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Topic: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources (Read 8586 times) previous topic - next topic

Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

I am considering illustrating the wiki with source graphics, but am unsure to what degree the various current licenses the various paksets are released under allow such usage. With open source there is of course no problems, but what about the other licenses that are used in the Simutrans world...

Can the wiki (being "official") be considered to be part of "using within Simutrans" or not. Can/should we make a point of asking pakset managers to specifically state whether or not they accept use of their images at the wiki? And as an extension of that.. should pakset managers make a point of asking graphics contributors the exact same thing.. And then... what about the blog.... and so on.

Source images are already stored in SimuTranslator to help translators understand what they translate, but here it is behind "lock and key" (user account needed), and it is more clearly "within Simutrans". Furthermore the images are uploaded to SimuTranslator primarily by the pakset managers, which they are free to not do if there is license conflicts....

There has at some point been talk about possibly moving the help system to or enhancing it with information stored and maintained at the (or a) wiki; again a discussion on whether or not such an enhanced help system could use source images would be called for.

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #1 –
Hmm, interesting question. It could be for example that the monthly screenshot competion is illegal!
Bob Marley: No woman, no cry

Programmer: No user, no bugs


Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Combuijs – on
It could be for example that the monthly screenshot competion is illegal!

What?!!? Could you elaborate on this?

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Combuijs – on
Hmm, interesting question. It could be for example that the monthly screenshot competion is illegal!

Actually there is a difference between screenshots of the game and the original source images... I do not think the screenshots could  be considered illegal (IANAL).

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #4 –
(I know that I'm a scare-monger but...) I'd call that a "fair use" and go ahead.

My projects... Tools for messing with Simutrans graphics. Graphic archive - templates and some other stuff for painters. Development logs for most recent information on what is going on. And of course pak128!

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #5 –
No way! I think like Combuijs. A screenshot is part of a whole (Simutrans) and nothing to do with sources for single objects. So I think game screenshots can be used for documentation, ilustration, and ofcourse the screenshot competition, but graphic sources shouldn't be used. Maybe precise and zoomed screenshots (centered on a single object) would be the border?

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #6 –
Since the artistic licence always allows for clause d)
Quote
make other distribution arrangements with the Copyright Holder.
I think I just state that pak64 graphics can be used too.

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #7 –
Surely if screenshots of games were not always allowed by fair use, there would be always game authors trying to sue people writing unfavorable reviews...

Re: Use of Simutrans graphics in documentation and related resources

Reply #8 –
Illustrations for text can be quotations from other work. You can quote images just like text. That is allowed. You need to state the source of the quotation though. The problems start if the contribution of the quoted elements to the work is larger than the original content of the work - but as usual, this is hard to decide.

More bluntly said: The images were made for Simutrans. The documentation is about Simutrans. So it looks totally ok to me.

Edit: "Quotation" would mean to cut parts of screenshots, though, not use source images from whatever source you might have for them. Screenshot it in game, crop the screen and use that for illustration.