| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| BARDOBARBAROS |
Posted - 03 Dec 2011 : 17:52:54
Have you seen this:
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/26919573/Dungeons-Dragons-The-Legend-of-Drizzt-Neverwinter-Tales/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=Dungeons+and+Dragons+Neverwinter+Nights+The+Complete+Collection&urlrefer=search
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| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 18 Apr 2013 : 20:55:05
with the art portraying D like that, I would care what they called it, looks more like Vlad the Impaler with a suntan.
Another fail.
call me a fuddy duddy, but if it doesnt say Forgotten Realms up front and center.....it never feels like the old realms to me. |
| BEAST |
Posted - 16 Apr 2013 : 05:26:11
quote:
Originally posted by DragonReader
So I am getting ready to read Salvatore's Neverwinter series and I also picked up the Neverwinter Tales hardocover from IDW. Can this be read at anytime or is there a specific place in the series I should read this?
You could read it at any time, but chronologically it probably fits best between Charon's Claw and The Last Threshold. |
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 16 Apr 2013 : 03:25:19
Now that is some terrible artwork. |
| DragonReader |
Posted - 16 Apr 2013 : 02:58:28
So I am getting ready to read Salvatore's Neverwinter series and I also picked up the Neverwinter Tales hardocover from IDW. Can this be read at anytime or is there a specific place in the series I should read this? |
| BEAST |
Posted - 01 Dec 2012 : 04:31:48
(CK froze up on me and dumped my text. Fortunately, I had the preview screen open, so I was able to recover the text. I don't know if I can restore all the formatting tags properly, though.)
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra
The main drawback for me is the artwork.
I'd say it's all right, if you like comic books. It's nice to get a visual depiction of the characters in so many different poses and action shots. It helps to previsualize potential movies, I think. This sort of thing gives a hopeful future team pretty material to show off to a movie studio and try to demonstrate that the Drizzt stories are not just bland text on paper, but rather, vibrant, dynamic stuff.
But I would totally agree with you that the art irritates for lack of accuracy to the text. I gnash my teeth every time I notice another discrepancy.
Mostly, it was a disappointment because very little happens. It's like an epilogue worth (if that) of material from one of the novels, spread out into 5 comic issues. I bought the hardcover graphic novel edition, and it just feels like an underwhelming rip-off. I keep asking myself, "Is that it?"
quote:
For example, Pwent, our friendly neighborhood dwarven battlerager, resembles the Rhino from Amazing Spiderman. Come to think of it certain action scenes appear to be a direct lift from those comics.
I remember thinking the same thing. But I don't mind that: Rhino was a pretty cool villain to me, as a kid. The similarities just elicit feelings of nostalgia, for me.
What I didn't like about Pwent was that his cartoonishly-large helmet spike wasn't cartoonishly-large in this cartoon--er, comic. They shrunk it down, I guess to make it seem more realistic. But that helm spike is supposed to be half as tall as he is. He's supposed to be able to skewer enemies up on top of it, like a macabre shishkabob! Instead, the artists here shrunk it to barely larger than the spikes on the rest of his armor. Weak! No self-respecting battlerager would go out in public with such a puny toy! How's he supposed to impress tha ladies with that little thing?! 
And Pwent's not the only one with helmet issues. He initially finds Bruenor's Caldwell-painted one-horned helm in the burial cairn, which is correct to the novels; nevertheless, when Pwent flashes back to the big climactic fight scene from Gauntlgrym, Bruenor is shown with his Mithral Hall Lockwood-painted crown. In fact, Bruenor is shown wearing the full suit of Lockwood-inspired royal armor. But this is wrong. In Gauntlgrym, Bruenor abdicated the throne and stopped wearing the royal armor, presumably leaving it for his successor, King Banak Brawnanvil Battlehammer. Instead, Bruenor once again takes up his familiar one-horned helm and personal fighting gear (including the Caldwell-inspired wooden foaming mug shield). So the art not only contradicts the novel here, but it contradicts itself, in terms of the flashback and the present.
