Copyright Question

[Frunobulax]

Hi - I'm thinking of either creating a brand new campaign module (RMC) or converting an existing paper module to FG, and hopefully making it available for sale via the FG store. I understand that in either case Iron Crown would have to approve, and that's fine. But while I'm pretty good at creating story content, encounters, etc, the one thing I suck at is imagery. I can't draw worth a damn or make tokens/pogs.

My questions are thus:

1) If I make a module that uses tokens/pogs from a set that I purchased from FG, how does the copyright work? Do I have to negotiate with the artist for a percentage? If so, is it me or Smiteworks who is responsible for calculating/paying royalties?

2) If I want to use an image that someone else created... well, same question as #1 - how does that work?

Thanks!

[LordEntrails]

If you wanted to use tokens from the FG store, then you would have to have the permission of whoever created/own the copyright for them. Percentage or flat fee would be up to you to negotiate.

Some of the other assets (maps, npc's) you could instad of copy into your module link to the other module, therfore requiring those be bought in order to use your module, but I don't think you can do that with tokens. I think they have to be included in the module (though maybe I'm wrong).

So, if you wanted to use someone else's artwork, you would have to get a license from whoever that is. I suspect SmiteWorks would ask for proof you have right to use such, but I don't know the details of how they would do that since everything I've sold has been for the DMsGuild.

For my DMsGuild module, in the copyright/credits I list the artist(s) I use and then I have my own record of the license/usage rights. No one has yet asked me for them, but I have them for my records.

[Nickademus]

Art for DMsG products (https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?filters=0_0_45412_0_0_0_0_0).
Purchasable stock art for commercial use (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?filters=0_2893_0_0_0&term=stock%20art%20&test_epoch=0) (see individual license information for each piece of art).

[Trenloe]

Technically, you can link to material in other FG modules - maps, items, tokens, etc.. Only provide links, not the actual material - which would require the GM to own the other material as well. However, for this, I'd check with SmiteWorks for any requirements they might have. It also has a small risk in case the module is reorganized in future and the link becomes invalid. Using the actual material, not linking, would require an agreement with the copyright holder or adhering to whatever license the material is released under.

For other material see the info provided by others above.

[Frunobulax]

Thanks for your help, everyone. Looks like it will be stock art for me. Perhaps I'll contact the creator of some token sets I bought and ask them.