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oldschoolgaming · 6 years ago

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Gary Con XI

Last year’s trip to Gary Con was supposed to be a one off, a ‘Trip of Lifetime’ but as you might have read in last year’s blog post it was an experience I was keen to repeat. I worked hard, I saved my pennies and with the support of my ever amazing (& non gaming) wife I planned a return trip to Lake Geneva.

Sadly my good friend and travel buddy Isa couldn’t join me on this year’s trip so I traveled to Chicago on my own, this time on a direct flight from London.

I’d planned to arrive a day early to allow my body clock time to adjust. Asking around about sharing transport from O’Hare to Lake Geneva I got a message from a friend I’d met at last year’s convention. Jason Hobbs was kind enough to bring his trip forward a day, picking me up from the airport and driving up to our B&B in Lake Geneva. We made plans to head over to Madison and meet Alex Kammer, another acquaintance from last year’s event. Alex runs Gamehole Con, another Wisconsin gaming convention held in the autumn. He is also a big collector of old school D&D books and memorabilia We were able to check out his amazing collection, housed in a custom gaming space he calls ‘The Gamehole’

The Gamehole

This is a 1st printing of the 1st Edition AD&D Monster Manual, signed by Gary Gygax.

As well as books Alex also has some unique artifacts. This is the original map of the Forgotten Realms, used to define what is now the default setting for Dungeons and Dragons today.

The exceptionally rare English module ST1 ‘Up The Garden Path’

Me, with a rare first printing of Chainmail, the ruleset written by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. Chainmail preceded Dungeons and Dragons and was intended to be used in the original edition of D&D to resolve combat. The system we use today for D&D combat has evolved from what was originally intended to be the ‘alternate’ rules for folk who didn’t own a copy of Chainmail!

We got back to our B&B around 10pm, but my body clock wasn’t fooled, it knew it should be 4am and I’m sure I entertained Hobbs with some pretty hard core snoring on the drive back!

Now I’m a believer that if you do something twice it becomes a tradition so on Wednesday we met up with Bruce Heard for our now traditional pre Gary Con lunch, at the ‘Next Door Pub’ Bruce is always good company and it was great to catch up with him. I was pleased to hear his latest ‘Calidar’ product is taking shape, I’m excited to receive my copy from the Kickstarter later this year.

After lunch we headed off to the Geneva Grand Resort, home of the convention to pick up our badges and get settled in.

We arrived a little early so I had a short wait before my room was ready. It was while I waited in the bar watching people arrive that I started to realise that this trip really was going to be at least as magical as the previous year. You see, the magic of Gary Con, for me at least, is the people. Having just picked up my badge and not even rolled a single dice I was happy so see more friends arrive. Much hugging and laughing ensued, setting the standard for the days to come.

On Wednesday evening I ticked off ‘Dawn Patrol’ from my ‘want to play’ bucket list. Michael Bolam facilitated an awesome intro game for a bunch of newbies and despite rolling badly (winning initiative is a bad start in this game!) I survived my first game and even got my first ‘kill’

After the game I had time for a couple of beers in the bar, catching up with friends old and new before getting an early night (well, midnight?) ready to start the gaming the next day.

On Thursday morning I ran my first game of Dungeon Crawl Classics (The 13th Skull) for a great table of players, most of whom had some experience of the system. I felt like it took me a couple of hours to hit my GMing stride but the pace accelerated pretty quickly. The party making good progress until my dice suddenly ran hot and we finished with a TPK!

My afternoon game was the session I was most anxious about. I was running my own adventure for ‘The Umerican Survival Guide’ and I whilst the table was full of familiar faces I was nervous running for so many creative folk! I think it went down ok, we certainly laughed a lot and I’ve got some ideas to tweak the adventure before I run it next at the UK Games Expo.

Thursday evening was another great social night, both in the hotel bar and at the party I was invited to by my roommate.

It was great to have a few minutes with Luke Gygax. Luke is the driving force behind the convention and Gary Con is a fantastic tribute to his dad. I’m sure Gary would be happy to see thousands of people gathering to play games in his memory.

“I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.”

Gary Gygax

I also got to chat and hang out with bunch of other well know D&D faces.

Satine Phoenix

Stefan Pokorny, aka ‘The Dwarvenaught’

with Jon Peterson (”Art & Arcana” & “Playing At The World”) and Mike Carr (”Dawn Patrol” and “In Search Of The Unknown” for D&D, amongst others!)

