We built this conference-wide puzzle adventure to get you out from behind your laptops and actually explore the venue. Instead of just sitting in talks all day, this game gets you out of your comfort zone to decode ciphers, track down hidden physical locations, and actually talk to people in the community. Whether it’s your first time here or you’ve been coming for years, it’s a fun, hands-on way to test your problem-solving and social engineering skills. Just remember to pay close attention to your surroundings, as survival often depends on the fragments others overlook.
Here is how it works: everything runs on a strict three-stage loop. You crack a puzzle, head out to a specific village to complete a task, and then report directly back to us at the booth to lock in your score. But to keep things interesting, we also run the Assassin Protocol. This means you’ll be challenging other players to 1v1 playground games to steal their physical Life Tokens. You are not just going to walk away with points, you are going to leave with new professional connections, a few rivalries, and a much better feel for the whole conference.
Links
- octopusgame.org has the official rules, schedule, and detailed scoring.
- linktr.ee/octopusgame is how you get added to the Discord server.
Schedule
Booth Battles are 1v1 playground games. Challenge a fellow attendee and play for their Life Tokens.
Tuesday, October 27
- 10:30 AM. The Front Woman welcomes all to Octopus Game. In-person check-in and registration start. Grab your gear before supplies run out and start your run.
- 1:00 PM. Booth Battle #1: Recruits Face-Off
- 4:00 PM. Booth Battle #2: Dormitory “Brawl”
Wednesday, October 28
- 10:30 AM. Octopus Game opens
- 1:00 PM. Booth Battle #3: Guard’s Wager
- 4:00 PM. Booth Battle #4: Front Woman’s Gauntlet
Thursday, October 29
- 10:30 AM. Octopus Game opens
- 11:00 AM. Final intake suggestion. Registration stays open, but to finish every challenge before the final shutdown, we recommend starting your run by now.
- 1:00 PM. Booth Battle #5: Triangle Ultimatum
- 4:00 PM. Booth Battle #6: Square Verdict
Friday, October 30
- 8:30 AM. Final Battle: Squid’s Toll. Mandatory for all active players holding Life Tokens. One last playground game to defend or steal final tokens.
- 11:00 AM. The Piggy Bank Payout. The leaderboard locks and top-ranked survivors are awarded prizes in order of final score.
Need to know
- Physical verification only. You cannot play remotely. You must physically visit the required locations and present proof to the crew.
- No spoilers. Collaboration is encouraged, but posting puzzle solutions, NFC location URLs, or challenge answers on public forums or social media is prohibited and ruins the game for everyone else.
- Zero tolerance and no pay-to-win. Octopus Game is a test of observation and networking. Buying, selling, or trading real-world money, merchandise, or favors for an in-game advantage means immediate disqualification. Harassment, physical aggression, or disruption of other attendees or village staff means immediate elimination.
- Guard assistance. We want you to succeed. We will gladly offer nudges, hints, and guidance if you get stuck, but we will never just give you the answer.
- Recommended gear. A mobile device with a web browser, a camera, and NFC-reading capability is required. A laptop helps with certain challenges but is not required.
- The prizes. Winners are ranked by total points and pick their prizes in order, first place first. You must be present to claim a prize.
Kudos
Building a conference-wide survival game takes a dedicated crew. Huge thanks to our Guards on the floor, Eddie, Tom, and Gabe, and to the SAINTCON committee for giving us the playground to make this happen.
