Copyright question

[ansonmaddox]

Let me just make sure I have the copyright rules correct.

If my group of friends play D&D 4E using FG, the DM (let's call him "Dan") has to convert everything from the books to FG himself/herself before they play.

Later, if someone else (let's call her "Susan") from that same group decides they want to DM instead, Susan has to convert everything from the books to FG again on their own computer or else it's a copyright violation.

Even if Dan and Susan own the 4E books, Dan can't pass his 4E FG libraries/data to Susan - even though Susan just played a campaign using Dan's data. Susan has to build the libraries all over again from scratch.

Have I got that right?

[Valarian]

In essence, yes. Under fair usage rules, you can create copies of stuff you own for your own personal use but you can't distribute it.

You don't need to have all of the information from the rulebooks in FGII in order to play. All you really need is the character sheet. Like at the real tabletop, the GM has the book in his/her lap when playing. You can enter just the information that you need for encounters in the current session / adventure.

[ansonmaddox]

Thanks Valarian.

As a side note, the next time I'm playing with someone eating greasy potato chips - I'm going to cite "copyright infringement" when they ask to borrow my rulebooks.

=D

[Foen]

As a side note, the next time I'm playing with someone eating greasy potato chips - I'm going to cite "copyright infringement" when they ask to borrow my rulebooks.

"Greasy paws infringement" would be enough for me!

On the subject of book-sharing, I think the analogy would be Dan taking photocopies of key sections of his books for ready reference, then passing those photocopies to Susan - I think Dan would be violating copyright in those circumstances too.

Foen

[unerwünscht]

"Greasy paws infringement" would be enough for me!

On the subject of book-sharing, I think the analogy would be Dan taking photocopies of key sections of his books for ready reference, then passing those photocopies to Susan - I think Dan would be violating copyright in those circumstances too.

Foen

I think one would be able to fight that as well. It would certainly be questionable activity, and the amount photocopied would defiantly play a role in the final decision. However, it clearly states in most RPG Rule Books that part of the DM's job is "Teaching" the rules, and how to play the game. This is clearly a handout to educational purposes, covered in the Fair Use guidelines.

Does this mean you could photocopy the entire book and pass it out? No... not unless you actually have a teaching license and are working as a professor of D&D at some school... and even then I wouldn't try it.

[Valarian]

I think one would be able to fight that as well. It would certainly be questionable activity, and the amount photocopied would defiantly play a role in the final decision. However, it clearly states in most RPG Rule Books that part of the DM's job is "Teaching" the rules, and how to play the game. This is clearly a handout to educational purposes, covered in the Fair Use guidelines.
I would take that analogy and apply it to the common modules. Players have access to the modules while playing the game, but not otherwise. Analogous to the GM handing out the photocopies and collecting them at the end of the session.