Whilst it’s great to see the new wave of D&D ‘Rock Stars’ promoting the hobby I think chatting with Mike Carr and him shaking my hand to congratulate me on my first ‘Dawn Patrol’ kill the previous night was a highlight of the convention!

Back in the bar I met up with more of the tribe, including Tom Tullis of Fat Dragon Games who produces the amazing 3D printable minis and scenery I use in a lot of my games at home.

Friday was my Birthday. I started an epic day of gaming running Operation Whitebox, a World War 2 RPG by Pete Spahn. It was really good to finally meet Pete and once again he had generously donated copies of the rulebook to all my players. He stopped by during the game to sign books and hang out. I had a great table of friends new and old who worked well together to complete their dangerous mission behind enemy lines with only two casualties!

I ran straight from my own game to sit at Stephen Newton’s table for his DCC adventure. Stephen’s a great judge and I was pleased to be back at his table this year. This was a completely new adventure to me and I was playing with a great bunch of players with a wide age range, kids through to adult. I’ve had some really great experiences playing at mixed tables with kids recently and this game was no exception!

After this game Stephen and I headed off to the next game, we were both playing in ‘Blacklisted in Lankhmar’ run by Jen Brinkman.

This was my first time playing with Jen and I was excited to grab a spot in this game at almost the last minute. Normally coming to the end of 12 hours of gaming my mind and attention would be wandering but Jen is a captivating judge, and DCC Lankhmar is a lot of fun - a great game perfectly reworked to fit this classic setting from the works of Fritz Leiber

I was planning a couple of quiet birthday beers before another early(ish) night - but it was not to be! I certainly wasn’t expecting to have the a couple of hundred people in the bar singing happy birthday before I was presented with this amazing cake by friends Dave and Kathy. I may have been a little drunk and emotional that night!

Saturday Morning’s game was my Dark Trails funnel adventure.

I squeezed a couple of extra players around the table for this and although I’ve added to it since it’s first outing at the UK Games Expo it’s clear I still have some work to do, but I think everyone had fun.

One of the extra players was a fellow twitch mini painter, Ali, it so good to meet her and take delivery of the minis she had painted for me!

Saturday afternoon I found Carl Heyl’s drop in/drop out Basic D&D game. Carl is the current host of long time Classic D&D podcast Save Or Die and I loved sitting in on his game for a little while.

I had to keep my time in Carl’s game short because I’d signed up to play at 5pm in a ‘Super Secret Playtest’ with Michael Curtis.

By the time I sat down the secret was ‘out’ and I was excited to find I’d be taking part in the first public play test of Goodman Games 5th Edition conversion of the classic module ‘Expedition to the Barrier Peaks’ This game was a lot of fun on so many levels. I was out of my comfort zone playing a Bard and in 5th Edition D&D too! However we had an absolute blast playing through some fun encounters and it ticked several things off my bucket list.

Playing with Michael Curtis had been a long standing ambition - he didn’t disappoint, even when he teased me with “Do you want to burn any luck? Oh, sorry, wrong system!” It was also cool to play a classic Gygax module at Gary Con!

Saturday night was another party night. After my game I met some more friends in the bar. Alex, Zach and Greg seemed to have been gaming non stop all weekend but we made time to hang out and enjoy a couple of ‘Old Fashioned’s before the unofficial ‘Cultural Exchange’ social night.

With Jen and my roommate Jobe Bitmann

with Jim and Hayley Skatch

I did it! Last year I failed to get all the Spellburn podcast folk together in a picture but here’s proof it can happen without incurring a Phlogiston disturbance!

The cultural exchange ran on and I enjoyed sampling and sharing local beer and food with friends, although the handful of Wisconsin cheese with Ghost peppers that I inadvertently almost inhaled nearly choked me!

As the unofficial event wound down in the early hours I noticed the bar filling up and managed to grab a couple more photos with the celebs.

Joe Manganiello - my wife is a big fan, clearly she’s just into guys who like D&D, right?

Matt Mercer came across as a really nice guy, clearly really passionate about the hobby.

Sunday arrived with even less sleep than previous days but I was able to grab a quick breakfast bite and a chat with my buddy Victor as we walked down to our morning game.

I ran my Red Box D&D adventure ‘Return To Lion Castle’ which is a tribute to the first D&D adventure I ever played. I only had three players - I’m assuming the other three who signed up were more hungover than me, which is quite an achievment! We still had a lot of fun and I hope to run this one again soon.

In the afternoon I sat down with Jen, Bob, Nick and Marlene for lunch. This is the second year Jen and I have had lunch on the Sunday so I’m calling this a new tradition too!

