I've been fooling around with the background (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/ShadowB/Misc/colneweurope.jpg) of the Europe screen, to replace the old map with something more reminiscent of the original Colonization. Please tell me what you think, guys. :)

Personally, I'm still not satisfied, as I can't quite nail the same colour balance the default picture has.

I've been fooling around with the background (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/ShadowB/Misc/colneweurope.jpg) of the Europe screen, to replace the old map with something more reminiscent of the original Colonization. Please tell me what you think, guys. :)

Personally, I'm still not satisfied, as I can't quite nail the same colour balance the default picture has.

I like it! I'd use it.

Very, very nice

I like it, any chance of sharing it?

I think it fits better than the original pic :goodjob:

I'll experiment with the colours some more and add it to the download database. However, there might be a problem: the image I used is concept art of Empire: Total War. Would it be legal if I used it to mod a different game, that isn't remotely related to Creative Assembly? :undecide:

If it's a concept art it may be allowed, you should ask for the permission if possible though.

I'm not a "license purist", but I was muted for some stuff (more serious though, it was a music sharing). So you decide, I hope there won't be consequences. As a final matter you may tell us where to put the image (/assets/art/...) and link an edited picture at imageshack. Well, you will give us just a picture which is avaliable online anyway and it won't be connected to Civilization in any way since it's on an external site.

Nice change... Seems to fit a lot better then the just plain blank one that was there.

:goodjob:

Sent a PM to one of the admins of the official Total War forums yesterday.

Still waiting for his reply.

Dont wanna be a buzzkill, but it would be copyright infringement to just upload it as a mod. But TBH i dont think anyone would care about it...but according to US law (and thats the law that applies in this case) it would be infringement.

We're not sure about that, so I'm asking someone related to the developers of Empire: Total War.

Dont wanna be a buzzkill, but it would be copyright infringement to just upload it as a mod. But TBH i dont think anyone would care about it...but according to US law (and thats the law that applies in this case) it would be infringement.

Do a little more research. Its only Copyright Infringement if the total value of the copied works exceeds 1,000 dollars. If they don't then you are exempt from prosecution.

Do a little more research. Its only Copyright Infringement if the total value of the copied works exceeds 1,000 dollars. If they don't then you are exempt from prosecution.
Hmm. Are you sure? I haven't received any replies yet, but a random guy in the forums said...
Any concept art for Empire is copyright, so to reuse it without permission is theft. You're only legally valid recourse is to ask for permission, as you have done. I expect the permission to be withheld since your mod would enhance a product from a competitor.
I don't know how we could measure the value of the concept art piece, nor how the fact this isn't being done for any kind of profit affects the whole deal.

By the way, here's (http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/topic/38183) the link to the thread in the ETW forums.

Yeah. I'm sure they don't have anything better to do than sue person living in Argentina over using one pic for fan stuff of another game.

Actually, I know for a fact that these concept arts are also freely available on that site where everyone can post their art (in various types).. I forgot the name of the damned site, but it's pretty popular..

In any case, I'd say that if the creator himself can post these creations on that site, you might try to ask him for permission. I know he created these works for the Creative Assembly and that they're most likely legally their possession, but hey; it wouldn't hurt to try.. If I can locate the profile, I'll be sure to post it here..

Also, I think it's pretty funny that you would've probably gotten away with this if you hadn't posted on the E:TW forums.. In any case, there are plenty of actual paintings of harbor scenes made by artists from the period, so you could always try to use one of those..

Good luck!

Hmm. Perhaps I should've gone through with it till I received a cease & desist letter. :p

Yeah go for it! ;)

I guess I'll wait a few more days.

If there's no evidence this is illegal and I don't get a conclusive answer from the guy I PMed by then, I'll upload the mod, giving credit to the Creative Assembly and all that.

Do a little more research. Its only Copyright Infringement if the total value of the copied works exceeds 1,000 dollars. If they don't then you are exempt from prosecution.

This is the most absurd made up fact I've ever heard.

What's more amusing is that you tell people to "do a little research" :)

I'm thinking the Fair Use (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Use) doctrine might apply to my mod, but I'm not sure yet.

Any thoughts?

This is the most absurd made up fact I've ever heard.

What's more amusing is that you tell people to "do a little research" :)

Google it. It was part of the NET Act and is right there on the Department of Justice's website.

