What Is Your Opinion On Game Cover Scans/Screenshots?

Post by **racketboy** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:23 pm

As I'm planning the game database, I can't help but think about the issue of came cover scans and screenshots for games.
Obviously, it would be nice to have a cover scan and screenshot of every game, but that's near impossible without somebody taking an image that somebody else captured on the Net.
I know some people get really upset when an image that they supposedly "created" gets used by another website.

Personally, I could really care less if somebody uses a generic image like that. If somebody steals a title graphic that I designed from scratch, that would be one thing, but even if I scanned an cover or captured a screenshot, that art doesn't belong to me anyway.

Personally, when it comes to screenshots and cover art, I think either the art belongs solely to the game publisher (which would mean that all these game sites out there would need individual permission from each publisher -- including ones that are now gone) or they should be essentially open source in a way. (of course not in quite the same way as typical open source or public domain material)

I guess that's why it irks me so much that certain sites watermark all their images. Even if I scanned all my images on my site, I would never watermark stuff. Even if it was some piece of artwork, I think it takes away too much from the piece to throw a watermark on. And if your watermark doesn't degrade the image, it can probably be Photoshopped out anyway.

Ok, enough ranting --- what's your thought on this matter?
Should I even care about the issue when it comes to adding images to the database?
Do you know of any scanners/screenshot people that have collections that they don't mind freely distributing?

Post by **SpaceBooger** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:19 pm

On my website I scan comic book panels and do not watermark them, other sites do... but if you think about it the images are copyright the company not the scanner.
I do get mad when someone uses my bandwith for an image instead of uploading it on their own site.

Post by **racketboy** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:21 pm

SpaceBooger wrote:I do get mad when someone uses my bandwith for an image instead of uploading it on their own site.

Yeah, that's a completely different matter. If you're like me and push the limits of your plan's bandwidth, that leeching costs money.

Post by **spiritplx** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:13 pm

I have no idea how the folks over at MobyGames feel about sharing images, but they normally have a good selection of screenshots and cover art for quite a few games.

If they are unwilling to share/don't have images for a given game, their screenshot layout idea is fairly simple to mimic. From what I see, they normally take screen shots of the very beginning of the game, showing various game menus/functions, start screens, etc, just to get a quick feel for a game. I know that most emulators support taking screenshots. Although this would be quite an overwhelming task for all games, it might be an alternative to getting images for games where images are not available/are not shared. Just a thought.

Slightly off topic, but as far as scans go, do you plan on adding scans of the game manuals in your database? I have yet to find any databases close to providing a comprehensive collection of manuals for any system.

Post by **racketboy** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:38 pm

spiritplx wrote:I have no idea how the folks over at MobyGames feel about sharing images, but they normally have a good selection of screenshots and cover art for quite a few games.

If they are unwilling to share/don't have images for a given game, their screenshot layout idea is fairly simple to mimic. From what I see, they normally take screen shots of the very beginning of the game, showing various game menus/functions, start screens, etc, just to get a quick feel for a game. I know that most emulators support taking screenshots. Although this would be quite an overwhelming task for all games, it might be an alternative to getting images for games where images are not available/are not shared. Just a thought.

Slightly off topic, but as far as scans go, do you plan on adding scans of the game manuals in your database? I have yet to find any databases close to providing a comprehensive collection of manuals for any system.

If people are willing to contribute them, I would like to support that option.
What format would be ideal? I will have a image gallery of sorts for each game divided by different image type (screenshots, covers, etc), but I don't have anything set up for PDFs and the like.

Post by **roushimsx** » Mon May 12, 2008 11:30 pm

spiritplx wrote:I have no idea how the folks over at MobyGames feel about sharing images, but they normally have a good selection of screenshots and cover art for quite a few games.

They watermark them, which is pretty much why I quit submitting stuff to them.

I'm pretty anti-watermark when it comes to screenshots and scans. It always bothers me when people go out of their way to try to claim ownership of something that very obviously isn't theirs. Kind of holds true for a lot of other things, for that matter.

Rather than cull the internet for unwatermarked material, you should just leave an empty spot / placeholder there and add the relevant scans/screenshots as you get them (either through your own work or through submissions). The submission process at Mobygames is actually a pretty decent template to follow if you're inclined.

Once you establish a set criteria for scan submissions (resolution / file type / etc), I'll be down for scanning in covers/boxes/media to help out. Lord knows I could use a break from the stuff I'm currently scanning.

Also:

Post by **racketboy** » Tue May 13, 2008 12:01 am

Well, I my initial design for the submission process should be pretty good. I haven't used the initial code my developer whipped up, but I hope to start testing soon.

I hope to start loading data for the Dreamcast, Sega CD, and 32X initially to see how things go since those are the ones I have the most complete and clean data for right now.

As soon as its presentable, I'll have a "beta" ready for forum members to test out and start playing with.

Also, just an FYI, I have a points system also implemented to reward those that contribute.

Post by **roushimsx** » Tue May 13, 2008 12:06 am

racketboy wrote:I hope to start loading data for the Dreamcast, Sega CD, and 32X initially to see how things go since those are the ones I have the most complete and clean data for right now.

Damn, and I just put most of the DC stuff in storage out in the garage. Guess I'll have to fish it out once the database goes live!

Post by **Doctor Fugue** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:38 am

As I was writing about the Segagaga site, I wondered about all the cover scans. Do they "own" those images if they scanned them? I would say no. If you take their images, do they have any claim? I guess not. Property that is stolen from someone who stole it from somebody else is still stolen property, and the first thief can't complain.

"Fair Use" in copyright law is not clear. If it can be proven that a substantial amount of a copyrighted work is used, and especially used to make money, then there is a problem. Are you using the database to make money? You are certainly doing it to make us happy (thank you) but there are also advertising clicks going on.

I was recording all day, I think my brain has gone. Anyway, I can't imagine Sega ever coming after you, but maybe some internet jerks who think they own an image after scanning might...but they don't have the right.

Post by **Ramatut4001** » Tue May 13, 2008 7:31 am

I'd be happy to scan some of my games. I'm looking forward to the database.