LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

[LosT]

I hear it sucked ;)

A complete description soon- I promise.

LosT

[mage2]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

You would say it sucked thats because you Lost.
err I am tired.

[renderman]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

Just a note, the mystery box contained an very powerful magnet. Apparently TSA's screening gear does'nt like it very much when you have such a magnet in your luggage, thus, your luggage might be rifled through as mine was and the only thing moved was the magnet...

[Thorn]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

It was GREAT! It would have been better if the Nostromo Cleanup Crew had won rather than hit 3rd Place, but we had a ball.

Lost made a great challenge.

[mage2]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

It was a great challange, I loved the contest and will be entering again next year. And I, for one will be more ready.

The only thing that frustrated me was that we missed stage 1 and once you start on what we found out later to be stage 2, stage one was lost. So we got the box open (opened both locks) and got the other clues but were missing the first clue.
So that cost us about 2 hours of frustration utill we found out we had to have the box reset by Lost to get stage 1 back. Once that was done and we got the first clue. It was just a little more work to get the pin.
The riddles and the halloween stuff to throw us off was all great. I hope for something similar but harder for next year. Props to Lost for pulling this off. I still owe him a drink.

Yes TSA was fun this year. I decided to send both the box and the robot back home with some friends that were driving. I didnt need my bag dug through anymore than it already was. I have 2 of the tags from the TSA, one on the way to con and one on the way from. Thats without the box.
But thanks Lost for a great time.

[converge]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

The only thing that frustrated me was that we missed stage 1 ..

Our team ran into this too. For various reasons only half our team or so was even there for the first step. From later discussion it sounds like we had skipped the second step entirely and jumped right to the end, where we proceeded to bang our head against the pin for WAY too long while two other teams passed us by. ..tsk tsk. Lessons for the future.

I'll say it again here since it needs to be highlighted imo.. IT WAS A BLAST! And this contest ranks at the top of *any* other contests I've witnessed or been a part of in my history with Defcon .. sorry LPCon, you kick ass but.. this kicked asses+1.

Yes TSA was fun this year. I decided to send both the box

I had no issues flying to Vegas. The guys checked out my carry-on a few times through their screen, but let me pass without hassle. No SSSS treatment either way. However, on the return trip home my luggage freaked out the guy at the screen and they immediately brought my bag over for full inspection. I stood there waiting while he dug through, inspected and swabbed every inch of the bag and the tech inside.. mostly misc HAM equip, wifi stuffs, and power adapters. I could not hold back from laughing, mfreeck laughing thoroughly on the sidelines, as he went off on a tangent inspecting my fruit rollup. He eventually asked me what it was and I obliged, apologizing for laughing in what should be a serious situation, that he indeed was swabbing a roll of dried applesauce.

[mage2]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

Converge I would love a pic of a TSA agent swabing a fruit rollup, I am sure that would have caused even more problems. I was already with a 1.5 year old, with a stroller that had to be hand tested and with my and my girls carryon bags. It was already a hassle. I didnt want to add to it.

Lost, I agree with converge it was a blast. I cant wait for next year.

[hckhckhck]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

I had a great time of it. Wound up doing more learning than competing. Hoping to be there next year, with a team and better prepared.

[lowtec]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

I agree that this was one of the most exciting challenges I've been part of. Mad props to LosT for such a great contest, I owe him a few drinks. My team also missed the first clue by not paying enough attention to the riddle and rushing to get the box open. Unfortunately I was out looking for a pair of pliers to pull out the hinge pin but by the time I returned they had managed without me.

No problems getting the gear back home in my checked luggage. Now I'm just fooling around with the BS2 board. What did the other teams do with theirs?

[mage2]

Re: LosT @ Con Mystery Box Challenge

Did anyone that was part of the breakout session get a copy of the "fast" IR detect?
Or any other code for the bot, or homework board that anyone would like to show off?