Dungeons & Dragons: 2. Premiering on the Sci Fi Channel on October 8th.

[Bill Muench]

That's how I always hear it around the gaming table:

In-character, players (in my experience) typically say: "They're casting Detect Magic (for example) instead of They are casting a spell to detect the presence of Magic. Spells are typically referred to by their proper names, and the movie held that true.

I think it's just a matter of preference and style, really. I'm not saying either way is correct or incorrect, just what I prefer. OOC, I'll do exactly what you say: "I cast detect magic." In character, however, I may say something like "Do you have a spell that can detect magic?" I suppose it's my preference to have magic be less codified IC, even if it is very codified OOC.

OTOH, I also tend to avoid using a god's proper name (referring to Pelor as the Sunfather, for example), and a few other things people might consider weird.

 

[Felon]

It was OK. Not loaded with personality, and felt like a video demo for D&D for Dummies, which in and of itself isn't a bad thing.

 

[BadMojo]

All I need to know is this: They're not putting any Wayanses in it, are they?

I doubt they could afford any of the Wayanses...errr Wayans's...ummmm, you know. Direct to video productions aren't know for their big budgets.

 

[wingsandsword]

I doubt they could afford any of the Wayanses...errr Wayans's...ummmm, you know. Direct to video productions aren't know for their big budgets.

Neither are Wayanses, most of them haven't exactly had stellar careers, and even the more successful ones aren't exactly "A" list.

But there are no Wayanses known to be in the movie. Quoting the writer of the movie at Gen Con when asked if Snails is ressurected: "Who's Snails?".

 

[BadMojo]

But there are no Wayanses known to be in the movie. Quoting the writer of the movie at Gen Con when asked if Snails is ressurected: "Who's Snails?".

Without that character you can't have immortal lines like, "I'm sorry about Snails."

 

[Felon]

What I liked best were all the little puzzles and traps.

What I liked least were all the characters playing to the most unlikable stereotypes. The leading man is Mr. Vanilla; very serious in a bland sort of way. The "cunning" rogue is openly rude and lazy to his more-powerful colleagues, and it's questionable if he contributes enough to justify putting up with him. The wizard is an empty chair, trying to do a vulcan impersonation with the few lines she has.

The barbarienne shows some grit, and the cleric of Obad-Hai actually had the most going for him in the personality department (I liked him blessing the tree before he knocks it down for purposes of kindling). But there's just not much to sink your teeth into. No real notable quotables.

 

[ragboy]

Spoiler

Half-orc, in the beginning credits as the camera scans over sheets of parchments. the words "half-orc" are written next to a sketching of a ... half-orc. Not certain if the assistant to Damodar is a half-orc, it's never said, but it looks like it might be.

That 'parchment' is actually a character sheet! Several of the images in the opening credits were actual art from various D&D products. I really enjoyed it..enough to buy it when it comes out. More importantly, my kids enjoyed it, and even they panned the first one... I really liked the 'references' to old modules previously mentioned, the traps, and the fact that it kind of ran like a fairly good adventure...

Other stuff I liked:

Spoiler

- Party member death! - They had no bones about beating the party senseless and blowing up the cleric digesting in the dragon's belly.
- Inter-party bickering - It wasn't overdone, but a nice touch.

What I didn't like...

Spoiler

- Damodar wasn't much of a villian. Other than threatening to do stuff, he didn't do much. The main dude sliced off his arm, and he kinda just stood there...
- Less monsters than I wanted - Looks like the spent all their money on the dragons and demons/gargoyles. No stock standard orc/goblin/gnoll or other humanoid threats. The spectres were kind of anti-climatic...
- The non-sequiter bandit battle - Clearly a bad random encounter table for this adventure...
- Not much fighting - The party was busy running away from the encounters. They stood against the lich briefly, and a couple of party members held off the bandits... I kept yelling at them during the white dragon encounter...everyone just stood around and let the cleric bite it.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

That 'parchment' is actually a character sheet!

Yup, I caught that... with the six ability scores near it...

IMO, the intro credits could be improved into something closer resembling what Marvel comic movie adaptation have for intro credits... that series of flashing images from comic books of old. Do the same with the D&D movie. Have images of old module art, old book covers, new monster art, new book covers, various dice, pencils... etc. ... A much better and direct homage to the game would be fantastic and appropriate.

 

[wingsandsword]

IMO, the intro credits could be improved into something closer resembling what Marvel comic movie adaptation have for intro credits... that series of flashing images from comic books of old. Do the same with the D&D movie. Have images of old module art, old book covers, new monster art, new book covers, various dice, pencils... etc. ... A much better and direct homage to the game would be fantastic and appropriate.

Ooh, that'd be cool.

The sounds of dice rolling in the background, occasional arcane mumblings and chanting, furious scribbing of pencil on paper, swords and armor clashing, pages flipping furiously, horses galloping.

Brief glimpses of a an elaborate parchment characters sheet of one of the main characters.

Shots of famous D&D artwork, everything from famous old module covers to modern iconics.

A montage of famous rulebook covers, from the old 1st Edition DMG on to the 3.5 PHB.

A shot of a twenty-sided die landing a natural 20 on a wooden table lit by candlelight.

Marvel really has a good thing with their "comic motif" openings, and future D&D movies really could have a similar thing going to establish the mood and remind people of the original medium.

 

[Fast Learner]

I would like it if they'd just panned over stylized but actual character sheets for the charactes in the adventure... panning across abilities, names, saves, feats... man, I'd have had a geekasm.