[CWBP2] Question Regarding Ownership

[Falconius]

I'm not sure. Do you mean the people registered as contributors are part of the Copyright board? That's how I understand it, so everyone is allowed to vote concerning non legal stuff. They are allowed now that I just modified the other post, again.

People who are part of the copyright board are CWBP 2 contributors who have signed up in a thread to volunteer for the Copyright Board. So not all CWBP 2 contributors are part of the board (though they could be if they signed up). Contributors in this sense are any people who have put work into developing the project, whether it be mapping a plot or developing information for a plot or assisting in the construction of the world map etc. So, to reiterate a Copyright Board member is a Contributor and also a signee on the Copyright Board thread.

and, do we need to vote on this? I know it's important but I don't think most people are interested by this gibberish. I did try to include opinions submitted by other members over time, so we should please most people with it.

I think were there any objections to the direction we are headed they would've popped up by now. In this case I think we can take silence as an assent. Truthfully I'm not too interested in this gibberish either, but one doesn't always get to avoid the bull**** when working on a farm.

[Azélor]

Right but it need to be done. The sooner the better.

I modified the message #42 again.



Contributors and Board members can publish commercial material only if they have the approval of at least 50%+1 of the Board members. (Even contributers can publish commercial stuff, does that sound good ?)

Are the admins automatically part of the Board?

Once something enters the project, either an image or just an idea, it become the propriety of the contributors. (contributer or Board, I think it's the first but I'm not sure)
Material can be taken out but it need the approval of all active contributors. (Public vote) (I tend to prefer to let them vote because they are also part of the project and they own parts of the copyright)



My feeling is that some people (or a lot of them) will contribute once or sporadicly to the project. These people won't want to be involved with the complicated stuff. Those interested will join the Board. But even if they don't join, they do keep their rights.

[Falconius]

On the post about the board members you started people are only included if they actually want to be, so I don't think everyone listed there will actually be a part of it. It is going to be operated as an open board so that should a subject of copyright interest someone they can volunteer for the board vote on it and then leave if they so desire.... hmm, no maybe your way is best... I think it is. Less complicated. We should make a caveat that votes last a certain period and after that period everyone who cares will be assumed to have noted the subject and voted. I think a month is an appropriate period. They can be longer of course but no shorter.

I still think it takes a certain amount of ratification for the board to assume control of an image or an idea. Obviously anything based on the CWBP 2 materials will fall under it's purview, but if an idea is say presented and then rejected it remains the sole property of its creator. Perhaps we should actually make it so that the board retains copyright privileges over it's material, but so do individual creators of their specific material unless they waive their rights to it. So for instance a guy makes a map, and later on the board would like to publish the map, they cannot do so without his permission, and the same thing if a guy wants to publish his CWBP 2 map he requires the boards permission to do so (outside of his own personal use, obviously they can put their creations on their websites or portfolios etc.).

[Azélor]

So for instance a guy makes a map, and later on the board would like to publish the map, they cannot do so without his permission, and the same thing if a guy wants to publish his CWBP 2 map he requires the boards permission to do so (outside of his own personal use, obviously they can put their creations on their websites or portfolios etc.).

It could work if it's only his map that is going to be published but it would probably include something much larger than that. And it might be hard to get the approval if he's inactive.

[Falconius]

Then we won't be able to include his map, we'd have to make a new one I guess.

[Azélor]

But this comes in contradiction with the idea that once someone gives something to the project, it remains in the project. People are aware of that before sending it.

[Falconius]

Not really, it just gives them final say in the publishing of their work and ensures they get compensation since they have veto power.

[Azélor]

ok but if we can't contact them ?

[Falconius]

Basically their map can't be part of the package, either we make a new map or we leave it out. People need final say over their own work.

[Azélor]

I'm trying to understand but is it possible that your last point is making the Copyright board useless?

In order to publish something, the person need the approval of all the contributers included in that part. If one of them says no, or does not answer, he can't publish that part. So if someone want to publish a map that is part of the world map, he needs the approval of : me, you, Dearcyrus, Thurlor and possibly others.

But it get more complicated if you take into account that the map is just one part of it. Names, places, descriptions are all linked together and could include several authors. Even if it's just the maps, their names and ideas are on that map, you also need their approval. Your point makes it almost impossible to publish anything unless we are the author at 100% (something rare considering it's a collaborative project and people are encouraged to work together). I don't know if this is what you want but that is how I understand it. Legally it allows commercial purposes but not in practice (or it's just really difficult).



Back to the Board: only people related to the part to be published are supposed to give their opinion. Meaning that the Board will change completely depending on the vote.



To simplify things we could ask are collective rights more important than individual rights or is it the opposite ? It's a general question of law to which I don't have an answer.



I must say that when I think about a commercial project I see something like a campaign setting, like : Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, Eberron, Dragonlance... (the specific RPG system might not be important)
That is why I'm worried that it could be difficult since we would need everything. If we have something specific in mind, like a campaign setting, we could ask for the right to publish beforehand. We could maybe, but for just one specific thing. The other publishing projects would need to seek approval like mentioned earlier.