Speaking of traditions another one that I’m pleased to be part of was my last game of the convention. Bob Brinkman’s ‘Dead Dogs’ game ran past midnight. Bob once again did a fantastic job guiding a very full table of twenty (!) players through an amazing improv pirate themed DCC adventure! I laughed so much I almost cried. When I eventually had to hug everyone goodbye and walk back to my room I might actually have done so...

I checked out of the hotel on Monday and had good company for the day having been offered a ride back to Chicago with Doug, Stefan and co, the DCC art contingent. We had a great pub lunch and checked out the Chicago Art Institute before I took the obligatory selfies at ‘The Bean’

I caught my late flight home and Gary Con was over for another year

The memories live on and with a little bit of luck (and some hard work!) I hope to be back next year.

#garycon #garyconxi #gaming #rpg #tabletop #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #osr

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ownerwhale0-blog · 6 years ago

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A Definitive List of All the Upcoming Disney Live-Action Remakes

1. Mulan (March 27, 2020)

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After years of will-they-or-won’t-they, Disney confirmed in October 2016 that a live-action version of Mulan was in the works and that it was on the global search for a Chinese actress to play the title heroine. Niki Caro, who gave the world the gorgeous Whale Rider in 2002, will sit in the director’s chair for Mulan. In November 2017, Chinese actress Liu Yifei officially joined the cast as the title character. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a team of casting directors met with nearly 1,000 candidates in five continents. Liu has appeared in films including The Forbidden Kingdom, Outcast, and The Chinese Widow, and has been a brand ambassador for Dior, Tissot, Garnier, and Pantene.

Other cast members have since been announced, including Utkarsh Ambudkhar (Mindy’s brother Rishi on The Mindy Project) and Ron Yuan (Marco Polo). Per Deadline, Ambudkar will play a con artist named Skatch while Yuan will be Sergeant Qiang, second in command of the Imperial Regiment.

In June 2018, Disney announced that New Zealand actor Yoson An will play Mulan’s love interest, a military recruit named Chen Honghui. (Li Shang, he is not.) Rounding out the cast is Gong Li (who will play a witch), Disney alum Jason Scott Lee as a warrior seeking revenge (he's another villain), Donnie Yen as a commander and mentor to Mulan, and Jet Li as the Emperor of China.

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FYI: Disney’s remake is not to be confused with Sony’s live-action version, which promises production in China with a “mostly” Chinese cast.

2. Aladdin (May 24, 2019)

Sean Bailey, president of Motion Picture Production at Walt Disney Studios, told Vulture that director Guy Ritchie will bring a “highly energized” musical to the table with his remake of Aladdin and Jasmine’s love story. During the annual D23 Expo in July 2017, Disney announced the cast for the film: Canadian actor Mena Massoud will play Aladdin, with Naomi Scott taking on the role of Princess Jasmine and Will Smith portraying Genie.

Mena Massoud, your new Prince Ali.

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A trailer was released in October 2018, showing everything from the desert to the lamp, and of course, Aladdin himself.

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In 2015, it was reported that Disney also had plans for a prequel called Genies, but that idea seems to have returned to the lamp.

3. The Lion King (July 19, 2019)

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Jon Favreau, who most recently directed the live-action remake of The Jungle Book in 2016 (and is currently working on the sequel), was announced as The Lion King’s director in September 2016. Donald Glover joined as Simba five months later, and in November 2017, Beyoncé officially joined the film as adult Nala.

James Earl Jones will reprise his role as Simba’s dad Mufasa, while Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen will star as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. John Oliver (Zazu) and Keegan-Michael Key (Kamari) round out the cast.

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On July 15, 2017 Disney screened the first footage from the live-action remake to a crowd of 7,000 during D23. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the clip included “jaw-dropping photo-real shots of African landscapes and many types of animals (including elephants and, of course, lions) and ended with the iconic moment in which Rafiki introduces an adorable young Simba on Pride Rock as ‘Circle of Life’ plays.”

A teaser trailer dropped in November 2018:

4. The Little Mermaid (TBA)

Don’t be surprised if Ariel breaks into a rap or two while combing her hair with a fork, because Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney vet Alan Menken are set to write new songs for the film. Don’t worry, the classics will still be there, so you can still sing along to “Under the Sea” or “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” which by the way, is a great karaoke song. Sofia Coppola and Chloë Grace Moretz were previously tied to the project, but have since dropped out.

