A "Trip" to Savagecon

One thing I had planned on doing during the Easter holidays was to go to Savagecon. Held in Redhill, this is one of the only UK-based conventions dedicated to the Savage Worlds role-playing system. I figured it would be a good opportunity to try out new settings and experience my favourite system as a player rather than a GM. After the quarantine led to the event being cancelled, the organisers decided to run a virtual convention via Discord and virtual tabletops such as Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds.

Session 1 - Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Jackets

Cockney accents and profanity were abound in the morning session hosted by Harrison Hunt (one of the principal organisers of Savagecon), running a gangster rpg called TuffGuys. An expansion of another game called Wiseguys by Eric Lamoureux, TuffGuys moves the setting from Las Vegas to London, and draws heavily from films like The Long Good Friday, Snatch, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. 

The characters are members of The Holloway Firm, who come into contact with another organisation who are expanding on the Firm's territory. I assumed the role of "Crazy Dee", a football hooligan who does the occasional odd job for the Holloway Firm. 

Now, I don't actually follow football (which technically makes me a Stoke City fan, according to my flatmate's dad). As a quote on the character sheet identified Crazy Dee as a West Ham supporter, I ended up having a tab open with the Wikipedia article for West Ham so I could reference it. He was meant to be a brawler who mainly fights with his fists or improvised weapons, but I didn't get much opportunity to use that (the other heavy character went berserk during the main combat encounter, and pretty much wiped out the bulk of the enemies before I could close the distance). However, the GM (known in this setting as the Guv'nor) had decided that West Ham had won their last match, which gave me a free re-roll whenever I used my taunt skill. This ended up being used against several foes wielding sawn-off shotguns, with taunts so scathing they couldn't act.

This session was hosted on Roll20, but used physical die rolls. It looks like there are a fair few macros which need to be coded, and finding character sheets for the newer version of Savage Worlds can be tricky.

Session 2 - Devil Knows You're Dead

The second session was a setting call S.P.I.E.S, hosted by Owen Lean. This setting deals with all manner of occult and supernatural horror, combined with modern-day espionage. Forbidden tomes and bullet-proof tuxedos are abound in this one.

For the one-shot, the players are agents of the Supernatural and Paranormal International Espionage Service (S.P.I.E.S), an independent intelligence agency which deals with supernatural threats. My character, Destiny Tsang was a gunfighter from the American West, who ended up in the present day after a time warp. He was good at duel-wielding firearms, and also had a steel-rimmed cowboy hat.

This one was a lot more action-packed and cinematic (something Savage Worlds is built for), but I did end up wrapping up the story prematurely after shooting down the villain's helicopter with a six-shooter loaded with explosive bullets. Apparently the actual climax involved fighting a giant worm summoned in a ritual at the Giant's Causeway.

Like the previous session, this one was run on Roll20, but used macros for dice rolls and keeping track of resources. One thing I did like was the fact that the GM (or for this setting, the Director) had an "X-card" system in place; a card which anyone can anonymously play if they're not comfortable with campaign content or they think another player is being inappropriate. It's something I utilise in my own games, and a good way to make role-playing games more accommodating.

Session 3 - Trouble in Tripoli

The final session was Allen Wroe's pulp setting, Secret Files of Section D. This is another action-espionage one, which takes place in 1938. The players are members of a newly-established Section D branch of the British Secret Intelligence Service, dealing with unusual phenomena (similar to the S.P.I.E.S setting). This one definitely had a strong Raiders of the Lost Ark influence.

My character in this one was Franco Giovanni, a former associate of the Chicago Outfit who moved to England and became an independent consultant on organised crime for Scotland Yard before getting recruited by the SIS for missions in Italy or their colonies.

Unlike the other two settings, this game was hosted on Fantasy Grounds Unity. Unlike Roll20, which is browser-based, this one is software which needs to be installed. It took several attempts to connect to the game, and it seems to use a lot of processor power. Technical difficulties prevented the GM from sharing the battle-maps, so the climax of the game had to be done through theatre-of-the-mind and liberal use of the system's new "Quick Encounter" mechanics. Which was fine, because the climax of the game was spectacular. It's just a shame it wasn't so easy to utilise Franco's combat capabilities.

All-in-all, I had a lot of fun taking part in the sessions. I look forward to coming back next year, and taking part in more settings.

Toy Story - Wrap-up

Well, that was an interesting way of passing the time over the Easter weekend.

I think all of the Toy Story films are strong films, and the release gaps between them allows ample breathing space.

