Using Internet images for graphics creations

[Brenshar]

Recently I've gotten into creating graphical content for my own mod and Im now beginning the process going over where exactly I found those images from to avoid potential copyright infrigements so I could potentially share some of it here. Quite frankly, I dont have the skill to make my own creations wholecloth.

Im curious in learning more about how people approach the topic of using material accessed on the internet for this. Are there any examples of use you think are illustrative, how do you go about making sure you arent accidentally infringing on intellectual rights? To what extent do you use licensed material either directly or as inspiration for your own uses, and are there cases where you think aquiring a basic free license or asking permission are or arent warranted? I dont expect anyone to have concret answers, as a lot of this seems to be entirely at the discretion of the copyright holder, But Im hoping I can get a better understanding of the issue.

My main concerns are:

Using a stock image or downloadable image of a licensed 3D model to make a tech icon or wondersplash (etc), modifying only the size (and perhaps colors and so on) of the image. Here with stock images there seems to be quite a bit of leeway, and generally can be easily acquired with a free trial account. The question then is to what extent can it be redistributed by being hosted on this server, for example its stated on iStock that such images cannot be a standalone file, but only as part of a project. It seems the implication is unmodified, so what then if it is modified, and to what extent?

On the otherhand, extensive modification of a licensed photograph or copyrighted image to create a resource icon or improvement graphics (etc), to the extent its largely new save for the basic outlines, seems like it would mostly alright regarding fair use. Still, should precautions should be taken in this case? Should I restrict this to entirely personal use, or seek the authors permission? Does something need to have a explicit copyright notice to not be considered free?

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[timerover51]

You may also want to check out images from material on Project Gutenberg and also archive.org, which are normally all books and images that are in the public domain. Then you also have U.S. government publications, which are all in the public domain. Depending on what you are looking for, I may be able to help, as I have been building a collection of copyright-free images for quite a few years.

 

[Brenshar]

Ive found a few methods, for one google images has a tool that allows for searching just creative license content, and there are a few websites out there that have free 3D models that can be useful depending on whats being looked for.

Unfortunately, Ive never had any luck in contacting artists, they never answer. It makes sense honestly, and its fair because it is a bit of an butthole thing to do to ask artists for free versions of their stuff. But now Im wondering if doing something like asking for an image of a otherwise copyrighted 3D model makes sense, although again for them theyd probably rather not.

You may also want to check out images from material on Project Gutenberg and also archive.org, which are normally all books and images that are in the public domain. Then you also have U.S. government publications, which are all in the public domain. Depending on what you are looking for, I may be able to help, as I have been building a collection of copyright-free images for quite a few years.

Thats a great tip, I didnt consider such avenues at all, good idea.

Ive mostly replaced what I used before, it wasnt difficult and I even found some better versions of what Ive already made, but Ill be sure to message you if there's anything Im stumped on, thanks very much for the offer.

Actually in terms of what I can share Im back to the drawing board aha (literally). But its a reason to improve my digital art skills

 

[Brenshar]

Using a stock image or downloadable image of a licensed 3D model to make a tech icon or wondersplash (etc), modifying only the size (and perhaps colors and so on) of the image. Here with stock images there seems to be quite a bit of leeway, and generally can be easily acquired with a free trial account. The question then is to what extent can it be redistributed by being hosted on this server, for example its stated on iStock that such images cannot be a standalone file, but only as part of a project. It seems the implication is unmodified, so what then if it is modified, and to what extent?

So from reading several license agreements, usually something that requires a license, even if its a free trial version, the images cant really be redistributed afterwards. In the case of the standalone file, since it would be technically possible to seperate from the rest of the mod, it cant be included in a modpack.

Unless the image is entirely free, this kind of sourcing won't work.

As for the other things, unless something is explicitly said to be some kind of CC (creative commons), or public domain (usually wikipedia is good for this), it really shouldnt be used. Im still unsure about using something so extensively that it doesnt at all resemble the final product, but its a good idea to exercise caution and not share such things if you do use it in a personal manner.

To that extent as long as you dont share it online/enable it to be redistributed, that could be fair use because its 1) obviously you're not making money of it 2) you're modifying the image (although this is meant to mean you're using a small part that isn't central to the original work) and perhaps most importantly 3) by not posting it online, so you're not impacting the market for that image by providing a work around for it (although by not buying it you basically cost the author a sale).

I am no lawyer though, so the rule of thumb is make sure your image has some free, redistributable, modifiable, license explicitly attached to it, or don't upload it!

 

[need my speed]

Who cares? Use whatever you want from wherever you want.

 

[Ares de Borg]

Here are some free image resources:

https://pixabay.com/

https://www.pexels.com/

You can also use AI generated content or free Wikimedia images.

 

[Ares de Borg]

Who cares? Use whatever you want from wherever you want.

As a journalist and editor-in-chief, I cannot recommend that unless you don't plan to publish your mod publically.

 

[timerover51]

Who cares? Use whatever you want from wherever you want.

That is a good way to find yourself in a lawsuit.

 

[Brenshar]

I don't think it'd come to a lawsuit, too much effort and they won't know who you are, but it'd be better for this server to not be getting take down notice requests just in general

 

[need my speed]

That is a good way to find yourself in a lawsuit.

No, that is ridiculous.

You will get a lawsuit from making money of a mod you made of a game that you don't own the intellectual property to.
You will not get a lawsuit because random internet stranger #1 put an image on Google, and random internet stranger #2 made a niche mod for a niche game that uses this image. No one will even know, and if they do, no one will care. It won't ever even come to 'hey, you're using my image, please don't'. Simply nothing will happen.

 

[Vuldacon]

You will get a lawsuit from making money of a mod you made of a game that you don't own the intellectual property to.

While that is true, even if you do not make any money but rather give the work away for free, you would be taking money away from the owners in sales and that can result in a lawsuit.

 

[need my speed]

While that is true, even if you do not make any money but rather give the work away for free, you would be taking money away from the owners in sales and that can result in a lawsuit.

I am not taking money away from anyone by using images freely available on Google, and literally zero lawsuits will ever happen.

I truly cannot fathom that this is a discussion - do I live in a parallel universe?

 

[Ozymandias]

Although I am most certainly not an attorney, I do know a fair bit about contract law. There is a rubric of law called "T:he Fair Use Doctrine," allowing limited use of copyrighted material. The four Fair Use components are:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

So ripping off a complete game is an obvious No-No, but we have had, e.g., Civ 3 City Sets converted from RON and SMAC, and a plethora of conversions of Units from other games (I don't recall which offhand, but, e.g., Steph did quite a bit in Days Of Yore.) I have raised this matter with some senior mods, and they are discussing the matter, almost certainly with Thunderfall. Personally, in the meantime, I'd simply do my best to adhere to those four Fair Use components, and

 

[Vuldacon]

I am not taking money away from anyone by using images freely available on Google, and literally zero lawsuits will ever happen.

I truly cannot fathom that this is a discussion - do I live in a parallel universe?

No one is accusing you of anything.
The posts are merely statements of possible and probable lawsuits, depending on how copyrighted materials are used.

 

[need my speed]

No one is accusing you of anything.

I know! I meant 'I' as in, anyone who does such a thing, not me personally or specifically.