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Rob Marshall, who directed Mary Poppins Returns, has been attached to The Little Mermaid remake since December 2017. One year later, in an interview with Syfy, Marshall said it was still “way too early” to talk casting (despite rumors involving Zendaya). Of the film, he’s already “starting the exploration phase.”

5. Dumbo (March 29, 2019)

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Tim Burton’s remake promises a “unique family story," featuring a script from Transformers writer Ehren Kruger. Following months of rumors, Disney confirmed that Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Danny DeVito, and Michael Keaton will star in the film, along with newcomers Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins, reports Variety.

An official trailer was released in November 2018, five months after a teaser:

6. Snow White (TBA)

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La La Land and The Greatest Showman songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will create new tunes to accompany a script from The Girl on the Train writer Erin Cressida, so expect things to be scary and dark (or not, if you didn't think the movie was scary or dark enough). In March 2016, The Hollywood Reporter also revealed a spin-off movie called Rose Red, which will focus on Snow White’s estranged sister. It’s basically like reality TV but with a poison apple! According to THR, Rose is actually a “key player” in story, as she goes on a quest with Grumpy and company to break the sleeping curse and bring dear sis back to life.

7. Pinocchio (TBA)

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Nearly three years after Disney announced plans to make a live-action version of Pinocchio, Paul King, who most recently gave the world the Paddington films, joined the project as a director. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Hanks has been in talks to play Geppetto.

On the non-Disney front, Guillermo del Toro is writing, directing, and producing a stop-motion musical adaptation of Pinocchio for Netflix, while Warner Bros. has Ron Howard directing Robert Downey Jr. in their own live-action remake.

8. The Sword in the Stone (TBA)

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Per The DisInsider, production for The Sword in the Stone begain in September 2018 in Belfast, Ireland, home to the famous “Titanic Studios,” where Game of Thrones was also filmed. This is no accident: Bryan Cogman, who was a writer and producer on GoT, will write the script for The Sword in the Stone.

9. Peter Pan (TBA)

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Jeremy Sumpter’s 2003 Peter Pan remake will soon have a successor if and when this movie ever gets off the ground. Pete’s Dragon director David Lowery is attached and promises a straightforward adaptation of the classic. Bonus: Though not a remake, Disney is also rolling out Tink, a live-action film based on Tinker Bell. Reese Witherspoon was announced to play the teeny-tiny fairy, but not much has been revealed as of late.

10. Winnie the Pooh/Christopher Robin (August 3, 2018)

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In November 2016, it was announced that Marc Foster (World War Z, Finding Neverland) was hired to direct Christopher Robin, a live-action film that will tell the story of Pooh’s BFF as an adult. The film stars Ewan McGregor as adult Christopher Robin, Hayley Atwell as his wife Robyn, and Jim Cummings as both Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (too). The film grossed some $197 million worldwide. Pooh remains an icon.

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11. Lady and The Tramp (2019)

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Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney announced in March 2018 plans for a live-action/CG hybrid version of Lady and The Tramp, with Charlie Bean (The Lego Ninjago Movie) serving as director. The remake will be part of Disney’s upcoming streaming service set to launch in fall 2019, but no official release date for Lady and The Tramp has been announced.

The cast includes Justin Theroux (Tramp), Tessa Tempson (Lady), Janelle Monae (Peg, the wise-cracking pound dog), Benedict Wong (Bull the English Bulldog), and Ashley Jensen (Jackie the Scottish Terrier). The humans Darlin and Jim Dear will be played by Kiersey Clemons and Thomas Mann, respectively.

Bonus:

Cruella (TBA)

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Technically, this is not a remake as it will center on one major character (and Glenn Close already did a live-action remake in 1996). Nevertheless, Cruella is happening and will tell the backstory of the villainess who can't resist a good coat. Emma Stone was previously announced as the lead, which means she will probably get nominated for at least half a dozen awards.

According to THR, Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) has been in talks to direct the live-action film, which will be an origin story set in the 1980s (think punk).

Prince Charming (TBA)

It’s unclear whether or not the handsome prince here is from Cinderella or Snow White (maybe both?!?!) but know that the film will probably be good. Mandeville Films/TV, who most recently worked on Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson, will produce Charming.

Fantasia (TBA)

In 2015, Disney announced plans to make a live-action adaptation of Fantasia’s closing sequence “Night on Bald Mountain,” which featured an iconic winged creature who raised spirits from the dead. Think Maleficent, but scarier, because Fantasia is arguably the scariest Disney movie ever.

Source: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/a9173730/disney-live-action-remake-list/

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