The first three films make a pretty solid trilogy. It's almost as if we as an audience are growing up alongside Andy Davis. In that regard, the fourth film could be a fresh start and a chance to get a new audience.

Overall, I think Toy Story 2 is probably the strongest film in the series. The theme of lasting forever is one I can identify with. Stinky Pete believes that when they're donated to the toy museum in Japan, they'll spend eternity admired by countless children. And while Pete was never played with, Jessie did have an owner who outgrew her. Pete warns Woody that such a fate is inevitable, while Buzz warns him that being in a museum means that he'll be admired but never played with; a toy's real purpose. In the end, he accepts that such a fate is inevitable, but he'll enjoy it while it lasts. Speaking as someone who went from 9-to-5 life to student life, which will inevitably end, I identify with this theme strongly. Nothing lasts forever, and I hope to be able to get a fresh start after finishing my degree.

Things have been pretty rough at the moment, with this quarantine and the gradual loss of things to look forward to. But these films are excellent "feel-good" movies, and a useful source of comfort through these hard times.

Franchise Reviews: Toy Story 4

I'm actually surprised they'd want to make a Toy Story 4. The previous film ended with Andy going to college and donating his toys to Bonnie. I suppose that did leave things open if they wanted to do another film. Well, it's a concept ripe for expansion.

 Since then, Woody has been struggling to come to terms with the fact that he's no longer the favourite toy like he was with Andy. Taking a big risk, Woody hides in Bonnie's backpack as she attends her kindergarten orientation, and discreetly provides her with some crafting materials, including a plastic spork he fishes out of a bin. Bonnie uses the materials to create "Forky" who unexpectedly comes to life in her backpack. When Forky goes through an existential crisis and keeps trying to throw himself away, Woody finds a new purpose in helping him adjust to life as Bonnie's favourite toy. When Forky is lost during a road trip, Woody leaves to get him back. During this journey, he re-unites with his old flame Bo Peep, who was given away by Andy's sister nine years earlier, and now walks the earth helping lost toys find owners. At an antiques store, the group meets Gabby Gabby, a pull-string doll with a faulty voice box, voiced by Christina Hendricks. Gabby soon covets Woody's voice box, and takes Forky hostage to get it.

This is a pretty solid sequel. I especially think it's nice to see Woody go full circle. In the first film, he's jealous of Buzz Lightyear, and fears he's going to be replaced as the favourite toy. This time, he tries to ensure that Forky stays with Bonnie. But if anyone steals the show, it's Bo Peep. She kicks a lot of ass, especially against the creepy-as-hell ventriloquist's dummies which serve as Gabby Gabby's henchmen. Christina Hendricks is also pretty good as Gabby Gabby. Defective out of the box, she yearns to become owned by the antique store owner's granddaughter, Harmony. Her villainy is actually downplayed. Yes, she takes Forky hostage, but she treats him well, and their discussions still make her sympathetic. And unlike Lotso, she actually does earn a redemption.

Another great character is Duke Kaboom, a Canadian stunt rider toy voiced by Keanu Reeves. He's cocky, but he's also suffering a major crisis of confidence after being disposed of by his original owner when he didn't live up to the standards of his TV advert.

I also think there's a lot more humour in this one. In one early scene, Woody refers to his conscience as his "inner voice" in a conversation with Buzz. This prompts Buzz to take the phrase "listen to your inner voice" literally, using his built-in phrases to guide his actions when he sets out to find Woody. It becomes a running joke, but it unusually seems to work out.

If there's anything which tops that, it's the arrival of conjoined carnival plush toys Ducky and Bunny, voiced respectively by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. There's a scene where Buzz has to obtain a key to the glass cabinet where Gabby is holding Forky. Ducky and Bunny suggest three increasingly hare-brained schemes to obtain the key by jumping the store owner, all of which are rejected by Buzz. It's then revealed they did obtain the key...because the owner left it in a saucer right next to their hiding place.

One rather sad part of the story occurs behind the scenes: Don Rickles had expressed interest in reprising his role as Mr Potato Head when the film was first announced in 2014. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2017. Instead of recasting him, Pixar utilised unused audio footage from the previous films and video games.

All in all, it's a worthy sequel.

Franchise Reviews: Toy Story 3

I only saw this film recently. Damn, it's actually kinda dark. I have no idea how I originally missed it. Happy Easter, by the way.

