[game_preservation] Watermarks and Studio Communication

[Simon Carless]

In more recent history, GamesPress:

http://www.gamespress.co.uk/

...is an excellent source for unwatermarked assets. I believe you need to
pay a minor amount for full asset access, though. And you have to be a
journo to use it at all.

s!

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 9:13 AM, Andrew Armstrong <andrew at aarmstrong.org>
wrote:


>  Oh, I noticed this on some random news feed. It is utterly ridiculous

> (and funny no doubt), but of course this might just be an indicator that

> someone at Capcom's American office doesn't know how to contact the Japan

> office! (bloody interns ;-) )

>

> As for high quality unmarked copies (like, in PNG format not JPEG), it's a

> real issue. There isn't any good unwatermarked source for most of these

> marketing items a few years after release (this also can include preview

> screenshots, artwork, etc.). I'll be looking to source some for the Digital

> Game Canon website and the entries on there as a prototype to see if it's

> feasible for the IGDA to store them, or if there is any way to get them in

> the first place (perhaps the IGDA can get some contacts going to be sent

> marketing materials the same as press websites do and the preservation SIG

> can sort them).

>

> I'm sure some marketing departments keep tons of archives of this kind of

> stuff, I just wish I knew how we could get at it! :-) IGN etc. are "okay"

> for some research, but the fact is, it's unworkable for anyone doing proper

> historical research or trying to reuse the images in any way, since

> copyright (somehow) gets in the way...funnily, IGN "watermarks" to protect

> their copyright, despite the images not being theirs in the first place.

>

> Certainly the images would be better released under some less restrictive

> copyright (creative commons or somesuch), but permission is always a hassle,

> although I doubt anyone could sue for use of the original unmarked images

> anyway (marked ones at the very least, stupidly, might infringe trademark

> laws since IGN etc. plaster them with their logos).

>

> Some sites don't watermark or downscale (or JPEG images, urg...) though,

> although I've not made a list.

>

> Definitely a good whitepaper point at least!

>

> Andrew

>

> Captain Commando wrote:

>

> I recently blogged about the debacle of Capcom using an image watermarked

> by IGN for the US Okami Wii box art. I think this is something the IGDA

> Preservation SIG should be concerned with as it seems to me if you're

> organized and have good communication between studios, you're also able to

> preserve stuff better (and perhaps get a better product?).

>

>

> http://deserthat.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/ign-watermarks-and-lack-of-studio-intercommunication/

>

> Another point to add to the White Paper?

>

> -DM

>

> --

> The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

>

> "Until next time..."

> Captain Commando

>

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