Would it be plagriarism if I took a line fom a video game and used it my novel?
2007-12-19 14:42:07 · 12 answers · asked by . 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Actually I would view that just like taking a line from a song. You cannot do it without paying a licensing fee and they are generally quite expensive. I would not do it. Change the line. Choose something similar. "Giving credit" is not enough. They want to be PAID.
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They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.
Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.
Pax - C
2007-12-19 15:05:19 · answer #1 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would be copyright infringement. As already noted, taking a line from a video game is legally viewed in the same way as taking a line from a song. You can do it--but only if you obtain the rights to it. Usually this costs a good bit of money, enough that publishers may well shy away from your novel if the line is integral to the story.
Once you become an author whose works sell well, publishers will be more willing to buy the rights to the line.
Meanwhile, I'd recommend crafting your own original line that has the same impact or intent.
2007-12-20 07:49:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on what the quote is. If the quote is clearly from a specific source or a specific series, then it is plagiarism. But if the quote could come from anywhere and be attributed to a number of different sources, then it is less likely to be such.
For instance, one of my favorite video games is the original MediEvil. If I we're to say "The hero of Gallowmere" in a novel I planned to say, then I would be plagiarizing the game. Another of my favorite games is a series of Civil War simulations. In the game when I want a unit to charge I get someone shouting out "CHARGE!!!" That's a rather generic quote not specific to any one source, so I could use it without plagiarizing any one particular source.
2007-12-20 01:01:56 · answer #3 · answered by knight1192a 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When it comes time to publish your novel, the legal department of your publisher will make such determinations for you. Make sure you let them know what you have done. Until then I wouldn't worry about it. Just as a generalization, I don't think Answers is a particularly good place to get legal advice,
2007-12-20 00:53:41 · answer #4 · answered by Artful 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that if you contact the manufacturer there maybe a royalty to be paid, and then they'll let you use the line. You'll have to include a credit as to where the line came from.
2007-12-19 22:51:23 · answer #5 · answered by SueAnn 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You would have to check out all of the technicalities, because I remember back in the eighties, when the book ET came out m&ms were used as the candy Elliot used and they did not have to pay a royality but while filiming the movie they needed permission to use m&ms, but were denied because someone in charge of M&Ms thought the movie was going to flop, Reeses however was trying to launch their new candy, and the rest is history.
2007-12-19 23:07:21 · answer #6 · answered by mysticalviking 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can't take anything that is copyrighted without permission first. If you do and even if you credit the line, you are still guilty of copyright infringement.
2007-12-19 22:50:54 · answer #7 · answered by Dale 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If it's an easily recognized line, you will need to make sure you credit the original author. If it's something more cliche (such as "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," for example) then you probably wouldn't need to worry about it.
2007-12-19 22:50:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Depends on the line, but I think no.
If it's "use the force, Luke"...then that's plagiarism
if it's "shoot 'em down"...then it's not, lol ^^
2007-12-19 22:49:42 · answer #9 · answered by Brommy A 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without attribution? Of course it would be.
2007-12-19 23:30:06 · answer #10 · answered by John T 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