In addition, originally, back in the novel The Legacy where he was introduced, Pwent was described as being essentially bald-headed, but with a ginormous beard. His head was bald, apparently, because he wore his helmet really tight, and that was really important for a guy like him because he used his helm as his primary weapon. But here, the artists gave him a tidy head of hair in some places, and then big rock star hair in other places, and a uniformly little beard. A little, business-man's beard? Come on! Again, how's he supposed to impress the ladies with that?!
quote:
Also, the artist centers on Dahlias’ breasts….alot….there is a whole frame dedicated to her boobs.
A whole frame.
I didn't recall seeing that particular frame. I guess I just sorta zoned out on Dahlia a lot, since I don't like her character. Sure, I noticed lots of cleavage, but not that particular shot.
In fact, I noticed that all three humanoid females in the work sport cleavage--including Valindra, the elf-lich! She may be shriveled up and missing skin and flesh in some places, but she's certainly healthy, there! Yuck! 
But just to double-check, I went back and hunted for this cleavage frame of which you speak. I didn't find it. 
Something that did bother me about Dahlia was that even though she is an elf, half the time the artists draw her with clearly-rounded, human ears. 
And what happened to the 10 white diamond studs in her left ear, and the black one in her right (see Neverwinter)?
quote:
Other things that annoy me: Guenhwyavr statue is wrong,
Yep: here, it's just a head on a base, rather than a sculpt of the full head and body.
But none of the artists have ever gotten Guen, herself, right, either. She's supposed to be an oversized black panther--almost like a dire panther, I would guess. 600 pounds makes her about the size of a RW male Siberian tiger. Instead, the artists have persisted in making her about the size of a RW leopard-panther--a big cat, for sure, but not as big as she's supposed to be.
These durn artists keep editorializing the text with their concepts of what is more proper and fitting! They don't like big helm horns, or big cats . . . but they sure like big boobs, though; don't they?
quote:
there is a whole page missing dialogue,
I'm OK with that. It's a visual medium, moreso than a verbal one. It's alright that they choose to show more than tell, to the point of even omitting words altogether in places.
quote:
I swear Drizzt face keeps changing, the layout for panels sometimes don’t ‘flow’ right,
I didn't notice.
But I did see that Drizzt's body and arms look too buff in some scenes. It's great that the artists are going to great lengths to preserve Lockwood's detailed armor for Drizzt in all these pics, but in order to fit it all in there, it seems like they enlarge the wearer of it too much, sometimes.
And they still don't depict Drizzt's scimitars properly as very distinct weapons from one another, but rather, they follow Lockwood's model which makes them look virtually identical. 
quote:
I recommend people flip through this collection then place it back onto the shelf.
For most people, who don't love the Drizzt series like I do, I would agree.
But as a completist, I had to have it--warts and all.
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
Do you know who the artist is, specifically?
There are several. Tim Seeley and Gonzalo Flores both did cover art, while Augustin Padilla did the main art.
But I don't know which particular Rhino-inspired art Bakra was talking about, though.
quote:
And to be perfectly fair, not that I'm condoning or supporting this in any way, but Dahlia's cleavage does represent about 45-50% of her character.
Hear; hear!
Actually, I wouldn't mind supporting her cleavage in some way, if she wouldn't smack me or kill me for it!  |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 30 Nov 2012 : 13:46:19
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra
I’m currently reading the IDW comic series and it isn’t really good.
The main drawback for me is the artwork. For example, Pwent, our friendly neighborhood dwarven battlerager, resembles the Rhino from Amazing Spiderman. Come to think of it certain action scenes appear to be a direct lift from those comics. Also, the artist centers on Dahlias’ breasts….alot….there is a whole frame dedicated to her boobs.
A whole frame.
Other things that annoy me: Guenhwyavr statue is wrong, there is a whole page missing dialogue, I swear Drizzt face keeps changing, the layout for panels sometimes don’t ‘flow’ right, and did I mention Dahlia’s cleavage?
I recommend people flip through this collection then place it back onto the shelf.
Do you know who the artist is, specifically?
