I met a lot of cool people in the line (so it was a productive part of the CON). My understanding is that registration will start this year at 6:00am local time because it 'may or may not be an electronic badge year' (I say may or may not be because no one will confirm nor deny that even number years are electronic badge years, but the general consensus seems to be that a) this year will be and b) there will be more demand for one of those badges so the line will get longer sooner). I'm planning on getting in line between 6:00am and 7:00am after a good nights rest and just going from there. As long as I have a legitimate badge to get me into talks, villages, etc., I'm good. If it's a fancy electronic one, that's just a bonus..: This post contains 100% recycled electrons :.Comment
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Yeah I'd prefer an electronic badge ideally but it's not the end of the world if they run out, given the earlier start I think I'll try and be there for about 5am, I'd rather queue say an hour at 5am and be in for 6am than queue at 8am and be in for 10am.Comment
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