CIV5 used google image search pics for their games without paying?

[Shuri]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422219

Pretty interesting, but rather lame from the makers of CIV5 .. A bunch of users discovered that several images used in CIV5 are simply taken straight from the net, without any permissions and so on; and whats even more funny is that they found the original pics using super easy keywords on google image search!

[Cerveza mas fina]

Wow thats really cheap.

Civ5 wasn't received too well either if I remember.

Edit: Some of the examples given are pretty stupid though. Some objects are so famous, or so generic you can't do them any other way.

[Sho Nuff]

I remember someone from EA telling me that as long as an image is changed something like 30% it's legally allowed. That still sounded bizarre to me though.

I also knew a guy whose designs in a Gas Powered Games title were ripped off wholesale in Avatar (or Sky Captain, can't remember). He showed me his concept art and the movie's artbook and they were identical--they didn't even change the colors.

[brob]

the 30% rule is true.

[Dickie Dee]

[Mandark]

 

I actually just started playing this again.  Kinda miss the old Civs with the massive boosts from resources.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

hahahaha

Wow. This thread is crazy. It just doesn't end.

[Himu]

Wow, a lot of these are flat out blatant. It's fine an artist to use something as a background, but you change as much as possible and give it your own flair.

Also, any professional knows if you're going to ape someone's image DONT' DO IT VIA GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH, go to stock exchange and BUY some pics or even use some of the free ones.

[Pringo]

I remember someone from EA telling me that as long as an image is changed something like 30% it's legally allowed. That still sounded bizarre to me though.

the 30% rule is true.

How the hell does one convert an artistic modification to a percentage value exactly? Seems like arguing whether or not something achieves that 30% would be a complete crapshoot.

[Himu]

Well, this one is a good example.



This is how you correctly modify an image. They take the base pose, enhance and alter it, give the person new clothes and add a background. While they look similar they're completely different images.

Notice the arm holding the big part of the telescope. It's closer to the head in the illustration whereas it's further away from the head in the photo. The hand is lower, the telescope itself is thicker. Different style hair and skin tone have been added. The result, in combination with the coloring, background and lighting is a completely different image and that is one's goal as a designer.

The point is, every designer uses something as a source. The difference between games like Civ 5 is that they make their source material blatant with very few modifications. Very few illustrations are made directly by hand, straight from one's minds eye or even original.

This doesn't excuse the Civ 4/5 team from using google images, though.

[chronovore]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the images shown in that linked thread. All of the images have been substantially, or at least sufficiently digitally manipulated.

[Himu]

Oh but Chronovore, they're so similar. Aren't artists supposed to make original works?

[naff]

http://www.shutterstock.com/

Why should they make original art for shit like this when there's so much for free (or close to it) out there already that suits the purpose?

[Himu]

I go to sxc.hu personally

[chronovore]

Oh but Chronovore, they're so similar. Aren't artists supposed to make original works?

I laughed.

Disturbingly, it was similar to other people's laughs which I've previously heard.