Forum:Screenshots and "Fair Use"

I have a question regarding "fair use." I know that we use screencaps from DVDs and such, and consider those "fair use." Would the same apply to screenshots from within a computer game?

I would like to expand some of the computer game articles by including screenshots from the games. For example, in the Star Trek: Armada article, there is a lot of information on the ships, many of which are not from the actual shows/movies. I would like to add images of those ships, since they are not seen anywhere else.

I am not an expert on "fair use." Would this be OK? --OuroborosCobra talk |undefined  04:45, 3 July 2006 (UTC)


 * As long as you don't distribute the game, it should be alright. A lot of game modding sites/communities post screen shots of the game, as well as the additions made to it. Activision/Interplay/Whoever owns the game rights now hasn't seemed to care. Anyways, there's even less damage (if any) to intellectual property since you have to play the game instead of watch it (like a movie and taking a screenshot). Majorthomme 06:23, 3 July 2006 (UTC)


 * I don't see why this would be any different from having a few images from inside comic books on the comic book pages, to illustrate it. For clarity, Wikipedia describes fair use as "does not significantly impede the right of the copyright holder to sell the copyrighted material, is not being used to turn a profit in this context, and presents ideas that cannot be exhibited otherwise." Sounds like us.- AJ Halliwell 06:23, 4 July 2006 (UTC)


 * I look at Wikipedia's policy as "Use it, don't abuse it" in plain and simple context. I'm iffy about comic books. It's just because reading a comic suits the purpose it was given, while a screenshot of a movie or a game doesn't give the experience of actually obtaining the whole thing. Majorthomme 00:39, 5 July 2006 (UTC)