TerribleHack 2024

Over the past few years living in Auckland, I've had the pleasure of attending many hackathons. Each one a truly unique experience despite one common factor. Each of these events were run by Zac Miller-Waugh. I didn't know it would happen at the time, but Zac has formed my opinions on what a good maker event should look like.

Unfortunately for the maker community here in Auckland, Zac has moved to pursue further education at Imperial College and Royal College of Arts in London. In the weeks before immigrating, a Mobility Dogs hackathon, Kiwijam '24, and TerribleHack 2024 were all scheduled.

Not wanting to see Auckland lose these events, I offered to help Zac organise this year's TerribleHack.

The lead up

I don't have a history of coordinating events; every part of this experience was new to me. Leading up to the event date, there was very little communication. We took inventory of what was available to us, both financially and in terms of what assets we could borrow from our networks.

I reached out to past event partners, and to some new potential partners. Abinesh Krishan of [Potentia] was very kind to aid in getting our message out, posting and sharing a post to their large software developer community. Unfortunately, beyond their kind promotion, no partners were in a position to assist with the event. During the time of this event, Auckland was seeing an unprecedented period of low economic activity; all were feeling the pinch.

In the week preceding the event, Zac organised PA equipment and lighting from the university's event services. He also booked out a lecture theatre and the foyer of the gorgeous new B201 building on the University of Auckland city campus.

Zac was an employee of the University, having access to easier communication with various departments via Microsoft Teams. In the future, these communications will be facilitated through the UoA Maker Club, of which I have joined the executive.

Friday

I took PTO at work for the Friday. All hands were on deck to make the final push. Designs were updated, lanyards assembled, presentation slides prepared, and signs were printed for directions. In the spirit of the event, I was very much winging it. After many years of running multiple of these types of events annually, Zac was more than equipped to execute this himself. We discussed what felt right, what made sense for the new venue, and how we wanted to balance the presentation, but ultimately Zac was more than familiar with the right choices.

As we came into the afternoon, the opening time loomed closer. With little left to do, we set up in the lecture theatre for our opening presentation.

This was my first time presenting to a large audience, and I think given that circumstance it went well. We hit the right notes for health & safety, and encouraged creativity - particularly in the realm of projects with physical components. Software projects can be exciting, living forever as a symbol of the author's "crunch" ability at the time, but they can often lack the unknown of trying a new skill. If you've read some of my other posts, you'll see that I prefer to engage in new skills at these events.

Food arrived shortly after the presentation, kindly sponsored by the UoA Maker Club who officially run the event.

The night finished late with many ideas floating around each of the teams. I gave an attendee a lift home, and made it back to my apartment just after 1am.

Saturday

Saturday is the day to get sh*t done. Some teams started early, with the vast majority cruising in around 9am. Connor Hare and Jasper Miller-Waugh, creative technologists at the University of Auckland Unleash Space were in attendance both as makers and as representative's for the maker space.

As they day progressed, many interesting works were started. A clay sculpture of a psychedellic raccoon mascot was slowly coming together, a death-threat writing machine was scribbling maps, and both Zac and I were asked by a group for our favourite food & drink. Ramen & Ovaltine were my immediate answers, something I did not know at the time would be catastrophic.

As we entered the evening, we called everyone together for a mystery announcement. First, we would introduce a mystery challenge for which the winner received a pair of Sony noise-cancelling headphones, and secondly that Zac (and others interested) could get their hair professionally dyed bright pink in the bathroom.

The mystery challenge

The mystery challenge was simple. If you're not quite feeling your project, and you're stuck in a sunk cost situation, you can take this opportunity to destroy your entire project and start again with less than 24 hours before the jam ended.

This challenge was run at the December '23 TerribleHack, which I was unfortunately unable to attend. In December, it took some time before a group came forward to complete the challenge. 2024 could not be more disimilar. Three groups raised their hands immediately, for which one was disqualified (for representing his absent team).

The first team, a group of software engineers who had been working on a project to severely complicate interacting with the web.

The second team, Jono Shields, who had completed "slow-down slippers" - slippers with velcro outsoles that stuck you to the floor.

Following a random chance card draw, Jono's project was chosen for distruction. He donned his slippers in a demonstration of their slow-down capacity, quickly falling to the floor. A large pair of shears were presented to him, and he cut his work into tens of pieces. In the remainder of the event, Jono reassembled his shoes and ahhhhhhhhh.

Around this time, a team arrived with a chest freezer. It was placed in the corner with a sign for us to not touch. Foreboding.

Sunday

Sunday went with few hitches. Most of the teams managed to complete their projects on time without issue, and nothing caught fire!

When the evening arrived, it was time to present. The first presentation, our mysterious freezer & food group. A dining table was prepped with table cloth, adorned with namecards and flowers. Zac and I were directed to sit as the show began. A highly produced video was played, an infomercial selling the latest and greatest: ecofriendly single use cutlery. The plates, glasses, and cutlery, being made of ice, never had to be cleaned, and never had to be thrown away. A thermos was cracked open pouring steaming hot ramen into my ice bowl. Drinks were poured, and the meal began.

The presentations continued as we started to mix and mingle around the room, checking out each team's projects.

Conclusion

This year's TerrbileHack was an incredible event, and easily my favourite TerribleHack yet. So much unbridled creativity was on display, and in some way I felt I got to be a part of each thing that was created.

Unfortunately, I wasn't all that much help in running the event. Zac's event production is a well oiled machine, and I fit in where I could. Next year, alongside the UoA Maker Club, I'll be leading the charge. With any luck, and having seen the steps, it'll go well. We'll have to wait and see.