[Leif_-]

Originally posted by PDF:
I find the situation totally ridiculous : do you think Activision will file Zen because he used a MAP OF EUROPE image taken from MTW to make a free map for Dominions - a game that has maybe a couple thousands players - and advertised it on a small board, not much more popular than a suburb game shop ?
This has nothing to do with piracy, and bears no loss to the publisher either ...
Maybe they would fine him 3 bucks ?
C'mon, men, be serious, firms and lawyers have more lucrative occupations

No, I don't really believe it's likely that there would have been any legal repercussions over it - except perhaps a cease and desist notice (which doesn't really have any legal status as such). However, I'm more concerned about the principle of the thing than the possibility for punishment. I believe it's both right and in the long run better that we (the Dominions community) try to keep our path clean, and this was a case that would have been a clear copyright violation.

No, the outline and geography of Europe is of course not under copyright, but this was a particular artistic reendition of it, which is.

Remember, copyright law is what protects Illwinter and Shrapnel Games and keeps them in buisness, as well as any artistic endeavours you or I might decide to pursue. I think it behooves us to respect the copyright of others the way we want our own copyright to be respected.