[arg_discuss] ARG website copyrights

[Markus Montola]

Just to provide an update; apparently Microsoft has outsourced these 
things to PR agencies. At least the one person I talked with in those 
agencies took quite a bit of convincing before she believed that such 
property exists and that it might be Microsoft property even. After a 
while she pointed me to ask permissions from 42 Entertainment, which I 
believe does not own the rights.

So it's good to hear that the fair use can be fair at times.

  - Markus Montola

(PS. Our publisher does not care much if we get permissions or not; 
their approach is that it's author responsibility to obtain permissions 
and they assume we do. They don't want to know if we have such papers or 
not -- I believe in case of a problem they just shrug and point to our 
direction...)


> While I know publishers are frequently risk-adverse, and laws are different

> from country to country, here in the U.S. you actually have a lot more

> latitude than that (speaking as someone who's also done a lot of content

> publishing over the years.)

> 

> The "Fair Use" exclusion on copyrights has long-standing (and well tested)

> provisions when the excerpts or illustrative examples are being used in

> critique or review. UK has a similar law structure, and in Australia in the

> same rights are contained under the concept "fair dealings exceptions".

> 

> Of course, that's a fuzzy zone ... and getting a release form isn't fuzzy at

> all (but I'm a big advocate of people understanding their fair use rights as

> a content publisher!)

> 

> Actionable advice: consult an attorney, try to get the releases, but argue

> you don't actually need them :)

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On

> Behalf Of Adam Martin

> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 8:06 AM

> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARG website copyrights

> 

> Perhaps each arg owner could add a screenshot of their ARG to the

> flickr photopool for designs we could put onto the back of MOO cards

> to promote ARGs?

> 

> http://www.flickr.com/groups/809268@N25/

> 

> (c.f. the transcript of the last IRC chat, especially this post:

> http://five.pairlist.net/pipermail/arg_discuss/2008-August/001523.html

> )

> 

> 2008/9/11 Geneviève Cardin <baroblik at videotron.ca>:

>> In Quebec, Canada, it's always better to ask written permission to user

>> screen shots, and visual elements from a game (XBox or online).

>> Just because it informs the developer of that game that you are talking

>> about his creation, and most of all, someone involve in the project can

> give

>> you better screen shots than the one you've picked, and also you'll have

> the

>> full proof approbation before selling you book.

>>

>> It's not something really hard to get (well it depends from which business

>> you need it from) and generally everyone likes to know when someone talks

>> about their production.

>>

>>

>>

>> I did what's consider to be the first ARG in Quebec : www.unhommemort.com

>>  (in french - 90 000 subscribers) - if you need any screen shots ;)

>>

>>

>> Geneviève Cardin

>> Baroblik communication et multimédia

>> Consultation, idéation et scénarisation

>> de sites web et d'environnements interactifs multi-fenêtres

>>

>> cell : (514) 924-TOUI (8684)

>> baroblik at videotron.ca

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> On 08-09-11, at 08:49, Markus Montola wrote:

>>

>>> Hello all!

>>>

>>> As I've mentioned earlier, I'm writing a book with Jaakko Stenros and

>>> Annika Waern on pervasive games. In our book, we also discuss ARGs.

>>>

>>> Now that we plan to illustrate our book, we should probably obtain

>>> copyrights for website screen captures -- maybe?

>>>

>>> The question is: Do you think we should get written permissions letter,

> as

>>> our publisher operates in USA. And the more important question: Has

> anyone

>>> done this, and does anyone have an idea who (at Microsoft ?) would have

> such

>>> info. I guess the games people are all about Games for Windows and XBOX

>>> anyway...

>>>

>>>

>>> So, anyone being able to give a tip here? Or, Elan, you might know more

>>> about who holds The Beast rights? :-)

>>>

>>>

>>> Best,

>>>

>>>  - Markus Montola