Sapkowski demands CDPR pay him more

[Mark Richard]

It's not "hard to believe" in the least. What is hard to believe is that the contract gave them an indefinite reign over the IP.

Not to mention the rights for cross-promotional deals (Soul Calibur VI) and merchandising. They're not even restricted to video games. CD Projekt have t-shirts, keychains, a board game, and they're considering a cuckoo clock with a little Sapkowski figurine that trudges out and cries on every hour.

 

[Latelistener]

The old plagiarist wouldn't even be known in the West if not for games.

 

[Preben]

As someone who does some lawyering in Potatoland, I must say that from pure legal standpoint his claim has merits. There's specific clause on that in the Polish act on IP. Even if you sold rights to some work, you might demand that your fee be increased if the IP value rises in the future. I actually wonder what took him so long. He complained for years about how he wasn't paid enough.

That's what law says. On the other hand, it's quite bizarre to demand more money after specifically rejecting profit share while the contract was drafted.

 

[Gerrard]

Didn't know Moorcock has a Codex account.

 

[Bester]

The old plagiarist wouldn't even be known in the West if not for games.

Is this Arthas? Hell Yeah I love Arthas

 

[Serus]

At least Geralt isn't magically transported to 1939 to kill Hitler and prevent WW2

I'm sure there's a book somewhere on the shelves in Russia about exactly that.

Shit, if there are books about Stalin getting sucked into the Might & Magic universe, there are no limits.

That's... that's... there is no one word to describe it, I'm out of my depth here but I'm still laughing my ass off.

 

[Sigourn]

On one hand I feel like I would give him more money if I was in CDPR's shoes. On the other hand, this is the same guy that said videogames are a waste of time AND that it was his books that popularized the videogames. So it is very hypocritical of him to demand more money. I perfectly understand that he needed the money up front, having watched that one Witcher development documentary. But everything he did afterwards is inexcusable.

I would be willing to give him money on the condition that he streams a Witcher 1 playthrough.

 

[Keppo]

CDPR trilogy are not even adaptation. Sapkowski involvement is literally 0 % even in Witcher 1, few mails between developers and him probably about world map. He didnt even write a screenplay to none of these games, then you have Engine, Design, Game Programming, AI, Art, Q&A, Marketing, Sound departments and ton of hours and work required to make video game. Also first two Witcher games didnt even sell that much, they had a lot of financial problems. Then XBOX version gave them stability. Witcher 3 success is because previous two games + good relationship between them and gamers + More money on marketing + multi-platform and open world... CDPR should offer him no more than 5 MLN PLN , +/- 0.5 % of Witcher 3 income, if he not agree then i would go to court.

On one hand I feel like I would give him more money if I was in CDPR's shoes. On the other hand, this is the same guy that said videogames are a waste of time AND that it was his books that popularized the videogames. So it is very hypocritical of him to demand more money. I perfectly understand that he needed the money up front, having watched that one Witcher development documentary. But everything he did afterwards is inexcusable.

I would be willing to give him money on the condition that he streams a Witcher 1 playthrough.

There is big possibility that they gave him more money because there is new article where CDPR says that between 2002-2016 they signed a number of contracts between them and Sapkowski.

https://strefainwestorow.pl/artykuly/spolki/20181002/cd-projekt-andrzej-sapkowski in polish

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Shit, if there are books about Stalin getting sucked into the Might & Magic universe, there are no limits.

Tell me someone wants ti translate it

Heck, I'd settle for a snarky summary. The cover alone is amazing and hilarious.

 

[Serus]

Shit, if there are books about Stalin getting sucked into the Might & Magic universe, there are no limits.

Tell me someone wants ti translate it

Heck, I'd settle for a snarky summary. The cover alone is amazing and hilarious.

It is indeed. But I suspect what's inside isn't even 1/10th as funny as the cover. Perhaps Bester has read it?

