Nerd Alert

Geeks and gamers are ready to raid Rooster Teeth Expo 2013

For anyone that stays up through the night watching machinima videos on YouTube and playing Halo with some friends, this weekend at the Austin Convention Center is the highlight of the year. For three days, gamers and geeks from all walks of life will have the chance to meet face-to-face with each other and industry leaders at the Rooster Teeth Expo.

Normally, the Internet has to provide the channel of communication between these content creators and their fans, but for one weekend it’s all about personal interactions. CultureMap previews the best of the expo, coming to Austin July 5 - 7. If you're itching for a weekend of geeking out, there are a few three-day passes and one-day tickets available.

First off, the primary draw for attendees will be new content from the founders of RTX, Rooster Teeth Productions. Their brainchild, Red vs. Blue, was a game changer for both the genre of machinima and original web series, still going strong at over 200 episodes. Rooster Teeth will host an exclusive premiere of the new anime series, RWBY, ahead of its July 18 online premiere.

Pronounced “Ruby,” the new series is a big departure for the studio that has relied mostly on animating with real-time, video game engines. Following four supernaturally gifted women battling various creatures and villains, RWBY is a fully animated series featuring anime-style aesthetics.

Also on the lineup are the geeky minds behind Rocket Jump, creators of the online web series Video Game High School. Their panel will be a must for anyone looking to create online content for nerd culture. Of course, that will be after they unveil the second season trailer for Video Game High School to send fans into a further tizzy of what’s to come in the action-packed live series.

Beyond the realm of YouTube web shows, there are plenty of other panelist options and guests to hound through the duration of the expo, including Internet personalities like Adam Montoya, Grace Helbig and Justine Ezarik. True fans of the Halo series will certainly be itching to meet with Jen Taylor, the voice of fan favorite Cortana. Here’s hoping that guys don’t embarrass themselves when trying to ask for autographs and photos.

RTX is also about fun and big gaming events. How big? Try the kickoff event for Halo 4’s largest tournament to date. Consider it a fun way to live out the drama of Red vs. Blue in real life.

Gamers will even get the chance for a hands-on preview of the future of video games with an exclusive multiplayer demo of the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag throughout the entire weekend. Also included on the weekend schedule is a preview for the upcoming reboot of cult classic Shadow Warrior.

Along with a mini Spill Dot Con festival and events like the Geeks Who Drink trivia contest, nerds from near and far will have their hands full this weekend. Let’s just hope they are able to avoid having too many nerdgasms in public. There are still a few three-day passes and one-day passes available for the expo, which runs July 5 - 7.

RTX returns July 5- 7.

Crowd of Gamers at RTX Rooster Teeth Expo

Jack Plunkett

RTX returns July 5- 7.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts