The CGL situation p3 Options

[D2F]

You mean, where the owners (again) weren't paying the freelancers, didn't live up to their agreements, efforts to save the company from itself failed and the whole thing moved to another company?

Well, at least the next company holding the license will know what to expect (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

<shrug> Hell, I still consider Jason Hardy a BT freelancer and he's re-writing some of my stuff for Corp Guide now. I'm thinking this is more than a little of an "if all you have is a hammer" approach, but sometimes hammers get the job done. I personally don't know any of the writers involved, but I hear they're fine writers in their own areas.

Being the suspicious character that I am, I will remain sceptical until I see first results :/

[CanadianWolverin...]

A "Honest" Person posts...

How to see red in 2 seconds flat. This poster registered on the forums only to post 4 times so far, only in the CGL situation threads and each time to come down hard on the freelancers with spurious, inflammatory comments. No information in their profile filled out and no avatar, plainly they want to remain anonymous - normally I would just think troll but considering the seriousness of the situation, my question would be, do the forum mods have a way to compare the registration info and the IPs of this poster to see if any of it matches up with another forum poster's information? Is this the kind of thing I should hit report about? The paranoid in me sees something malicious in these posts and wonders, who would benefit from having the freelancers being called liars and instigators?

[Bob Lord of Evil]

You mean, where the owners (again) weren't paying the freelancers, didn't live up to their agreements, efforts to save the company from itself failed and the whole thing moved to another company?

That's one side of the story. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There is another side though...there always is.

[Tiger Eyes]

Hi Jennifer,

I have heard what you wrote said and seen it written before - did you do those things, or refuse and quit? Obviously I'm not looking to incriminate you, and it hasn't been clear in previous public statements.

- Ket

I quit, after the directors were informed that this request was made, and chose to act in a way that I personally found unethical. I refused to do these, and other, things. I did not, at any time, falsify records, nor did I withhold information, as ordered numerous times by directors of the company. I was, however, told by Randall Bills that if I could not work with Loren, or felt the items I was being asked to do were unethical, that I should leave the company.

Ethics are a tricky matter. My personal ethics were involved. It is not up to anyone, besides myself, to determine what my personal ethics dictate for my own actions. Likewise, I cannot dictate to anyone at Catalyst how their ethics should tell them how to act.

Legal issues are a separate matter, and I will gladly leave the determination of the legal issues in the hands of the appropriate authorities. I fullfilled my civil requirements in those regards.

[MindandPen]

the fact that CGL is continueing implies Topps doesn't belive it.

Most such licensing agreements can not be terminated early without cause. While providing false data is cause, it takes time to prove it, and termination for cause can get you sued (since CGL would claim the termination cost them revenue). Usually, situations like this are handled by not renewing the license.

[Ancient History]

That's one side of the story. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There is another side though...there always is.

The side where the German freelancers still spit to the left when anyone mentions working for FanPro or Warner Fuchs again?

[Bob Lord of Evil]

The side where the German freelancers still spit to the left when anyone mentions working for FanPro or Warner Fuchs again?

LMFAO!!!

No...but thanks for playing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[MindandPen]

Unfortunately, Midnight being mailed out happened, and I've been informed it was an "oversight" on the part of the company president, as they were just too busy getting ready for a trade show to tell the BattleShop employee not to ship the copies--showing, perhaps, the full seriousness with which they approach freelancers and the Shadowrun line, and their responsibilities to both. The situation has not been resolved, as Catalyst has chosen not to pay me the amount (less than $3000) that I am owed for the contracts, as I was informed today by the president of Catalyst of which projects they were choosing to pay. Because of this, Midnight continues to be unavailable, and I have requested that Catalyst destroy all copies of the item if they continue to decide not to pay for my writing. In other news, they are also not paying for my contracted writing for Vice...

On the bright side, this will make those of you who purchased it have collectors items. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I was truly surprised when my book showed up, and I have enjoyed it greatly. Thank you for your efforts, I wish you would get paid for such fine work.

At least until another company (one can only hope) picks up the SR license and I will ethically and enthusiastically deal with that company to sell the remaining DotA series and the follow up campaign book.

