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I help run a 40k wargaming club for primary school kids, and would like to build an application for them* for two reasons: one, to inform them on what Citadel paints to buy to paint their models; and two, to advise them on what the various units in 40k are, as they tend to buy whatever tickles their fancy without much regard to what it does. I'm totally for buying models because they look good, but their parents say that they can't afford to spend their money on this and that and would like their kids to have some guidance for an army.

Obviously an app that serves these purposes will need some imagery and will be using Games Workshop names, so I wondered what I can and can't do. For instance, are there stock images I can use (e.g. these) or do I have to take them myself? And can I state the names of paints that they should use for certain army schemes? Otherwise I may as well scrap the idea

Thanks for any help you can give me.

*This app would be free, but only distributed to the kids at the club.

I think you're free to do that. If you're not sure, send a mail to GW though, about that you're making something for the kids from your school to inform them about painting and collecting.

What can you legally use? A lot of stuff.

What can you use without GW threatening legal action against you? Not very much.

Unfortunately the two things are not the same, and GW's lawyers claim rights well beyond what the law actually allows. Fortunately though your project is so small that GW won't ever know it exists, but you should expect to be shut down if for some reason you try for a wider release.

Jusk email to GW, If you built a good project, may be you can have money from GW

hellpato wrote:
Jusk email to GW, If you built a good project, may be you can have money from GW

But then it would have to be an Apple product only, FineApp.

I would say that as long as you run it as a non-profit organization that only serves to increase interest and bring attention to GW's products in the hopes that everyone can have fun together you'd be fine, but given GW's liability to issue a C&D it's really iffy.

Though you should be fine since it's not big enough to garner attention from GW directly.

If I remember right there is a huge amount of leeway when using copyrighted material for non profit informational/instructional, review, or parody purposes. Your idea seems like it would fit under informational/instructional and review purposes.

Thank you for the quick replies, looks like it shouldn't be a problem to build this Seeing as they're kids in years 4-5 I doubt they'll be distributing it online without my knowledge, and I have no plans of releasing this publicly (besides, my Flash knowledge isn't that good that I can produce something professional-looking enough), so I doubt GW will see it.

Again, thank you for confirming this for me - I was expecting worse considering stories I've heard of GW!

If it helps selling GW products, GW will probably sue you.

Yea when it comes to copyrights GW is insane. I heard they complained to amazon and had some book taken down for MENTIONING Space Marine (forget the book off the top of myhead) not stealing the idea, just using the word once.

If i were you i'd avoid any official stuff for the kids, just pass it out by hand so it doesnt get on the internet for GW to find it by some stroke of bad luck lol. Really dont get why they would rampage over something that would HELP their sales, but i know they will so i'd be safe about it.

Or whats already been said, and email them with what you want to do. If they say its cool, print that email and go with it lol.

 Savageconvoy wrote:
If I remember right there is a huge amount of leeway when using copyrighted material for non profit informational/instructional, review, or parody purposes. Your idea seems like it would fit under informational/instructional and review purposes.

Yeah, but that assumes that GW cares about the law. The unfortunate truth is they've figured out that most people can't afford to dispute a C&D letter even if it's complete , so they'll send out threats of legal action to anyone they don't like. For example, you can not copyright game mechanics (at least in the US), but you'll notice that every forum has a rule about not posting rules (especially point costs). Legally you have every right to post anything you want from GW's rules (including, for example, a listing of every single point cost in the game), but the forum owner can't afford to go to court so they impose stricter limits to avoid it.

Do whatever you want GW is not going after you in a private school network

Keep in mind that an anonymous forum post doesn't count as legal advice. And that GW might sue you even if you are completely innocent (they did that before). And that GW reads this forum.

 Kroothawk wrote:
Keep in mind that an anonymous forum post doesn't count as legal advice. And that GW might sue you even if you are completely innocent (they did that before). And that GW reads this forum.

Ha, that's what I'm worried about

I don't know whether emailing's a safe idea now, seeing as the general consensus is they'll sue if they see an opportunity. Of course if I email them before I make it, then they can't take legal action, but if they say no I'm not sure what other method to use to advise the club members.

Teach them value and cost comparison for later in life; start with a chart of Vallejo paints and work out what they need from there.

There are Vallejo=GW comparison charts online you can work with and Vallejo won't try to sue you for recommending their products. (Insane I know!)

Email GW and try to incorporate a 1 use pass for each of your students who want to use it (AKA you use this pass, you talk to the server, that pass it used up and you have it installed).
Since it's small and not commercial you can distribute those passes with knowledge of who's using it.

rather than make an app, just make a paper booklet and print it out to hand out, it will be faster too and no chance of being found out if its not allowed