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Arcade artwork legality

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vcoleiro1:

I know using rom's is not legal unless perhaps if you have the pcb of the game. However, I was wondering what the legality of using artwork from old games is. For example if I wished to use Galaga or Mortal Kombat artwork on a cab I have built, is it legal or would I be breaking some copyright or licensing by doing so?.  I know on Nintendo's site for example there is a page talking about the legality of roms and emulators.  But I have not seen an official page (from Namco etc ) on the legility of reproducing the artwork.  I suspect its not legal, but I would like to see an official page somewhere (on Namco, Atari's etc sites) that talk's about it.

Can anyone shed some light on the matter and any official links that go through this.

Sjaak:

I think you should use common sense in these cases.

If you build a cab for private use and print copyrighted artwork for that cab, then you won't get into trouble.
If you sell the cab to someone, you should be fine.

If you sell a lot of those cabs, you could get into trouble.
If you start selling copies of the artwork without permission from the copyright owner, you're getting into trouble.

Thenasty:

Just like those VHS/DVD movies that you/I/we copied, if you use it for your HOME personal use only and not sell it, no problem.

Now if you do sell and do other things (drugs,guns,pimping etc..) inside your home and get caught, thats probably when you get into more trouble.  >:D

SavannahLion:

Despite what a bunch of useless crack heads or a bunch of overpaid, overweight greedy executives will tell you, there is no official word on copyright, trademarks or patents or whatever except one (well more than one really but the point will still stand) and those are the laws a set forth in the respective countries.

Any other source from Nintendo's own to a certain ROM sharing website is an interpretation of that law and is always incorrect in some manner. Hell, ask anyone here about copyrights and you'll get 12 different answers when ten people respond.  You'll also get a blurb about a patent as well.

Necro:

If you're talking about home use, just do whatever.  Just don't sell anything and be a moron in that regard. 

Otherwise, if you want to know the 'law' and what the corporations want?  Well, then your screwed and never doing anything with anything.  period. 

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