For those of you wondering why I'm personally making such a fuss, let me state that I am a single mother of two young children, currently unemployed. The amounts they owe me for those projects make a WORLD of difference in my life - equal to 5 months of rent payments, to put it in perspective. That I would quit a job rather than compromise my ethics -- when I was asked by Loren Coleman to lie on financial reports to Topps -- should state just how completely terrible the situation was. All I am asking, at this point, is that Catalyst pay me the amounts I am owed, for the work I did in good faith, and that they have profited on. That those profits went out of the company, is not something I should be punished for. Loren's actions have a direct and significant impact on my life and wellbeing, and that of my two children.

I have had, in my career, times when such situations have arrised. Fortunately for me, in most of those situations, there was a higher legal authority I could report the situation to. They mark documents with those funny classification letters that way for a reason.

Good luck to you.

[Bob Lord of Evil]

You know...we can make a difference for Ms. Harding. I am willing to donate $5 to Ms. Harding to help offset her current financial woes...we get 500 other people to do the same and we can help one of our own.

Set it up via Paypal, secure, easy and painless.

Anyone else interested in doing more than talking?

[MindandPen]

Anything I've already been paid for, which is everything in print except Vice, belongs to CGL (or is part of the SR property, if you want to define it that way). Everything that I wasn't paid for at the time I terminated my contracts remains my own property, and Jason Hardy has been busy as a beaver assigning various BattleTech authors to rewriting several of my chapters, from what I hear.

That is... disturbing.

On another thread there was a discussion of how long people had been around. I started playing Shadowrun in 1989 when I saw a first edition book in my local game store. I've been using the Internet from the days of it being DARPAnet, when graphics consisted of ASCII characters, and if there was a problem, you had a (small) phone book of all the major sysops. I remember all the old posts and forums, but never could participate given the nature of the work I did and the requirements imposed by my employer. That is part of the reason I am now, finally, posting on Dumpshock, I left my employer and those restrictions. All of the above is to lead to this:

I have the greatest respect for you, and many of the other "old timers" and "original" authors, if you will. I have really enjoyed version 4, and hope that it will continue to grow and move forward. But with such a talent loss, and such a loss of "institutional knowledge" with the drain of freelancers, I fear that the "feel" will become lost. Adam's words regarding Jason Hardy are encouraging, but I am still concerned. The situation regarding the running of CGL leads me to believe that TOPPS will most likely not renew the license (this is pure speculation from my position outside as a simple customer of course).

My hope is that whatever happens, the damage can be repaired, the institutional knowledge and atmosphere retained, and the game I have invested so much time, money and energy in continue to thrive.

[ketjak]

I quit, after the directors were informed that this request was made, and chose to act in a way that I personally found unethical. I refused to do these, and other, things. I did not, at any time, falsify records, nor did I withhold information, as ordered numerous times by directors of the company. I was, however, told by Randall Bills that if I could not work with Loren, or felt the items I was being asked to do were unethical, that I should leave the company.

Ethics are a tricky matter. My personal ethics were involved. It is not up to anyone, besides myself, to determine what my personal ethics dictate for my own actions. Likewise, I cannot dictate to anyone at Catalyst how their ethics should tell them how to act.

Legal issues are a separate matter, and I will gladly leave the determination of the legal issues in the hands of the appropriate authorities. I fullfilled my civil requirements in those regards.

Thanks for the reply. While I am not taking sides nor am I or have I been attempting to "wrest control" of the company from other members, I have come to appreciate your straightforward manner and recognize that, like David, you are on the straight and narrow. We all have foibles and character flaws, but like you I draw the line at actually performing unethical and illegal activities.

I'm not saying anyone has, but I am saying it's time for the current management to move on before the damage to their reputations, at least, becomes too severe in this very small industry. There's also the hope that they've learned something, but that may be going too far.

- Ket

[Bob Lord of Evil]

We have a single mother of two young children...a fellow Shadowrun fan who could use some assistance. Do NOT tell me that you guys are not willing to give up two days of Starbucks to help one our OWN!

Lets get this ball rolling!

Instead of spitting into the wind...we can actually help somebody.

[imperialus]

well, I purchased PDF's of Vice, Seattle 2072 and Midnight off of B-corps. If there was a paypal account set up I'd be more than willing to pay the purchase price again if it was going to the right person.

[Bob Lord of Evil]

Now that is what I am talking about! Way to step up!

I sent her a message on here to see if she has a paypal account. I can't imagine that it would be hard to actually set this up.

[Shinobi Killfist]

BT authors writing SR? Is that even rational?

I have no idea if the people assigned know anything about shadowrun and will be able to do the setting justice. But many of the battletech books are flat out freakin awesome. Top notch writing, design, production values, everything is great. For example Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers is one of the best put together supplements I have ever seen.

Still if you don't care about the setting and don't try to learn it, your stuff probably wont be up to snuff.

[D2F]

I have no idea if the people assigned know anything about shadowrun and will be able to do the setting justice. But many of the battletech books are flat out freakin awesome. Top notch writing, design, production values, everything is great. For example Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers is one of the best put together supplements I have ever seen.

Still if you don't care about the setting and don't try to learn it, your stuff probably wont be up to snuff.

Don't get me wrong, I am not doubting their writing abilities or their seriousness. But as you pointed out sourself, SR is a rather peculiar universe and writers unfamiliar with it might have trouble to do it justice. I am just afraid the quality of SR publications will go down when authors become involved that know nothing or very little about the SR universe.

[JM Hardy]

I have no idea if the people assigned know anything about shadowrun and will be able to do the setting justice. But many of the battletech books are flat out freakin awesome. Top notch writing, design, production values, everything is great. For example Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers is one of the best put together supplements I have ever seen.

Still if you don't care about the setting and don't try to learn it, your stuff probably wont be up to snuff.

That last sentence is exactly right. For the record, the writers pitching in are people who have previously written for Shadowrun and enjoy the setting--they reached out to me, often because Shadowrun's just plain fun to write for. I could list their resumes, but no one will be buying upcoming books for their resumes--they'll be buying them for the content. My job is to make sure good content is there, so I'll be working with the writers to make sure that's what you get.

Jason H.

[ketjak]

Now that is what I am talking about! Way to step up!

I sent her a message on here to see if she has a paypal account. I can't imagine that it would be hard to actually set this up.

Bob, you understand, of course, that the money paid for these goes straight to IMR/Catalyst since she's not earning royalties on her work, right? Her work was (or was not) paid out, and that's it - all other monies go to the company.

So buying these goods only serves to create more potential violations of copyright, they do not help the author.

- Ket

[Kid Chameleon]

BT authors writing SR? Is that even rational?

I've heard rumors of authors who can write for three different universes.

The legends even speak of the "Short One" who will fulfill destiny and write for Shadowrun, BattleTech, Star Wars AND Star Trek.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Bob, you understand, of course, that the money paid for these goes straight to IMR/Catalyst since she's not earning royalties on her work, right? Her work was (or was not) paid out, and that's it - all other monies go to the company.

So buying these goods only serves to create more potential violations of copyright, they do not help the author.

- Ket

He means setting up an independent Pay pal account so the cash can go straight to the young lady, INSTEAD OF the company.

A sort of..gratuity for a job well done. vs direct pay for merchandise sort of transaction.

[Bob Lord of Evil]

Bob, you understand, of course, that the money paid for these goes straight to IMR/Catalyst since she's not earning royalties on her work, right? Her work was (or was not) paid out, and that's it - all other monies go to the company.

So buying these goods only serves to create more potential violations of copyright, they do not help the author.

- Ket

No...it does not.

I am talking about passing the hat around (virtually) sending her $5 per person (or more if you are comfortable with that) just because she is a single mother of two children that is in financial straights. The people sending her money get NOTHING but that warm fuzzy for helping out a fellow human being.

NO goods are received by the people DONATING money!!!

[Bob Lord of Evil]

You see a person that needs some help...you hand them some cash and move on. THAT is what I am talking about. 500 people at $5 per person, that would help her (and her kids) out...a lot.

[imperialus]

You see a person that needs some help...you hand them some cash and move on. THAT is what I am talking about. 500 people at $5 per person, that would help her (and her kids) out...a lot.

What you are describing is charity. That's not how I see it. My logic is that I am paying for a product that she produced (in part) and has not received payment for, I hope to help rectify that by paying for it twice if necessary and ensuring that the second time around my money goes to the person who earned it.

[Pepsi Jedi]

The intent is good and helpful either way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Demonseed Elite]

The situation has not been resolved, as Catalyst has chosen not to pay me the amount (less than $3000) that I am owed for the contracts, as I was informed today by the president of Catalyst of which projects they were choosing to pay.

Jason, are you able to shed any additional light on this? It seems interesting that if Catalyst is picking and choosing which projects to live up to their own contracts on, they'd choose to ignore ones which are being held up from sale. I can think of only two reasons why Catalyst would make this decision and neither one of them are very good.