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Sapkowski is (was) a decent b-class writer, but as a rl guy he is both stupid and very unpleasant.

 

[Gerrard]

but as a rl guy he is both stupid and very unpleasant.

And so is Kiciński from what I've heard.

 

[Preben]

You don't run a business by pleasantries.

 

[Neanderthal]

Yep Elric the Elven Emperor of Melnibone, weakling sustained by drugs or stolen souls, and bearer of the infamous Stormbringer is almost a one for one copy of the human orphan Geralt, a supermutant immune to disease, and weilder of two mundane swords.

Clear case of plagiarism.

 

[Mikeal]

Yep Elric the Elven Emperor of Melnibone, weakling sustained by drugs or stolen souls, and bearer of the infamous Stormbringer is almost a one for one copy of the human orphan Geralt, a supermutant immune to disease, and weilder of two mundane swords.

Clear case of plagiarism.

It's not like Elric is mix between Kullerwoinen from "The Kalevala", Monsieur Zenith the Albino from "Sexton Blake Series" and Skafloc from "Broken Sword", right?

 

[Shadenuat]

Someone saw GRRM cam gif jumping into a pool in his mansion, be jelly and decided he also wants a pool, and a mansion

but without all the work and support of his work around various media like tv series or games.

oops.

and no, Sapkowski never was as popular in Russia as Tolkien. There is a reason why larpers/roleplayers in Russia were called "tolkienists" at first

 

[Astral Rag]

Someone forgot to take his Thorazine.

 

[sullynathan]

What do the laws of his land say about this matter?

this is the same guy that said videogames are a waste of time

He's not wrong

 

[ghostdog]

I for one, support this old grumpy Polack's quest for more booze.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I for one, support this old grumpy Polack's quest for more booze.

There are more honest ways to quest for more booze.

 

[Tytus]

I for one, support this old grumpy Polack's quest for more booze.

"Gib Money"

 

[PrettyDeadman]

The old plagiarist wouldn't even be known in the West if not for games.

Many such cases:

 

[Dayyālu]

russian translation had a benefit of immensely talented translator, the late Evgeny Weisbrot. He translated Lem as well, so I guess they ended up the same

I seriously doubt even a master could improve the drivel that Sapkowski shat out. Or maybe the translator truly was a God amongst men.

The last ringbearer is pretty good, while 99% of russian sf&f is mindblowingly abysmal. At least Geralt isn't magically transported to 1939 to kill Hitler and prevent WW2

That's common for the vast majority of national Euro scifi\fantasy. Crappy althistory novels are a guilty pleasure of mine, even, but they are mind numbingly bad and for sure not as magnificent as Stalin Invades Might&Magic. (The Last Ringbearer amused me far more than Sapkowski, it's obvious that the author has an axe to grind but it's.... charming in its insanity).

Sapkowski is merely a bad writer with a shitton of derivative ideas. Hell, many Warhammer novels are superior to Sapkowski, and by far, and we're not even reaching pleb-tier fantasy like Sanderson. How he managed to be a success is beyond my understanding, I guess.

Requiem Chevalier Vampire is great, tho. Stupid in the simplest terms and self-aware, but great.

Yep Elric the Elven Emperor of Melnibone, weakling sustained by drugs or stolen souls, and bearer of the infamous Stormbringer is almost a one for one copy of the human orphan Geralt, a supermutant immune to disease, and weilder of two mundane swords.

Clear case of plagiarism.

Yes, albino swordsman called the White Wolf running around reinforced by drugs. How you don't see similarities, and knowing how Sapkowski literally had no original ideas of his own, I don't know.

Hell, half of the 80ies and 90ies fantasy stole from Moorcock, no reason to deny it on technicalities. Geralt is a Elric expy.

 

[abnaxus]

Sapkowski > Moorcuck

 

[Mikeal]

Sapkowski > Moorcuck

Lol they both worth each other. Butthurted old farts with illusions of importance and grandness.