A long time has passed since the events of Toy Story 2. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Slinky, Hamm, Mr and Mrs Potato Head, and three aliens are all that remain of Andy's toy collection. With Andy due to leave for college, they're pondering what their ultimate fate is going to be (whether consigned to the attic, donated, or thrown away). After a misunderstanding, they get donated to Sunnyside Daycare Centre, which turns out to be a harsh dystopia where toys are subject to rough play by the toddlers. Ruling this prison is Lotso, a nihilistic teddy bear voiced by Ned Beatty. Meanwhile, Woody is determined to return home after finding that Andy intends to take him to college. He winds up in the possession of an imaginative child named Bonnie, and learns of Sunnyside and Lotso's true nature. He then becomes determined to rescue his friends.

There was an eleven year gap between the release of this film and the previous one, but Pixar were successful in re-uniting most of the cast. The only real exception was that Slinky Dog had to be re-cast, as Jim Varney had died three months after Toy Story 2 was released. In this film, he's voiced by Blake Clark. The other absence was Annie Potts, who voiced Bo Peep, a porcelain doll and Woody's love interest from the previous films. Presumably she was unable to commit to the role, but would return in the next film.

The film's opening is action-packed and epic. The previous films show Andy playing with the toys from an outsider's perspective, but this time we see it from his perspective. It shows how much the animation has improved in the fifteen years since the first film. I especially like the visual style of Sunnyside at night. The toys are confined to baskets and draws which give the impression of a cell block, with those rollercoaster toys laid across the top of the shelf to resemble barbed wire.

Lotso's a pretty good villain, almost to a Shakespearean level. He comes across as warm and welcoming when Andy's toys arrive at Sunnyside, but his ruthless side is revealed when Buzz attempts to negotiate moving the toys to the older children's classroom, restoring him to his factory settings and making him his lackey. His background reveals that he was the cherished toy of a girl named Daisy, along with a doll known as Big Baby, and a clown called Chuckles. When they were lost during a trip, they struggled home to find that Lotso had been replaced. He took over Sunnyside, with Big Baby acting as his enforcer. Chuckles was later repaired by Bonnie, but is still traumatised by his experiences.

I sometimes wonder if this film was being made for the cadre of existing fans. I was 16 when this film came out, and had not long finished my GCSEs. I can imagine that a lot of people who saw the previous two films in the cinema would be in the same boat. You've got Woody's loyalty threatening to create a genuine rift with the other toys, a clown doll with PTSD, Lotso's gang betting on the outcome of a "What the Farmer Says" toy (with Monopoly money), a Chatter Telephone who acts as a "Deep Throat"-style whistleblower, and a pretty harrowing climax following the epic prison break.

Another strong sequel that holds up really well. Even if I'm a newcomer to it.

Franchise Reviews: Toy Story 2

That Buzz Lightyear game has amazing graphics for a Super Nintendo title. Despite the jump button being "up".

I'd definitely consider Toy Story 2 a member of the "Superior Sequels" club, alongside The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, and Hot Fuzz. It was also one of my favourite films from childhood. It was a rare treat to watch it again twenty years later and find that not only does it still hold up, but does so really well.

Woody is due to go to "Cowboy Camp" with Andy, but accidentally rips his arm during playtime. As a consequence, he's consigned to the top shelf and left behind. He sneaks off to rescue another toy from a yard sale, and ends up getting stolen by a toy collector named Al McWhiggin. After determining that Al is the chicken-suited proprietor of "Al's Toy Barn" from a TV advert, Buzz sets off to rescue Woody, accompanied by Hamm, Rex, Slinky Dog, and Mr Potato Head. Meanwhile, Woody learns that he was a character from a 1950s TV series, and meets several other toys based on characters from the show: Jessie, a cowgirl doll voiced by Joan Cusack; a horse called Bullseye; and Stinky Pete, an unopened prospector doll, voiced by Kelsey Grammar. When he learns that Al intends to sell them to a toy museum in Japan, he's faced with the choice of escape or a legacy.

One of this film's biggest strengths over its predecessor is the emotional depth of the characters. Woody becomes depressed when he's shelved, and has nightmares about Andy throwing him away. Later, he learns that Jessie has abandonment issues after her previous owner outgrew and donated her. It's a poignant montage. It's then revealed that Stinky Pete is resentful over never being played with, and is determined to go to Japan, where he believes he'll get the love and attention he craves. His calculating and methodical nature contrasts with his dim-witted character in the show. It's very similar to Kelsey Grammar's other big role as Sideshow Bob in The Simpsons.

The Lilliputian-style of the toys in the real world continues to provide some truly creative action sequences, such as the toys crossing a busy road disguised as traffic cones, unwittingly causing a pile-up along with some nail-biting tension as Mr Potato Head is forced to extricate his foot from chewing gum, unaware that a large concrete pipe which fell off a truck is heading towards him.

