Online resolution of copyrighted material

[SkyCAM]

Does anyone know if WotC has specific legal rules for posting material for review purposes online? For example I prepared nice photographs of all Dungeon Tiles to have an overview for all published editions so far or of battle map material from adventures. I got a couple of requests already whom asked me to share them online and I'd put them on my personal homepage just for reference. It's obvious that high res scan would be illegal but anybody knows what kind of resolution would be acceptable?
See attachment

 

[Mark CMG]

You won't likely receive permission to post any images online of WotC products even for reviews (though it couldn't hurt to ask) because WotC legal knows there are legal remedies with copyright law for reviewers to handle that without permission. WotC legal might refer you to look into copyright fair use guidelines, which you might google up on your own. For review, you don't really need high res images, so that is probably not covered under such protections. There's a thread here on EN World that does something similar for Dungeon Tiles, a sort of preview and cursory review thread of them -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/234507-dungeon-tiles-photos.html

You might look on WotC's website and see about linking to images it seems to feel are something they don't mind being online on their own site, in that if they post it online themselves for promotional purposes, they probably feel it is at a resolution that won't damage their own sales.

Just some thoughts. Good luck!

 

[frankthedm]

copyright.gov
The distinction between fair use and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.

Fair use - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, WotC isn't gonna help with legal advice. They don't have a specific policy, but common sense should get you through.

 

[Deset Gled]

Note the images of the tiles that you see on sites promoting/selling them:

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Product (Dungeon Tiles: Cathedral of Chaos)

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Product (Dungeon Tiles Master Set: The Dungeon)

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Product (Dungeon Tiles: The Shadowghast Manor)

If you stick to resolution equal to or lower than the images WotC already provides for free, you should be fairly safe.

 

[SkyCAM]

Personally i think it's a pain in the arse that neither WotC nor Paizo put full previews of their tiles online. This makes buying tiles and floor maps sort of fishing in the dark. The only clue Wizards gives you is the general theme of a set. I've come to point where half a shelf is full of tiles and maps and I need to remember which ones I've purchased and remember which will fit the next session best.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

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