Buckeye Black Box

Buckeye Black Box Special Event

March 27 Hackathon

An approximately ~72-hour build sprint focused on creating projects with real-world utility.

Join on Discord

Date

March 25th - March 27th weekend window (approximately ~72 hours)

Location

Hybrid. Final results and dinner in the Maudine Cow Room, Ohio Union.

Focus and Objectives

Contestants will receive an individual prompt/objective and should build practical projects with clear real-world utility.

All information regarding this event is subject to change.

Competition Rules

  • No plagiarism. Do not directly copy other teams source code or use boilerplates as a base.
  • Your program must be your own work. Libraries and frameworks are allowed, but clearly document what you used.
  • Installation instructions must be clear. Projects will be built and deployed in a virtual environment, so include versions, dependencies, install steps, usage, and what the program does.
  • If a project cannot be compiled, it cannot be scored. Include a clear README.
  • Submit as a GitHub repository where development occurred. Changes past the designated stop time will not be considered.
  • Additional rule updates: TBD.

Competition Overview

Project Development

Contestants will receive an individual real-world prompt/objective to solve. AI tools are encouraged. The prompt system is intended to deter plagiarism.

Team Formation

Team-based event. You may work solo or with up to three other people, for a maximum team size of four.

Project Scoring

Judges score each project from 1-4 across five factors: stability (bugs), utility, features, ease of use and installation, and accordance to the assigned prompt. Scoring factors are subject to change.

Dates and Itinerary

Prompt release start date: March 25th. Submission deadline: March 27th. Final results, presentations, and catered dinner will be held Friday, March 27th, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM in the Maudine Cow Room at the Ohio Union. Results and prizes are expected around 8:00 PM.