Hey everyone! I'm working on a game and I want to include some images of some cities scrolling by underneath some clouds... I'd like to use something like Google Maps / Earth... 1. Is this legal ? Are there no copyright issues ? 2. I'm pretty sure noone will be able to recognize their house, but I'm asking anyways: 'are there any privacy issues involved?' The imagery will be used merely as a nice scrolling background, but I'd like to know the above anyways, since I'd hate to get in trouble later on :) Thanks in advance!! Regards, Abel.

Quote: Original post by AbelCorver
I want to include some images of some cities scrolling by underneath some clouds... I'd like to use something like Google Maps / Earth... 1. Is this legal ? Are there no copyright issues ?

Abel, just LOOK at Google Earth and Google Maps. They have copyright notices all over them.
I just went on Google Maps and there was an obvious copyright notice right there.
It should be obvious that there is a copyright issue in using those images.
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/faq61.htm

Thank you for your kind response.
I saw a texture with such an image being used that appeared to be from sites like Google Maps... So I wasn't sure whether the copyright notice was specific to the COPYING of the service itself, or parts from it, so for example recreating parts of it using their material and ideas.

I wasn't sure if someone would be able to copyright images of earth...
Thank you for your understanding and respect towards people like me not yet familiar with these concepts.

Also, do you know a place where I can get copyright-free images of earth / cities ?

Thanks in advance!

Kind Regards,
Abel.

vterrain.org is a great place for all things related to terrain/planets/cities. They've got a free imagery page that might be of use.

Quote: Original post by AbelCorver
I wasn't sure if someone would be able to copyright images of earth...

The actual idea of an image of the earth is obviously free, but actually flying a camera up in the sky costs a fair bit -- so a particular image can be protected by copyright (photographers gotta make a living somehow).

Thanks for your help and tips.
vterrain is indeed a great resource!

Cheers!
Abel.