And to be perfectly fair, not that I'm condoning or supporting this in any way, but Dahlia's cleavage does represent about 45-50% of her character. |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 30 Nov 2012 : 13:43:43
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
I think the "Neverwinter Tales" bit is primarily meant to differentiate this comic series from all of the other "The Legend of Drizzt" products. We've got "TLOD" novels, and other novels that have yet to be branded as such, TLOD Anthology: The Collected Stories short story anthology, and TLOD Board Game.
Plus, the latest Drizzt novel mini-series has been packaged under the monikers "Neverwinter", "Neverwinter Trilogy", and "Neverwinter Saga".
So you can see how it all gets a little confusing. 
Like I said, "TLOD: Neverwinter Tales" is probably intended to distinguish from all the other "TLOD" and "NW" products already out there and still in the works.
What else would they call it?
I guess part of the confusion comes from the fact that the sample cover art shows the "Neverwinter Tales" tagline in the place where "Forgotten Realms" is used on the cover art of other recent products, right below the "D&D" main tagline (and in fact "FR" doesn't even appear anywhere in the sample cover art); and these facts give the appearance that "The Neverwinter Tales" somehow constitutes a new campaign setting in its own right. But I think that that's an unintended message, and due to improper art design of the cover, rather than an actual conscious managerial decision.
It should read "D&D: FR" at the top, and "TLOD: The NW Tales" should be set off somewhere else, for clarity.
The fact that there's also a Neverwinter Campaign Setting also makes it seem like a new setting -- we have a campaign setting book by a specific name, and then another product that ties into that exact same name, all while there's a new game out with that name. Anyone unfamiliar with the Realms would have more than sufficient reason to assume that all of this was for a new setting called Neverwinter, instead of this being the name of a city in a differently-named and much larger setting.
It wouldn't entirely surprise me if this was the case. The same thing that draws so many people to the realms is the thing that scares so many others off; the sheer size of the setting. It's a daunting thing or a lot of people.
Offering smaller parts of the setting like this may be them offering bite sized chunks of that forgotten realms flavor without having to settle down for the whole meal. |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 30 Nov 2012 : 13:06:36
Thank you. I knew it sounded familiar. |
| BEAST |
Posted - 29 Nov 2012 : 03:58:24
The short story "If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair" was included in The Legend of Drizzt Anthology: The Collected Stories.
But no, it's not in Neverwinter Tales. That is just a comic series or graphic novel, and a completely different story. |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 28 Nov 2012 : 18:49:54
Can someone let me know if this novella is part of this book. It sounds very familiar...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OMWYQI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=196Y3XZAT4PR7RPQEHTF&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846 |
| Thrasymachus |
Posted - 06 Dec 2011 : 06:07:05
I do wonder about Wizards/Hasbro in that they seem to do all these wacky tactics to try to get me to buy more stuff, but then leave off the “Forgotten Realms” logo. I remember the last time they changed the logo from that nice, easy to see, easy to read logo. You know, that easily recognizable logo with the little crescent pointing down several years back. One day, all gone. I started to think that Wizards went under, and took Ed Greenwood with them.
Now let’s leave the Forgotten Realms logo off entirely, because I should recognize characters by different artists renderings, or city names in a setting that has been largely wiped out.
It’s kinda funny, but just kinda.
 |
| BEAST |
Posted - 06 Dec 2011 : 05:19:16
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The fact that there's also a Neverwinter Campaign Setting also makes it seem like a new setting[...].
Didn't they use to call such things "adventure modules" and such, to differentiate them from the campaign set/settings?
Do they now think that people won't confuse a "campaign setting" with a "campaign guide"? |
| BARDOBARBAROS |
Posted - 05 Dec 2011 : 16:33:58
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
"Neverwinter Tales"? Are they no longer even acknowledging that the setting holds more than just Neverwinter? 
That is true...I do not understand what are they doing??? |
| Bakra |
Posted - 05 Dec 2011 : 15:09:11
I’m currently reading the IDW comic series and it isn’t really good.
