AUSTIN, TX -- The upper level of Buffalo Billiards on Sixth Street ran rampant with geeks and nerds coming down off the three-day high that was the RTX convention on Sunday.

Fans of Rooster Teeth series such as "Red vs. Blue," "RWBY," "Achievement Hunter" and more met to debrief each other about what went down in the numerous panels, meet-and-greets, signings and gaming competitions that dotted the schedule.

As they talk, they learn more about each other, becoming fast friends and also putting names to faces as many of these folks have had previous contact, if only through chats on Rooster Teeth's online forums.

For many, this is the first time they are actually meeting in person, and nothing could please Dominic Dobrzensky more.

-- The People --

Dobrzensky is the founder of RT SideQuest, an offshoot -- a satellite, if you will, of the Rooster Teeth universe. Since 2011, he said his mission has been to prove the "community" aspect of the production house's fan base.

With each RTX comes a swarm of first-time visitors to the city, and part of the "side quest" the group provides is tips and guides to enjoying some of the many things there are to do in Austin.

Their website, for instance, contains an interactive map pinning locations Rooster Teeth staff have mentioned during episodes of their wildly popular podcasts.

Dobrzensky does not just pay lip service when he says he's had a lifelong commitment to being community-minded. It is obvious within minutes of meeting him that he is a "people-person," interested in learning what he can about whoever he meets.

In a chat with Time Warner Cable News on Sunday, he pointed out no less than five people across a room crowded with hundreds, effortlessly naming names and explaining how long they’ve been part of the community, what they do in the RT Universe, whether they are administrators on forums, have worked in production, or have even appeared on-camera.

All the while, we were briefly sidelined in our chat by others that wanted to come by and say hello to Dobrzensky -- convention-goers, other SideQuest members, as well as Mica Burton, one of the newest members of the "Achievement Hunter" gang and part of the cast of the Rooster Teeth movie "Lazer Team."

Everyone is accepted in this group, which is much like a gamer-geek's utopia; gender, color, sexual preference, and even level of interest make no difference. The "casual user," as RT director and editor Kyle Taylor explained, is embraced with the same degree of respect and support by the online community as the on-camera talent.

-- The Cause --

In addition, Dominic has held meetups such as these, but he has also helped organize charitable events -- auctions, fundraising stunts – to raise money for organizations with ties to Rooster Teeth, gaming and other community causes. SideQuest is registered as a nonprofit.

This year, like last year, SideQuest hosted a "Barlympics" at Buffalo Billiards. Bar games and video games came together into a loud but entertaining group competition. They also held a charity auction where bidders could win copies of video games and rare Rooster Teeth paraphernalia.

SideQuest CEO Amber Conrad said that RT community members raised more than $3,000 earlier this year for Make-A-Wish, with the promise of sending Rooster Teeth personalities Blaine Gibson and Barbara Dunkelman rappelling down the side of the W hotel in Downtown Austin.

Other organizations that benefit from SideQuest’s efforts include Operation Supply Drop, which sends gaming systems to troops overseas, and Extra Life, which raises money for hospitals in the Children’s Miracle Network.

-- The Legacy --

As with any large family, tragedy causes a ripple effect, touching everyone.

While talking about the highs of working with Rooster Teeth, prop and costume designer Tim Leftwich said one event last year was one of the worst of his life, a sentiment he, Dominic and others agreed was felt by the whole community.

Monty Oum’s untimely death of an allergic reaction during a medical procedure in February 2015 left fans of his animation, and in particular the action series he created, "RWBY," shocked, and members of the RT team visibly shaken.

The announcement of Oum's passing via a blog post has since amassed more than 5,000 comments of sympathy from fans - some even posting again on the anniversary of his death and beyond that date to reflect on his contribution.

In a memorial video posted shortly after his death, a piece of interview footage holds special poignancy today.

"What we end up making is always larger than what we think it’ll be," Oum said.

As each year passes, the RTX attendance multiplies, as do the number of online community members, and thus the number of people who join SideQuest.

More and more people find their safe place, their haven, their acceptance in this world -- one hemisphere based online, where visitors can get their fill of visual antics and bond over the madness they just witnessed; the other very much tangible, touchable, engaging and real, where people say hello to one another seconds after meeting for the first time, getting to know the person who was once at the other end of a keyboard and monitor.

Photos for this story were provided courtesy Alec Agabon/RTSideQuest.