I also think this one has a lot more humour. We once again have the voice talent of John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Jim Varney (in what was one of his last roles), and Don Rickles. They all provided some great snark in the last film, but now they have more time to shine in this one. The funniest part is a fake blooper reel which plays during the credits, which Pixar had previously utilised in A Bug's Life the previous year, and would go on to utilise again in Monsters Inc.

Which...leads me to discuss an elephant in the room. One of the bloopers involved a casting couch joke, in which Woody finds Stinky Pete sweet-talking two Barbies in his box, offering them a role in Toy Story 3. This segment was removed in a Blu-Ray re-release of the film last year, and is also absent from the Disney+ version I just watched. Disney had announced that they removed it in response to the Me Too Movement (and it doesn't help that the film's director, John Lasseter, was fired by Disney over allegations of sexual misconduct). Personally, I'm not in favour of altering films in re-releases, because it risks creating another "Who Shot First" scenario. On top of that, it's like trying to claim it didn't happen. However, I do understand why they did what they felt they had to do, and it's not even part of the main film, so I have no desire to make a major issue of it.

Anyway, I think that wraps it up. But before I go, I'd say that the discussion Woody and Buzz have at the end of the film about the inevitability of Andy outgrowing them is kind of sweet. Spending my quarter-life crisis at university, I find myself relating to it now more than I probably would have when I was a kid.

Franchise Reviews: Toy Story

Joss Whedon wrote this? Shiny!

Kicking off this Easter weekend in quarantine, I'm looking at Pixar's first feature-length film, and the first to be entirely computer animated.

Toy Story takes place in a world where toys come to life when humans aren't present, and follows one such group of toys owned by a kid named Andy Davis. Tom Hanks voices Sheriff Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll who occupies pride of place as Andy's favourite toy, and serves as the de facto leader of the other toys. The inciting incident occurs when the toys learn that Andy's birthday party is happening sooner than expected, as the family is planning to move house. It's here that Andy receives a new toy; Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure voiced by Tim Allen. Unaware that he's a toy, Buzz becomes increasingly popular with both Andy and the toys, prompting a jealous Woody to try and regain his standing. When this backfires and Buzz is lost, Woody is cast out by the other toys. He tries to convince Buzz to come back with him, but they both end up at the home of Sid Phillips, Andy's sociopathic neighbour with a reputation for mistreating toys.

I think the world this film creates allows for a lot of imagination, stemming from how toys see the world differently to us.

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen share some great chemistry as Woody and Buzz, who both undergo major transformations. Woody initially envies Buzz, and they're at odds when Woody is unable to convince Buzz that he's a toy. Buzz eventually learns the truth, and sinks into a deep depression (getting drunk off imaginary tea - go figure) until Woody is able to help him out of it. Admittedly, this does lead to one question: Does every toy think they're real at first? They'd all find out sooner or later if that's the case, so is it a rite of passage?

While the focus is on Woody and Buzz, the other toys also get their moments to shine. These include: Rex, a cowardly plastic dinosaur voiced by Wallace Shawn; Mr Potato Head, a snarky and cynical potato doll with removable body parts, voiced by Don Rickles; and Hamm, a smart-mouthed piggy bank voiced by John Ratzenberger. They all get the best lines, and serve as minor antagonists when Woody seemingly disposes of Buzz.

There's also an interesting message about judging appearance; Woody and Buzz encounter various "Frankenstein"-like toys Sid has built out of mixed-and-matched parts. They don't speak (presumably they've been traumatised), and their monstrous appearance leads the pair to fear them. That is, until they actually repair Buzz after a failed escape attempt.

To be honest, I can't really find any glaring issues about the film without nitpicking. If there's anything particularly glaring, it's the fact that the toys look more lifelike than the human characters. But that's excused, since it's the first film of its kind and bound to make a couple of mistakes with the animation.

That's about it. I'll see you tomorrow for the next film.

Franchise Reviews: The Toy Story Films

Yep, I'm still alive. Haven't done much writing. Mostly gaming and watching stuff on the streaming services. Tomorrow's the beginning of the Easter weekend, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand has announced the Easter Bunny as being a key worker. Anyway, I figured I'd do another Franchise Review series. It's not like I've got much else to do.

And since I have now subscribed to Disney+, I figured I'd look at Pixar's Toy Story films. This is probably one of their hallmark franchises, and is one that is still going strong to this day. They feature a creative concept which is ripe for expansion, and have produced plenty of awe-inspiring, funny, and poignant moments.

I'll have my review of the first film posted on Good Friday.