Sapowski on the Games.

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Sapowski on the Games.

We talk a lot on this forum about the books and the games, but I don't know if Sapowski's take on the games has been posted here: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-06-ever-wondered-what-the-author-of-the-witcher-books-thinks-about-the-games

Personally, I was mistaken about the relation of the games to the books, so I am glad to know this:

"The game - with all due respect to it, but let's finally say it openly - is not an 'alternative version', nor a sequel. The game is a free adaptation containing elements of my work; an adaptation created by different authors," he noted."

Regardless, the witcher games are quality work in their own right. It's still good, however, to keep things in perspective when we're discussing the intersection of content between the two mediums, especially how it relates to character and plot predictions for the next game.

I think because of their freedom to not have to adhere strictly to the stories, CDPR could surprise us with what happens in W3. What do guys think, should they have to stick to the stories even if they are free to modify certain elements or plot lines, or keep treating the games as mere adaptations (considering that the plot of W3 may not be set in stone).

I also found this interesting:

"As to those of you itching to find out what happened to Witcher 2 hero Geralt: you'll probably be waiting a deal longer. "You aren't supposed to know," Sapkowski pointed out. "And you will never know. Or at least until I write about it and I'm not sure if I'll find the will to do so."

So, possibly we might see the saga of Geralt continue after the pitchfork to the chest...or not.
 
A free adaptation based on a work and as such taking place after it IS an alternative sequel. Few would confuse the different continuities here.
 
cmdrflashheart said:
So, possibly we might see the saga of Geralt continue after the pitchfork to the chest...or not.

We will see, the last book regarding Geralt was published 1999, so he had ample time to come up with new ideas, but obviously he didn't.
 
http://en.thewitcher.com/forum/index.php?/topic/33036-next-sapkowskis-book-will-be-about-geralt-of-rivia/

Nothing confirmed though.
 

Aver

Forum veteran
secondchildren said:
http://en.thewitcher.com/forum/index.php?/topic/33036-next-sapkowskis-book-will-be-about-geralt-of-rivia/

Nothing confirmed though.
Well Sapkowski said it by himself, so I would say it's confirmed:
http://www.eurogamer.pl/articles/2012-11-06-zastanawialicie-si-kiedy-czy-andrzej-sapkowski-gra-w-wiedmina

Andrzej Sapkowski pracuje nad kontynuacją historii o Geralcie z Rivii.
Translation: Andrzej Sapkowski is working on continuation of story about Geralt of Rivia.

Eurogamer: Czy bohaterem nowej powieści będzie Geralt?
Sapkowski: Jak najbardziej.
Tanslation:
Eurogamer: Geralt will be a protagonist of the next novel?
Sapkowski: Yes, indeed.
 
Aver said:
Tanslation:
Eurogamer: Geralt will be a protagonist of the next novel?
Sapkowski: Yes, indeed.

:D

Past or Future? The Geralt's Childhood, Visenna, Witcher training, The Witcher history, Vesemir history, etc. Or
Geralt didn't die, because for me, he die. So, i cant imagine Geralt, returning to the World, to be a Witcher, when he said, that he no want to be anymore a witcher. And the Future of Yennefer are no clear, the Lodge hate her.
I can only imagine Geralt and Yennefer in the same world but in other continent, full of monsters, secrets and adventures!
 
So he hasn't written a book about Geralt in 14 years, and he is now working on one, and we're supposed to believe that it's a coincidence and that he isn't doing it specifically because he expects more sales specifically thanks to the games which popularized the Witcher universe? He should be a little more grateful and less demeaning to the video game medium.
 
I especially like the part where he says the games owe their worldwide success to the popularity of his books. This would be the case for Central Europe, but certainly not for the rest of the world. I respect Sapkowski, but his ego is a little too high on this one.
 
AhmadMetallic said:
So he hasn't written a book about Geralt in 14 years, and he is now working on one, and we're supposed to believe that it's a coincidence and that he isn't doing it specifically because he expects more sales specifically thanks to the games which popularized the Witcher universe? He should be a little more grateful and less demeaning to the video game medium.

If leveraging on the game was his only motive, I think we'd have seen English translations of the books after the first game came out.

And he really has the right to have whatever opinion he chooses on the game. He hasn't really been demeaning, but he probably gets pretty tired of people suggesting that the game events should be considered canon.
 
Wazhai said:
I especially like the part where he says the games owe their worldwide success to the popularity of his books. This would be the case for Central Europe, but certainly not for the rest of the world. I respect Sapkowski, but his ego is a little too high on this one.

