A Question About KQ & PDFs

[m0sh]

So, I've collected KQ books for quite a while now and so far I have The Floating Castle, Kingdom of Sorrow, See No Weevil, The King's Quest Companion (1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Editions), The Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles & The Official Book of King's Quest (3rd Edition). Iv'e noticed that not many people have read the novels and it's a shame, they are EPIC! So my question, does anyone here know if it would be illegal if I were to scan and create PDF files for my collection? Would it be illegal to make them only for my personal use? Would it be illegal if I were to distribute them to other KQ fans (for no profit or gain, of course)? If it is indeed legal to scan the books, my plan would be to scan the 4th edition of the KQ Companion, then scan all the content from the earlier editions that wasn't included in the 4th, and combine them into one ultimate PDF of the book. Would modifying the material after its scan be illegal itself? I would also like to scan the three novels, simply to have more KQ enjoy them; as well as the guidebook if possible. The Official Book of King's Quest reall isn't worth scanning, except maybe the crossword puzzles. Any insight on my question is appreciated!   

[Haids1987]

Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatie! C'mere, we need an answer to a copyrightish-type question!

[DawsonJ]

Do what you want, if you keep it for yourself.  Personal copies of books, DVDs, CDs, and even video game ROMs are legal AS LONG AS you keep them for personal use ONLY.  That's why there are legitimate companies that sell software solely for DVD and Blu-Ray backups.  But, not for distribution.

Speaking of Kingdom of Sorrow, have you seen this?

[m0sh]

cool thnx, but damn i wanted to share! 

[DawsonJ]

cool thnx, but damn i wanted to share!  

Yeah, but literary copyright laws are ungodly unrealistic.  I've read that some (if not all) book copyrights belong to the writer/publisher for 100 years.  

This just in:
Wikipedia's list of each country's copyright lengths

[m0sh]

ugh. well thank you for the answer! and yes ive been waiting for the KOS game/"project x" since day one. cant f***ing wait!!!

[KatieHal]

Yeah--distributing something to which you do not own the copyright is illegal. (It's why we got shut down twice!) Availability of said product is immaterial. Sorry!

[m0sh]

thank you as well m'lady! 

[mgiuca]

Technically I think it *is* copyright infringement to scan a copy of a book, even if you don't distribute it. Copyright law applies to the *copying* of content, not the distribution. I'm not saying I agree with copyright law, I think it mostly sucks. The problem is that it was invented for a time (around 400 years ago) when any act of copying was probably going to be for commercial use, since printing machines were so expensive. The problem is that that law makes no sense in the computer age.

Katie, I never understood the legal basis under which you got shut down. Can you talk about it? I don't understand how TSL is copyright infringement. It uses likenesses, and places, but you didn't actually *copy* any content. You re-created all of the scenes. Was that enough to constitute copyright infringement? I can see why it was a trade mark dispute (and it seems reasonable for them to ask you not call the game "King's Quest"), but I never saw how it was actually copyright infringement. (My guess is that it's more likely that they simply threatened you, and knew that you couldn't afford to fight a legal battle with them.)

[wilco64256]

It's because when you own an original work on media like a game or book or movie, you own not just that actual thing but the story and characters you created themselves.

You couldn't go out and write a new sequel to Harry Potter using all the same characters and locations for the same reason.

[KatieHal]

Exactly--that's what "intellectual property" is, something that isn't a specific item, but, well, the overall idea and content. Even though we made all the art, models, backgrounds, story and voices ourselves, the content is still heavily based on the existing King's Quest series. That we weren't and had/have no plans to make any money on TSL is primarily what saved us from actually getting sued (and no, we certainly could not have afforded a legal battle).