Emulation website

[thiagoccb]

Hi, I would like to make a website about emulation but I have some doubts about it. I don't know what's legal and what's illegal.
First:
For example, if I provide roms that I don't have the real game? I know that you need to have the original game to have the copy of it, but in this case too? Ok...let's say that it is illegal anyway, but I know many sites that have ALL roms of many systems...and I think it is impossible to have so many games at home...they are thousands...so if I only have them to provide selected material that I found in the web to the users, is that legal?
Second:
I would use images from mario and sonic...do I need to have the permission of Nintendo and Sega to use their images? Many sites have mario(emutalk for example), sonic, zelda e many other copyrighted characters...so I don't know if is legal to use them...



Sorry about my english!

[KingVendrSnatch]

Distributing ROM Images sans Public Domain images are Illegal period. For that matter ROM Images are illegal.

As far as using VG characters, As long as you dont try to take any claim to them and you dont try to use the Images for financial profit you shouldnt have to worry much about that. I certainly dont see Nintendo busting down your door because you make a logo with Mario in it.

But dont take my word further that then end of my post. Im pretty much just stating in generalized terms.

[thiagoccb]

Well, I knew the answer would be that for rom images...but as I said before...I don't know how these web sites keep alive. One of them has almost all systems and all the roms images of them...it has many years of existance and adds from many different products. So, like you said I've heard many times...that's illegal...but what do you say about that for me? they are not 2 or 3 web sites...they receive money from adds of famous products companies and have many years of existance...proving that if somebody fought against, have lost...it's very complicated...it sounds like it's legal to be illegal...
I understood your answer and I'm not saying it's not right, I would only like to understand why it would be illegal for me to do that having everything that I said as facts...
Thanks for answering it.

[bcrew1375]

Hi, I would like to make a website about emulation but I have some doubts about it. I don't know what's legal and what's illegal.
First:
For example, if I provide roms that I don't have the real game? I know that you need to have the original game to have the copy of it, but in this case too? Ok...let's say that it is illegal anyway, but I know many sites that have ALL roms of many systems...and I think it is impossible to have so many games at home...they are thousands...so if I only have them to provide selected material that I found in the web to the users, is that legal?
Second:
I would use images from mario and sonic...do I need to have the permission of Nintendo and Sega to use their images? Many sites have mario(emutalk for example), sonic, zelda e many other copyrighted characters...so I don't know if is legal to use them...

Sorry about my english!

AFAIK, ROM images are only legal for archival purposes. You can not have a ROM that you don't have a license for(own the original cartridge). Even then, only one copy is allowed to be used at any one time. The site http://www.consoleclassix.com seems to have a way of legally distributing ROMS. They have a large archive of original cartridges, and act as a sort of "ROM rental service." You pay a fee and get to play the ROM for a set amount of time. Here is their legal info: http://www.consoleclassix.com/legal.php

[KingVendrSnatch]

Well, I knew the answer would be that for rom images...but as I said before...I don't know how these web sites keep alive. One of them has almost all systems and all the roms images of them...it has many years of existance and adds from many different products. So, like you said I've heard many times...that's illegal...but what do you say about that for me? they are not 2 or 3 web sites...they receive money from adds of famous products companies and have many years of existance...proving that if somebody fought against, have lost...it's very complicated...it sounds like it's legal to be illegal...
I understood your answer and I'm not saying it's not right, I would only like to understand why it would be illegal for me to do that having everything that I said as facts...
Thanks for answering it.

Some of those sites servers are located in countries that appear to have somewhat different looks on copyrights. Since I dont live in those countries I cant really be anymore specific.

[Jakob]

In western countries it is generally legal to dump a rom from a cartridge you own, but it is illegal to distribute the file you dumped from the cartridge. Regarding images found in games, such as sprites, that falls under "fair use", the same goes for posting a screenshot of a video game or a movie on a website.

Of course, not all countries are western countries, many smaller nations have very little in the way of copyright law and even less in the way of enforcement.

[Allnatural]

Of course, not all countries are western countries, many smaller nations have very little in the way of copyright law and even less in the way of enforcement.

As well as some large countries, like *cough* China.

[thiagoccb]

I live in Brazil...there are many brazilian web sites that distribute roms and emulators...and they don't seem to be illegal, almost 10 years doing it...others I found in english, but I don't know exactly from what countries they are...

[Miretank]

I live in Brazil...there are many brazilian web sites that distribute roms and emulators...and they don't seem to be illegal, almost 10 years doing it...others I found in english, but I don't know exactly from what countries they are...

buddy, they are illegal. they're distributing copyrighted software. And I Have seen brazilian sites being knocked down because of ROMs and stuff.

If you want to make a LEGAL thing, build up a site for EMULATORS, not ROMs. Emus are legal, although roms aren't.

[BlueFalcon7]

hey, my friend goes to China to get fake rolexes (which are stiil pretty cool) and to download stuff that he would otherwise get destroyed by the fags in the US that protect copyright laws.