I'm thinking the Fair Use (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Use) doctrine might apply to my mod, but I'm not sure yet.

Any thoughts?

Yes ,fair use applies to you.
Basically: Stop worrying and get on with it.

Google it. It was part of the NET Act and is right there on the Department of Justice's website.

Thankfully I don't live in the United States. What a silly law.

I accidentally come accross your image while searching for "La Rochelle harbor painting" on google :

Google search (http://images.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs19/f/2007/256/e/1/La_Rochelle_by_Radojavor.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/JeuxVideo/PC/topikunik-empire-napoleon-sujet_120600_3.htm&h=933&w=1400&sz=480&hl=fr&start=33&um=1&usg=__QKU9gtcFRFMxJMdhM1IT-z8fUnI=&tbnid=BQwUb2tQ6OeT1M:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522la%2Brochelle%2522%2Bpainting%26 start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dfr%26client %3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:fr:official%26sa%3DN)

I continued my search and found some nice old paintings that i used in my europe screen.

Google search (http://images.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://abestoilpainting.com/lorrain/12.jpg&imgrefurl=http://abestoilpainting.com/lorrain/&h=874&w=1115&sz=139&hl=fr&start=104&um=1&usg=__iptGjtvfxw1EX9JLcsYTWN2UDRM=&tbnid=pfOj2qQTxpRlrM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dharbor%2Bpainting%2Bfrench%26start%3D 90%26imgsz%3Dxxlarge%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Df r%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:fr:official%26sa%3DN)

Someone over at the TWCenter.net, a fan forum for the Total War series, asked about who the concept artist is and came up with the following result:

http://radojavor.deviantart.com/

You see, I knew about a big art website; turns out the name 'DeviantArt' had escaped me..

Anyway, turns out the man's screenname is RadoJavor and all his artworks are also on DeviantArt.. I think you shouldn't worry too much about possible (but unlikely) repercussions and go ahead with your mod! ;)

But it would be nice to inform RadoJavor about that and mention him in the credits.

Even link to his art would be thoughtful thing to do.

I asked our head of communications about this.

I just heard back that this is not OK.

I just heard back that this is not OK.
Hmm, I see. So Fair Use doesn't apply in this case?

As for RadoJavor, given he made this particular painting for Creative Assembly, he's no longer its owner. They are.

I could try using another one (http://radojavor.deviantart.com/art/The-Armada-42979342) of his pieces, which doesn't belong to Empire: Total War (asking for his permission in the process, of course). There's also the option of using classic art (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/ShadowB/Misc/port-lorrain.jpg), given it's generally public domain.

There's also the option of using classic art (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/ShadowB/Misc/port-lorrain.jpg), given it's generally public domain.

Funny, this is exactly the one I chosen !
For those who you like it (i have no graphics skill so i didn't change anything in the picture, no sepia effect), I attached the DDS file.
You have to put it there :
<My documents folder>\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Colonization\CustomAssets\art\interface\screens\eu rope

If you want to be really cool, you could have a mod which used different artists based on the date in the game. Every thirty turns or so, you change the artwork to feature whichever artist was prominent at the time.

Another idea would be to have an appropriate background picture based on what european port you are in.

I just heard back that this is not OK.

Hey Thamis, nice to see you here :) I didn't know you're active in the Civ community

@LS: Tough luck that you asked. My general approach to CA is to go ahead with whatever you'd like to do anyways and wait to see if you annoyed them so badly they start to act by themselves (in which case they'd probably first tell you to take things out, then sue you if you don't). You're actually lucky if you get an official response, most of their community interaction seems to be done by devs during their free time ;)

If you want to be really cool, you could have a mod which used different artists based on the date in the game. Every thirty turns or so, you change the artwork to feature whichever artist was prominent at the time.
Another idea would be to have an appropriate background picture based on what european port you are in.
Both options are beyond my skills. That'd probably require Python coding or something like that.

I asked our head of communications about this.
I just heard back that this is not OK.Tell him, that while I read that the company lost at least one customer and I'll make sure it will lose more. :)

Posting it should not be a problem if the image you are using is modified from the original and if memory serves the modification should be at least 10% and usage should be different. I think this situation qualifies. Moreover if anyone had an issue they would have to send a C&D letter but prior to that fair use is the focus of the day.