Paizo Paizo Launches Community Content Program

Paizo has joined the likes of WotC, Chaosium, EN Publishing, and many other publishers in launching a community content program at DriveThruRPG which grants access to much of its IP for both Pathfinder and Starfinder. Like WotC's DMs Guild, the royalty is 50% of the proceeds.

Today at Gen Con, we announced a new way for members of the Pathfinder and Starfinder communities to create content to expand the brands and make a lasting mark on the games we all love: Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite.

Beginning on October 13, 2021, content creators will be able to sell adventures, fiction, setting supplements, rules expansions, maps, art packs, and more using Paizo’s intellectual property. That means that you can, for the first time, write an RPG supplement set in the official Pathfinder or Starfinder settings that references our locations, organizations, characters, deities and more, and sell it to your fellow players and GMs.

Want to tell the story of Kyra and Merisiel’s adventures on what they’d hoped would be a restful honeymoon? Now you can!

What about that side quest adventure you’ve always wanted to share to support your favorite Pathfinder Adventure Path? Now’s the time!

How about that custom character class or alien species you made for your Starfinder campaign that you just know others are going to love? Yep, that too.

Our partners at OneBookShelf (DriveThruRPG, DriveThruCards, Astral Tabletop) will be hosting and managing the program, bringing years of experience running similar community content marketplaces for other tabletop properties to bear.

Check out the content creation guidelines, frequently asked questions, and the starter layout templates and art assets available to community creators at pathfinderinfinite.com and starfinderinfinite.com.

We’ll have more information to share in the coming weeks, but the real excitement won’t start until all of you can share your Pathfinder and Starfinder creations with the world in just under a month. I’m looking forward to seeing what incredible things you come up with!

 

[CapnZapp]

You could also, you know, just post it anywhere on the internet. As long as you don't try to collect any money, that is, is just a rpg fan sharing your stuff the way the hobby has seen for decades, I highly doubt (read "am personally 100% convinced") you will never become a blip on Paizo's and Mr Moreland's radar.

This legal anxiety really needs to stop. If money is not involved (and no laws are breached) you should do whatever you feel like without a worry in the world.

 

[gss000]

This legal anxiety really needs to stop. If money is not involved (and no laws are breached) you should do whatever you feel like without a worry in the world.

That unfortunately is wrong with respect to intellectual property law in the US at least. Concerning copyright, you can be sued for statutory damages if material is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, even if you sell nothing. For trademark, there's such a thing as dilution and companies do go after those that may dilute their IP. Whether a company would pursue something or not is up to them and they may not think someone is worth it, but you are not 100% safe just because you may not sell anything.

 

[CapnZapp]

That unfortunately is wrong with respect to intellectual property law in the US at least. Concerning copyright, you can be sued for statutory damages if material is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, even if you sell nothing. For trademark, there's such a thing as dilution and companies do go after those that may dilute their IP. Whether a company would pursue something or not is up to them and they may not think someone is worth it, but you are not 100% safe just because you may not sell anything.

Again, I ask anyone reading that to make a common sense judgement:

Is this just theoretical lawyer-gaming or is it something regular gamers need to keep in mind?

And the answer is obviously the latter. Give me examples of enthusiastic fans writing adventures for their favorite games and sharing them (completely for free, mind you) only to face fines or prison...

...or simply just stop it already with you legal anxiety!

Thanks

 

[gss000]

Again, I ask anyone reading that to make a common sense judgement:

Is this just theoretical lawyer-gaming or is it something regular gamers need to keep in mind?

And the answer is obviously the latter. Give me examples of enthusiastic fans writing adventures for their favorite games and sharing them (completely for free, mind you) only to face fines or prison...

...or simply just stop it already with you legal anxiety!

Thanks

Because no one has ever had any issue with the DMCA when it comes to gaming. Your common sense is wrong here, especially in the US where they are instituting the CASE act, which was specifically established to make it easier for those who can't afford the federal court system to rectify piracy.

It's simple enough to just follow the license or if there are questions, ask them and be sure you aren't crossing a line.

 

[CapnZapp]

Because no one has ever had any issue with the DMCA when it comes to gaming. Your common sense is wrong here, especially in the US where they are instituting the CASE act, which was specifically established to make it easier for those who can't afford the federal court system to rectify piracy.

It's simple enough to just follow the license or if there are questions, ask them and be sure you aren't crossing a line.

If you are suggesting a roleplaying fan can't just upload an adventure or monster for his favorite game on a web page or perhaps posting it on a discussion forum - for free, mind you - without finding out a) if there is a license, b) make sure you follow it, and c) ask the company if you're unsure how it works...

Wow.

Just wow.

 

[Retreater]

You could also, you know, just post it anywhere on the internet. As long as you don't try to collect any money, that is, is just a rpg fan sharing your stuff the way the hobby has seen for decades, I highly doubt (read "am personally 100% convinced") you will never become a blip on Paizo's and Mr Moreland's radar.

This legal anxiety really needs to stop. If money is not involved (and no laws are breached) you should do whatever you feel like without a worry in the world.

Sorry, but do you have a passing familiarity with US Copyright law?
Any IP holder can demand you take down anything regardless of whether you make money off it or not. Doing something for no pay does not mean it's fair use. And even fair use is extremely limited and only in certain cases.
Like you could cite fair use to quote a portion of a text or an image in a review if (and ONLY IF) that is what you're actively reviewing. So you can't just put images from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook in the background of a review, unless you are specifically discussing the qualities of a specific piece of art.
So imagine you don't ask for money, but you upload the entirety of the Mwangi Expanse book? Does that hurt Paizo? You bet. Will they try to get it taken down - absolutely, the minute they find out about it.
*I am not a lawyer, but I have studied copyright law in my day job as a librarian.

 

[CapnZapp]

Sorry, but do you have a passing familiarity with US Copyright law?
Any IP holder can demand you take down anything regardless of whether you make money off it or not. Doing something for no pay does not mean it's fair use. And even fair use is extremely limited and only in certain cases.
Like you could cite fair use to quote a portion of a text or an image in a review if (and ONLY IF) that is what you're actively reviewing. So you can't just put images from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook in the background of a review, unless you are specifically discussing the qualities of a specific piece of art.
So imagine you don't ask for money, but you upload the entirety of the Mwangi Expanse book? Does that hurt Paizo? You bet. Will they try to get it taken down - absolutely, the minute they find out about it.
*I am not a lawyer, but I have studied copyright law in my day job as a librarian.

Who is talking about ripping off their own books?

You're the third person trying to create something out of nothing here. Read what I wrote. Thanks.