Yes, to be honest that's what I really don't like about him... I love the Witcher book series so much that the universe in which they are set is my favorite one ever, but damn... I can't like Sapowski. He surely, as soon as he writes (and as he speaks), seems like a very intelligent person, however his ego and the way he sometimes talks about CDPR's work makes me want to hate him. Sure he created this incredible universe, but I can't agree on what he states saying that stories can only be contained in books, for example. Some of his words simply make him really sound very full of himself...
On the other hand I totally understand than he can get pissed off when fans at conventions only ask him about the games ;)

PS : I still love the work you did Sapowski, and I thank you so much for it ! :D
 
Kallelinski said:
Time will tell, but as i said, 1999, that was still the 20th century ;)/>
Ah, 1999? Isn't it on the timeline too

Kallelinski said:
So he hasn't written a book about Geralt in 14 years, and he is now working on one, and we're supposed to believe that it's a coincidence and that he isn't doing it specifically because he expects more sales specifically thanks to the games which popularized the Witcher universe? He should be a little more grateful and less demeaning to the video game medium.

Before announcing another book about Geralt, Sapkowski said that The Witcher saga was part of the past and had no intention to re open it after Geralt's death.
So this book (if it'll ever will be published) is gonna be something different maybe, a surprize.

@DB
100% agree
 
dragonbird said:
If leveraging on the game was his only motive, I think we'd have seen English translations of the books after the first game came out.

And he really has the right to have whatever opinion he chooses on the game. He hasn't really been demeaning, but he probably gets pretty tired of people suggesting that the game events should be considered canon.

But the people over at CDproj did manage to get the rights to make a game about Geralt in Sapowski´s universe right? Unless there are some details in the contract at work here, it should be considered a separate canon (Because, of course a player-choice based story can not have the same canon as the books, or any other media in which there is only a single version of story that unfolds.
 
With all due respect to CDPR , i really love both games a lot. But games in no way or shape should be considered cannon , in case Sapowski continues Witcher saga. While Witcher 1 doesn't have a bad story for a game , but it is nowhere near the quality of the novels , Witcher 2 is better in this regard , but still doesn't touch novels. IMHO whole story with mutagens,Alvin and representation of king of the wild hunt , was quite funny.
Another thing i wonder about , is whenever Sapowski himself wont't screw up with new book , it has been quite some time since last entry.As others have said , we will have to wait and see.
 
Randomdrowner said:
But the people over at CDproj did manage to get the rights to make a game about Geralt in Sapowski´s universe right? Unless there are some details in the contract at work here, it should be considered a separate canon (Because, of course a player-choice based story can not have the same canon as the books, or any other media in which there is only a single version of story that unfolds.

Oh, definitely, there's a game canon too. The problem arises when people start to think that the game canon should in any way influence future books, or supersede book canon in any way. I don't think that it's unreasonable of Sapowski to get annoyed by that. And no, I don't like the guy much either, but I can definitely understand where he's coming from on this issue. I also get the impression that a lot of the time, the things that he says become more-antagonistic sounding when translated from Polish to English.
 
Wazhai said:
I especially like the part where he says the games owe their worldwide success to the popularity of his books. This would be the case for Central Europe, but certainly not for the rest of the world. I respect Sapkowski, but his ego is a little too high on this one.

(Google Translator)

For me, he's right, even taking into account that the U.S. and Western Europe met his books through games.

This influence has been indirect rather than direct.

If not for the popularity of The Witcher in Poland, Russia, Czech and several other countries, it would not be games. Not only Sapkowski is a writer of Fantasy in Poland. But others are not so popular.

I think that those who criticize Sapkowski for those words, guided by a U.S.-centrism.
 
Witcher 1 had almost no marketing, people get to know about the game from other people that played it and first people that played it and liked it were fans of witcher books. Also there was already shitstorm about this poorly translated interview.
 
This is one thing that I hate so much about comics: "no, It happened in another reality, it's not canon". Ok, let's agree that player's choices shouldn't influence the next books, but creating a completely different story is..... maddening
 
I don't think Sapkowski has been disrespectful towards the CD Projekt or The Witcher games in any way; sometimes gamers can be so sensitive...

From what I've read, he said that the game designers created their own story that he of course doesn't endorse. He has commented on their talent but will not acknowledge the game plot as canon because HE, the creator of the Saga of Geralt of Rivia, did not write it. He also said video games are not even remotely in his range of interests, so he will not play them. He has praised the artwork however.

I can see why he would be slightly annoyed by the games, now that in the US market "Times of Contempt" and "Blood of Elves" are being marketed with covers based on The Witcher 2. People may believe that they are some kind of crappy game tie-in novel. I always avoid mainstream fantasy writers (D&D, W40K, --insert random game universe here--) and I would hate others believing Sapkowski is one of them.
 
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