The main drawback for me is the artwork. For example, Pwent, our friendly neighborhood dwarven battlerager, resembles the Rhino from Amazing Spiderman. Come to think of it certain action scenes appear to be a direct lift from those comics. Also, the artist centers on Dahlias’ breasts….alot….there is a whole frame dedicated to her boobs.
A whole frame.
Other things that annoy me: Guenhwyavr statue is wrong, there is a whole page missing dialogue, I swear Drizzt face keeps changing, the layout for panels sometimes don’t ‘flow’ right, and did I mention Dahlia’s cleavage?
I recommend people flip through this collection then place it back onto the shelf.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 04 Dec 2011 : 06:27:38
quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
I think the "Neverwinter Tales" bit is primarily meant to differentiate this comic series from all of the other "The Legend of Drizzt" products. We've got "TLOD" novels, and other novels that have yet to be branded as such, TLOD Anthology: The Collected Stories short story anthology, and TLOD Board Game.
Plus, the latest Drizzt novel mini-series has been packaged under the monikers "Neverwinter", "Neverwinter Trilogy", and "Neverwinter Saga".
So you can see how it all gets a little confusing.
Like I said, "TLOD: Neverwinter Tales" is probably intended to distinguish from all the other "TLOD" and "NW" products already out there and still in the works.
What else would they call it?
I guess part of the confusion comes from the fact that the sample cover art shows the "Neverwinter Tales" tagline in the place where "Forgotten Realms" is used on the cover art of other recent products, right below the "D&D" main tagline (and in fact "FR" doesn't even appear anywhere in the sample cover art); and these facts give the appearance that "The Neverwinter Tales" somehow constitutes a new campaign setting in its own right. But I think that that's an unintended message, and due to improper art design of the cover, rather than an actual conscious managerial decision.
It should read "D&D: FR" at the top, and "TLOD: The NW Tales" should be set off somewhere else, for clarity.
The fact that there's also a Neverwinter Campaign Setting also makes it seem like a new setting -- we have a campaign setting book by a specific name, and then another product that ties into that exact same name, all while there's a new game out with that name. Anyone unfamiliar with the Realms would have more than sufficient reason to assume that all of this was for a new setting called Neverwinter, instead of this being the name of a city in a differently-named and much larger setting. |
| BEAST |
Posted - 04 Dec 2011 : 05:12:08
I think the "Neverwinter Tales" bit is primarily meant to differentiate this comic series from all of the other "The Legend of Drizzt" products. We've got "TLOD" novels, and other novels that have yet to be branded as such, TLOD Anthology: The Collected Stories short story anthology, and TLOD Board Game.
Plus, the latest Drizzt novel mini-series has been packaged under the monikers "Neverwinter", "Neverwinter Trilogy", and "Neverwinter Saga".
So you can see how it all gets a little confusing.
Like I said, "TLOD: Neverwinter Tales" is probably intended to distinguish from all the other "TLOD" and "NW" products already out there and still in the works.
What else would they call it?
I guess part of the confusion comes from the fact that the sample cover art shows the "Neverwinter Tales" tagline in the place where "Forgotten Realms" is used on the cover art of other recent products, right below the "D&D" main tagline (and in fact "FR" doesn't even appear anywhere in the sample cover art); and these facts give the appearance that "The Neverwinter Tales" somehow constitutes a new campaign setting in its own right. But I think that that's an unintended message, and due to improper art design of the cover, rather than an actual conscious managerial decision.
It should read "D&D: FR" at the top, and "TLOD: The NW Tales" should be set off somewhere else, for clarity. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 03 Dec 2011 : 23:36:35
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
"Neverwinter Tales"? Are they no longer even acknowledging that the setting holds more than just Neverwinter?
I don't think it's so much about not acknowledging the rest of the setting, as it is cashing in on the whole "Neverwinter" mega-themed marketing arm that Wizards' has been pushing for some time now.
While I haven't read the latest Drizzt books, they also appear to be branded under the "Neverwinter" arm. I'd imagine this is just a continuation of that trend.
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Dec 2011 : 22:18:27
"Neverwinter Tales"? Are they no longer even acknowledging that the setting holds more than just Neverwinter? |
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