Hi. I would like to do some Edge of the Empire character writeups and post them here. My question is, can you include pictures and photos (especially those of real people or celebrities)? I was just wanting to check, especially with the moderators. Thanks!
Can you use pictures or photos with character writeups on these forums?
To get a "moderator" response, you generally have to use the "Contact FFG" button from the main page.
However, I would think that anything you'd post here in support of the game would be covered by Creative Common Use.
Thanks for the info, good sir! I have followed your advice and have sent Fantasy Flight Games a question about whether or not I can include photos with my writeups. Hopefully it's ok with them!
After receiving an answer to my question (thanks, Mark!) about whether I could include pictures with character writeups, I have decided not to do so. Basically, while Fantasy Flight Games have said that they don't mind if I do, if anyone outside complains, then it is my problem. I agree with them, and I don't want anyone with a lot more money than me coming after me!
schoon said:
To get a "moderator" response, you generally have to use the "Contact FFG" button from the main page.
However, I would think that anything you'd post here in support of the game would be covered by Creative Common Use.
Try again. Only things released under a Creative Commons license have this allowance. Images from IMDB or other news sites, especially of celebrities are NOT under a Creative Commons License and so could take issue with their image being used without their permission.
Now, under Fair Use doctrine, there isn't an issue with someone using the image for personal use in private (putting it on a character sheet they print out at home), but that doesn't cover posting it online. This is a commercial site, so postings to here aren't protected under Fair Use.
Yes, people post videos to Youtube and claim Fair Use doctrine, but if all they are doing is posting chunks of someone else's work, then that isn't Fair Use. Posting a piece of someone else's work as part of a critique, review, etc… is covered.
Kallabecca said:
Try again. Only things released under a Creative Commons license have this allowance. Images from IMDB or other news sites, especially of celebrities are NOT under a Creative Commons License and so could take issue with their image being used without their permission.
Now, under Fair Use doctrine, there isn't an issue with someone using the image for personal use in private (putting it on a character sheet they print out at home), but that doesn't cover posting it online. This is a commercial site, so postings to here aren't protected under Fair Use.
Yes, people post videos to Youtube and claim Fair Use doctrine, but if all they are doing is posting chunks of someone else's work, then that isn't Fair Use. Posting a piece of someone else's work as part of a critique, review, etc… is covered.
This is very much true.
However, if you're using somebody else's artwork (be it 3D render, 2D paint/drawing, or photography), they usually have a means to contact them. I've contacted several artists for permission to use their work for some of my GSA entries, and most of them have said yes, particularly I as mention than a link to their website or online art gallary will be included in the article. I've only had one person say no so far, but that was because they were in the process of taking down their account and taking as much of their material off the web as possible.
In so far as "Fair Use," that does get a bit tricky, but I think as long as you properly credit the original source of the artwork (I've done this a plethora of times with starship images taken from Wookieepedia) you should be okay. That's not to say you'll be problem free, as I've heard of cases where a webmaster got threatened with litigation even after giving proper credit to the original owner of certain artwork, but it should alleviate the major worries in most insances. But Kallabecca's raises a good point; in this lawsuit-happy digital age, it's better to stay safe than sorry.
As far as coming up with character images, there's a surprising number of online virtual "doll" sites, such as HeroMachine and DollDivine, that can be used to create a character image, especially if all you really need is a face. You'll be limited to humans in a lot of instances, and the quality ranges from pretty good to gorram awful, but I've found a few sites that I use quite often (Azalea's Dolls, DollDivine, and HeroMachine) to create character images for my Heroes on Demand articles. So long as you credit what site/application you used to create the character image, you ought to be good.