RTX 2017 Panels and Games Overview

RTX 2017 featured an impressive variety of guests and live programming. From celebrated actor Andy Serkis to the cast of RWBY, there was a tremendous level of fan favorite talent at the convention. The Animation Festival headlined many of the festivities throughout the weekend, from a screening of Netflix’s adaptation of the Castlevania animated series to How it Should Have Ended, and, of course, Rooster Teeth Animation’s original works like Red vs Blue and RWBY. The CFG team got to attend various panels as well.

The Cow Chop panel drew a massive crowd, headlined by cast members James, Aleks, Jakob, Trevor, and Bret. They showcased exclusive, never before seen clips and episodes from their extensive catalog of skits including Amazon Prime Time. One long episode involved testing candidates for a mock space program. Another clip showed the the Cow Chop guys tossing colorful smoke grenades in a back lot, causing unintentional burn marks after tossing one into into James’ car. Both were delightful segments for a jam packed room, which responded with uproarious laughter throughout the hour. The main cast often frequented the exhibitor hall to chat and pose with photos with fans. 

 

The press only RWBY panel provided an intimate conversation with writer Miles Luna and the main voice actresses:  Lindsay Jones (Ruby Rose), Kara Eberle (Weiss Schnee), Arryn Zech (Blake Belladonna), and Barbara Dunkelman (Yang Xiao Long). The cast and crew related their oddest encounters with fans, which lead to a spirited discussion about the differences between a muffin and cupcake. Jones noted how surreal it was hearing the Japanese dub of the show, especially considering she was rejected from attending a Japanese convention several years ago. They also offered advice on how to advance in a competitive voice acting industry as well as their admiration for other voice actors and actresses in the industry. Dunkelman also marveled at how massive the RWBY cosplay gathering was at Anime Expo 2017, sharing her thoughts on cosplay. The panel culminated with the cast discussing how RWBY was was initially rejected by some fans within the anime community, but now has a full Japanese dub and is airing alongside anime in Japan. “What now??” cried out the crew in jubilation and laughter. 

The How It Should Have Ended panel enabled fans to ask questions about the creative process behind the episodes. Daniel Baxter also showcased an early clip of their Guardians of the Galaxy 2 HISHE episode. Baxter also discussed how the show grew from being a one man show directed and voiced by him to a fully staffed animation team. Baxter and his team of voice actors were also available on the show floor for autographs and to interact with fans. This level of accessibility with the guests was definitely appreciated by both fans and the media. 

One of the highlights of Saturday afternoon was, of course, the Halo 5 tournament on the main stage. Experiencing professional players dueling live offered some pulse pounding excitement. The show floor also featured some high profile indie studios such as The Behemoth and Supergiant Games. Their respective titles, Pit People and and Pyre, always attracted a line of attendees thanks to their multiplayer emphasis. Another fun indie game was SOYF: S#!T ON YOUR FRIENDS, a competitive, four player multiplayer romp inspired by Towerfall and featuring characters from games like The Binding of Isaac and Nuclear Throne.

Overall, RTX 2017 provided an amazing variety of content not just for fans of Rooster Teeth and video games. The level of accessibility, as mentioned earlier, is unlike other conventions and definitely provides unforgettable memories for fans in attendance.Â