Using Pathfinder art in videos

[Douglas Johnson]

Me and a few of my friends want to start uploading a weekly pathfinder game online. We don't want to step over any toes with copyright issues, so we are wondering if we could use pictures directly from the many pathfinder Bestiaries. The art is well done, and it's nostalgic from us flipping through the books on my couch, eyeing the cool monsters.Take note that I would be removing the backrounds from the pictures, leaving only the monster in centre frame, with maybe some cropping, but still keeping true to the art. We of course would reference Paizo and pathfinder, and do whatever we have to in order to gain your support in this matter. And if there is anything I would need to do, EX: keep the backrounds in, then we will do so.

Thank you for your concern, Doug

[Cpt_kirstov]

You may need a little more information on what you plan to do. Do you mean a Play by Post where you link to the pictures? a youtube or twitch video of your group playing and show the pictures? Something else?

[Sara Marie]

As Cpt_Kirstov notes, we need a bit more information here. Is this solely for your gaming group's consumption or do you plan on making content available others in some fashion or another?

[Douglas Johnson]

Thank you for responding.
Here is the run down of what we plan. We are running a pathfinder game on roll 20 which we will record and place on our youtube channel, "Quests and Quanderies". We are not going to be writing stuff like adventure modules or the like. If your asking if we are explicitly creating content for others to use, then the answer is no. Our channel is ment just to show A. what you can do with the pathfinder system, as well as B. get others into rollplaying (hopefully pathfinder). To be more specific on how we intend on using your art. In Roll20 we are able to add your art into the maps and link them to the charactersheets labled in the Roll20 system. In order to keep it looking clean, I remove the backrounds while giving the token highlights from in game. SKIP THIS IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN OUR WORLD-> our world setting is set in a world were heros are common, and if you want to be one, you need to sign up in a guild in order to be legaly able to become a hero. Mainly running on a bounty board system, and is meant to be episodic in nature. We will be using our own names for people and places, so as to not ruin the integrity of the pathfinder universe with our lack or knowledge in the world setting.<--FINISHED. In the description of each video as well as a verbal commemoration we will be thanking Paizo for the work they have done, as well as allowing us to use their art. We will link the paizo page and do any other sort or recognition, links, or siteing as needed to achieve this. If their is anything I am missing, or if their are anymore details that need be discussed, please let us know. Again as a final clarification. We plan on using pathfinder Bestiary art with edited our backrounds in our games,The pictures will be placed and shown as usable tokens in Roll20, as that is where we play the game in its entirety. These videos will be posted on our youtube channel, and finally we plan on having this show posted weekly, with future plans of being bi weakly.

If there are anymore concerns or questions please do not hesitate to ask.

[Douglas Johnson]

Apologies, When I say "The pictures will be placed and shown as usable tokens in Roll20" near the end, I do not mean that they will be given to Roll20 so they can use it. I meant that it will be a picture that i can move around the map on roll20 that will be independent from the roll20's art searching engine. The same as having a friend bring a prepainted token for them to use in a normally run pathfinder game.

[Liz Courts]

Douglas, it sounds like you should take a look at the Pathfinder Community Use Project license (CUP for short), as it covers some of the questions you're asking. The big sticking point is using materials that aren't covered by the CUP. If you're using them privately in your gaming group, that's fine and encouraged, but when it's distributed publicly is where it gets a little gray. If you want to email [e-mail] with an example of what you're proposing, I can offer a bit more guidance as to the correct course of action.

[Douglas Johnson]

So after a few days of research, what i have concluded is that I cannot use any pictures logo's or names. Now from what else i have read, I also cannot use special abilities used in class's, Pathfinder specific spells, Pathfinder specific special abilities, Pathfinder gods, Pathfinder specific magic items found in the ultimate equipment, and Pathfinder specific monsters. Is what i have listed fairly accurate.

[Vic Wertz]

The Community Use Policy is just one of the licenses you need to consider. Wizards of the Coast's OGL can give you access to Open Game Content, including many game mechanics.

Long version:
When it comes to the Pathfinder RPG, our intellectual property generally falls into two categories: Open Game Content (generally game mechanics) and Product Identity (generally setting material, trademarks, artwork, and other non-mechanical stuff).

Anything we've declared as Open Game Content in our products is available for use under the Open Game License; anything we've declared as Product Identity is not available under the OGL. In most of our products, you'll find the statements of OGC and PI on the title or credits page at the front of the book. Note that these statements occasionally vary from product to product, so you'll need to check the individual statements in each product you wish to draw from.

If you are a noncommercial user, you may be able to use some of our PI by way of our Community Use Policy, which you can find at http://paizo.com/paizo/about/communityuse. If you are a commercial user, our PI is not available for your use without a specific license.

To use Open Game Content in your own products, you just need to use the OGL, which you can find in any OGL product. The OGL itself tells you how to use it. Please note that the OGL is Wizards of the Coast's license, not Paizo's, and so I can't provide any advice about its suitability for your use. You may wish to consider speaking with an intellectual properties legal specialist.

Note that the OGL specifically restricts you from using "any ... trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity by the owner of the Product Identity", or from "indicat[ing] compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark." So to indicate that your OGL product is compatible with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, you'll need to follow our free Pathfinder RPG Compatibility License, which you can find at http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility. Note that the Compatibility License is only applicable to books, electronic books, and freely available websites. (You can still use Open Game Content in a OGL product that's not a book, ebook, or free website, but you can't say it's compatible with the Pathfinder RPG or use trademarks like Pathfinder or Paizo in any way; you may, however, use the non-trademarked term "PFRPG”.)

[Steve Geddes]

Vic, am I right in understanding from the above that you can't rely on the CUP to use material Paizo have designated as open game content?

I never really appreciated that before - I was operating under the assumption that, if you were just a fan, the CUP was all you needed.

[Liz Courts]

Steve Geddes wrote:

Vic, am I right in understanding from the above that you can't rely on the CUP to use material Paizo have designated as open game content?

I never really appreciated that before - I was operating under the assumption that, if you were just a fan, the CUP was all you needed.

Open Game Content is released under the Open Game License—to use the former, you have to obey the terms of the latter. The CUP allows for use of stuff that *isn't* Open Game Content, particularly materials identified as Product Identity under the Open Game License.

[Steve Geddes]

Cheers, Liz. It's kind of obvious now I hear it said, but I never really appreciated that.

You learn something new everyday. :)

[Liz Courts]

Steve Geddes wrote:

Cheers, Liz. It's kind of obvious now I hear it said, but I never really appreciated that.

You learn something new everyday. :)

Happy to educate!