[MUD-Dev] Copyright Question for the Hobbyists

[Kristen L. Koster]

How do you handle the issue of copyright ownership on contributions made to
your hobbyist game? I'm thinking specifically area files and code as well as
web and other documentation content here by unpaid staff.

After doing some research on the topic I can see it several ways:

1) The game is a "joint work" and all contributors share in the copyright
ownership of all contributions created to be part of the public version.

This seems to hold better for a more continuously and cohesively designed
world. This also seems to imply that the players have an interest as well,
provided they can make content contributions to the game.

2) Contributors are independent contractors and as such copyright ownership
remains with them?

I'd say this would apply if they contributor received a one-time
compensation for their contribution and no further expectations were held on
either side. In other words, the contributor is not a member of the game's
"staff".

3) Contributors are volunteer employees of the game, as such the game
"entity" maintains the copyright on the work done.

This seems to make the most sense to me. It provides for the least
disruption of and the most stability in the continuity and structure of the
game in the case of someone throwing a tantrum and wanting to take their
toys and go home. 

It also seems to me that by providing benefits, while not traditional by any
means, such as disk space, email accounts as means of rumuneration to staff
members and the idea that by being a staff member that their contributions
would be "within the scope of his or her employment" and therefore
considered "work for hire."

Are there any precedents out there? How do you handle these issues? Are they
real issues?

-Kristen Koster
Kaige @ LegndMUD
koster at eden.com




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