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Hi to all,
I recently translated in Italian the Diamond Lake Campaign Backdrop for my players.
Since I'll be narrating their campaign on an italian RPG messageboard, I'd like to attach the document (it contains translated text and some images) to the first post.
Can I do so? Or do I violate the copyright by distibuting it to a larger audience?
Hi to all,
I recently translated in Italian the Diamond Lake Campaign Backdrop for my players.
Since I'll be narrating their campaign on an italian RPG messageboard, I'd like to attach the document (it contains translated text and some images) to the first post.Can I do so? Or do I violate the copyright by distibuting it to a larger audience?
Hiya
Yes and no. :) Yes to the text translation (falls under copyright "fair use"), but no to the images without Paizo permission. That said, the 'no' part could be translated to yes if you make sure that the file is ONLY downloadable by your personal group of players (then it would likely fall under "fair use" again).
As a matter of fact, you may want to also make the translation text also only downloadable by your friends. By tossing it up on the internet for all to grab, you are getting close to infringement. But for a group of friends for an ongoing game...totally allowed under fair use.
But don't take my word for it all. Go read up on copyright law and make your own decision.
^_^
Paul L. Ming
Hi to all,
I recently translated in Italian the Diamond Lake Campaign Backdrop for my players.
Since I'll be narrating their campaign on an italian RPG messageboard, I'd like to attach the document (it contains translated text and some images) to the first post.Can I do so? Or do I violate the copyright by distibuting it to a larger audience?
Hiya
Yes and no. :) Yes to the text translation (falls under copyright "fair use"),
Paul, I hate to burst your bubble, but the answer would be "no." Fair use only covers small portions meant for illustration or commentary that aren't meant to affect the saleability of the work (for critical review, journalistic, or educational purposes mostly -- so that every literary critic who wrote a scathing review of a book, or a journalist who wrote an "inconvinent" story on same would not get a nuisance suit for "infringement"). For instance, jakoov could possibly quote small bits in Italian in a work that is otherwise his own, or in an Italian-language review of the book, but to translate and post the entire shebang? That doesn't fall under fair use.
Here's a fair use primer, to illustrate what I'm talking about
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Paul, I hate to burst your bubble, but the answer would be "no." Fair use only covers small portions meant for illustration or commentary that aren't meant to affect the saleability of the work (for critical review, journalistic, or educational purposes mostly -- so that every literary critic who wrote a scathing review of a book, or a journalist who wrote an "inconvinent" story on same would not get a nuisance suit for "infringement"). For instance, jakoov could possibly quote small bits in Italian in a work that is otherwise his own, or in an Italian-language review of the book, but to translate and post the entire shebang? That doesn't fall under fair use.
Here's a fair use primer, to illustrate what I'm talking about
Hmmmm... That sucks big time.
I hoped that, since tha AOWAP would never be translated in Italian, thaere would be no problem with distributing the translation of the Diamond Lake backdrop. :-(
Thanks anyway. :-)
Hiya.
What I was basing my opinion on was that it is legal for someone who has bought a work to translate that work to whatever format he wants. (ok, so the DCMA stomps all over this...that what else is new?). So, the OP who bought the module is well within his rights to translate the work into Italian...or Japanese...or sandscript for that matter. He can convert it to .doc or .pdf, or he can dictate it out loud and record it as .mp3. All totally within his rights.
Now, the next part is were it gets grey but still ok, IMHO. Sharing it with his friends. ("friends" being limited to his personal RPG group...not "everyone who visits his site on the net", just to be clear). I would argue that the act of translating it to another language has no bearing on sharing it with his RPG group...as the entire purpose of an RPG is to share with friends. Groups share books all the time...and photocopies of various parts of books (sometimes whole sections, like "1st level wizard spells", for example). The nature of RPG's is akin to movies in this regards. You can rent a DVD, invite some friends over, and watch it on your big screen at home.
That said, copying a whole movie and giving it to your friends is a no-no. Same with copying a whole book and giving those away. However, as I said, translating a few pages to your native language so that you and your RPG group can more easily use the product would be fine.
Lastly, to the OP, email Paizo and ask them. That way there is no need to worry. I'm sure they'll say "Sure! Just don't put it up on the net or anything."...or something to that effect. Doesn't hurt to ask! :)
^_^
Paul L. Ming