Drawing a combine is copyright infringement? O.o

[ultrasonicsite]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cmbeliteface.PNG

On the bottom it has a quick copyright notice. If I understand this correctly, If I were to draw it as fanart, the police could come knocking on my door and fine me much moneys?

 

[Ionium]

lol wtf that's ridiculous

 

[Link]

Coyright is civil, not criminal, so the police would not be involved. But yes, if you reproduce copywritten work, you are liable to procecution. Dosen't mean it will happen, just that it could.

 

[ultrasonicsite]

What exactely happens to "Fanart" then?

 

[Jintor]

Valve ignores it and gets back to work on their game. Unless you start selling it and/or claiming it as an entirely original creation of your own.

 

[bliink]

Also, you're usually protected by the principles of fair use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

 

[Ridge]

If you take that image and say its yours, then its copyright infrignement and Valve can sue your ass...

 

[cojawfee]

It has this on every image that is not public domain. This is a Wikipedia thing, not Valve.

 

[ríomhaire]

Valve owns everything in HL2, from the sound files, to the levels, to the story, to the characters. Recreation of this without their permission is punishable. But no one actually care unless you start making money off of their creations without their permission (which is why mods are free, if they charged Valve could sue the crap out of them)