[CWBP2] Question Regarding Ownership

[Falconius]

All project materials are to remain on this site other than those used for personal purposes (ie to print for a game you are running etc.).

The "community" is defined by the contributors to the CWBP 2 project (this also implies the site administrators since they are maintaining this space).

I would say that we need to make a distinction regarding personal works contributes to the project. For instance do people get the copyright over the material they contribute? They should I think up and till it is finished and becomes part of the project officially. So for instance WIP's belong to the person doing it, finished maps and materials (as determined by their creator) belong to the project. Materials based on the project though have to respect the copyright of the CWBP 2 project and thus cannot be used for commercial purposes without the say so of the community. (so for instance if you make a map, it remains restricted to your personal use as it uses coastlines, features etc based on CWBP 2 work previously completed).

Instead of community I still think we should use a copyright board, where the membership is strictly voluntary and all that is required is that one has contributed a finished product to the project and wants to be part of the job, and that they have maintain a presence on the sight within six months (ie if they are inactive (haven't logged in) for more than six months they loose their spot on the copyright board until they come back and volunteer again). This allows people to not be involved with this legal stuff if they don't want to or to be a part if they do want to and ensures that decisions will get made in a relatively timely manner rather than waiting indefinitely long for an absolute majority of everyone who has contributed.

Without approval of the community no one can can modify or use this material off site other than for their own personal purposes

[Azélor]

I would say that we need to make a distinction regarding personal works contributes to the project. For instance do people get the copyright over the material they contribute? They should I think up and till it is finished and becomes part of the project officially. So for instance WIP's belong to the person doing it, finished maps and materials (as determined by their creator) belong to the project. Materials based on the project though have to respect the copyright of the CWBP 2 project and thus cannot be used for commercial purposes without the say so of the community. (so for instance if you make a map, it remains restricted to your personal use as it uses coastlines, features etc based on CWBP 2 work previously completed).

I think it's complicated to give copyright to only one person since they are always basing their work on something else or taking ideas from someone else. Everything is tied up. Saying that something belongs to someone is easier for maps maybe but could become trickier with other things such as world descriptions. One description could include several authors and if you incorporates the rights only when it's done, it could take a while to have these rights into the project. When do you consider a country's description finished, there is always something to add.

So my point is that it's really hard to get the personal copyright over the material inside the project. But if it's possible, it should have a license similar to the project to allow other members of the project to use this material.

Another point is that, all the material used such as brushes and textures should allow commercial purposes? It make things easier if we or someone in the project decide to publish.

Instead of community I still think we should use a copyright board, where the membership is strictly voluntary and all that is required is that one has contributed a finished product to the project and wants to be part of the job, and that they have maintain a presence on the sight within six months (ie if they are inactive (haven't logged in) for more than six months they loose their spot on the copyright board until they come back and volunteer again). This allows people to not be involved with this legal stuff if they don't want to or to be a part if they do want to and ensures that decisions will get made in a relatively timely manner rather than waiting indefinitely long for an absolute majority of everyone who has contributed.

it's not enough to participate, members also need to sign in a thread. They need to be approved on the list before they can vote. If it's what you mean, it make sense to me.

I don't think that we need to expel inactive members. Inactive or active, if people don't vote, it's all the same.

[Falconius]

I think it's complicated to give copyright to only one person since they are always basing their work on something else or taking ideas from someone else. Everything is tied up. Saying that something belongs to someone is easier for maps maybe but could become trickier with other things such as world descriptions. One description could include several authors and if you incorporates the rights only when it's done, it could take a while to have these rights into the project. When do you consider a country's description finished, there is always something to add.

So my point is that it's really hard to get the personal copyright over the material inside the project. But if it's possible, it should have a license similar to the project to allow other members of the project to use this material.

Yeah it's extremely difficult. My worry is just that it will limit peoples participation if they feel that their material is no longer "theirs" simply by virtue of it being part of the CWBP 2. I'd like to solve this issue somehow but am not sure how.

Another point is that, all the material used such as brushes and textures should allow commercial purposes? It make things easier if we or someone in the project decide to publish.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. The CWBP 2 is not going to own any brushes or other building materials. However it maintains the right to use any materials used in it's projects fully. This means that it will be licensed to use maps with brushes or fonts for whatever purposes it wishes (publishing the maps etc.). This also means people should try and use fonts or brushes that are licence free or completely open license or it means they have to list the owners of the font or brushes so we know what we can publish or not or who we can get permission from (should the question ever arrive, it seems unlikely to me). Really, not being an illustrator I'm really not up to speed on all this stuff, but rather just outlining my thoughts on the matter.

it's not enough to participate, members also need to sign in a thread. They need to be approved on the list before they can vote. If it's what you mean, it make sense to me.

I don't think that we need to expel inactive members. Inactive or active, if people don't vote, it's all the same.

Yeah that's pretty much what I meant. We start a thread called CWBP 2 Copyright Members or something and if people want to be part of it they go there and post a reply signing up as a volunteer. But there is also the caveat to be eligible to join the Copyright Membership that they have contributed something to the project already, like a map or whatever (ie they have something vested in the project).

For the vote yeah your right we could just count the total votes after a certain time period (say a month) and that's the total used no whining about it after the fact. Even if its only one or two.

As distasteful as this subject is and despite the fact that I doubt it will actually come into play that much, you are right, it is important to resolve pretty soon.

[allie]

If you want an opinion on the subject the voting process does give you a chance to get this opinion acroos