Stolen S.T.A.L.K.E.R. artwork

[Strelok]

Why is The Escapist using stolen S.T.A.L.K.E.R. artwork to promote a contest to win Fallout 4?

Had me thinking I missed a few releases S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (2,3), anyway is this even legal?

 

[tippy2k2]

My guess is that it is either legal or it is an honest mistake considering when I reverse-Google the "Fallout4 image", a lot of different sites come up with that same exact image. There's really no reason why The Escapist would (purposefully) steal artwork for one of their contests...

Hell, I'd be shocked if anyone at The Escapist actually does those contests. If I had to guess, it's Defy Media (the owners of the website) that actually runs those things and puts them together.

EDIT: Also, what Accursed right below me said because I can't find that contest on this website or the giveaways at Escapist Deals...

 

[DefunctTheory]

Got a link for that?

 

[Broderick]

Got a link for that?

http://lockerdome.com/6475565477676353/8263523721548570#comments the picture is there. When typing in a reverse google image search, this comes up(the link for it is in the spoiler, rather long, so be warned). Take the following as you will.

Spoiler

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&biw=1600&bih=799&tbs=sbi%3AAMhZZivABl-XV3nDmqA2fCqxQR-jF_1mSelH-GZd78ARh7xQH1SQWlRUJD7mv-ulrUjhdd52tXJ_1Fv5XzRbCd_1fH7bL-ukbq0KDPrqjBwlCol-EyB4SLugMDmXf_1Ssk0IUqNIbUKvwub82hQDlCwKx8PwocW-J7h73JdFn-Zh5hXfkr75gFq-rdIKTRNpr89vg4ugdUNOafFCLlVmBY_1xfG8xDCGIwYt6GjGGTgBa98eqzcUDxgcHC39IMQTVTbUIlyOwwpmMDqSwL3snGxVNFNVgl6EizQGzQxTcUozweOfCrdJzU4Sw_1Cyi_1_1yohQTgQ915APu3MMW4rTsxuQAwo3QFtEvjF_1kD-tTF1kUROR59OMYqBbnIDuZSDyezDxxykL3kw6WxiSROMQLDYkTaQo2B8qXNWBMzoUGppCHnddsjI14FwUyXKOukC2epgGDXg9JdHetlzsIaj7JprPYVoZK6I1y02w_1rMfwk9omE3d0PkGMxaKQgZ7S40ndUCItMY7S5rtrMJhgK6AKGn7ofAiHdiHRlLL_1yLz-6suzL3SOhYj2O0aDZ3qcYw5BLUoXI28V4GiZC8Wf3LTeHVnLNEHzyzrhg1WrLI4QwQqETDFLPm8WmsyOoQcFsNx_1Ru4ViMYD4HkAIhB9d-0vHFVn80ogvMISA3HyIFIObjx_1s6Vxu-Hda-ibgKyelKWotM1hVEMRBBY0tgA4fmklS8v-nELzGFlrsz7uG22McEcVpU6YX2e5m_17ZQgGlMXQk7roIBP4ssxPVB9movN0ArkG4s0wn9yc07gLFhPWGod14n2Zkf1jVYYb_1OLNfTSFtZI_1pgv7ZFzphJeUWDNsBgipq46t8VoMVSt9qvCkrXwcHlsnx2ZZfsJ7f8zte0XZQYUuS8lD60RlyXacM2IwItjNNUOrCInQ9kR8VvD5tozpKK-r1-4TE4CwC_1VOBbgFMODPluem6xqUhLW6YxkzEOjfWqCp0g-9hOMwmlD0FLIxdO3b1q4g9M0CMjhsN30hscVlIuMnGzHc9SkyMvS6WGO6PXmFy-cm9AXNQc-COezmxPbkapCGNeNdAyPmcr3WKsK08Dy3atc7Qb1-Kq-EdRfHOIyeo7YY52899YC09fPrItD4sUD7TYHpLKHtFAX5SRO9T1O9BmJEdtKQBhHqUwazr63duHDQi1n7Rdy6suIKLO_1ygXAS-adGZgSkDIqlU02jSOOZAbppe-_1NrxQjdwQWzZGsnQGYsQeMtNAkRDHqL6vWPll8nrV9Y5MkORq81M4vrmOSFPbnqkyXlmXNx84Mesx-hJmwC9EYAE4MqHTxzzZS3IyYdJ69YYRE_1HqCoeV1dSYw3SuTNS2LKFJMWv7zdhIL7qGEYZHShZ2yd2PBgKguIJJW7N0KhrBfAILqGCaaillleiGgVz4SMdmtfeR3y7xy20aQ5j9sEPyYwuLUDCWy_1xYYUC5_1Mtcbc6t1Z26gCF_1PqrVoj8Lhfln71chRUnGi6PfacbnRkX7P67jyQTL1GdOesDOf0L_19U3t6jUpMm2UZK0Lv0AdZUUK7-lCR4_1ZvPL_1aKrTwGa7kUwvFx3J4NykNYDDPFjbEKw3IDo-4TmCAQfOXC242NLCmO9QqD9606MlMzE2SlYRhGHC2n75Qc8BuW-0KS0GVk&q=stalker&oq=stalker&gs_l=serp.3...4400.5463.5.5567.8.7.0.0.0.0.194.194.0j1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..9.0.0.0.X3vrm1IkpFA

 

[DoPo]

I seem to find more places that have used this image, but none of them are the Escapist.

Spoiler: some keygen tool

Spoiler: another keygen tool (or maybe different thing for the same one)

http://image.slidesharecdn.com/fallout4cdkeygeneratorpccodekeygeneratorserialcodehackcdkey-151116123118-lva1-app6892/95/fallout-4-cd-key-generator-pc-code-key-generator-serial-code-hack-cd-key-1-638.jpg?cb=1447677115

Spoiler: Something on FunnyJunk (great source of legitimacy)

http://www.funnyjunk.com/Get+hyped/funny-pictures/5514501/

Spoiler: Something...else.

Seems to use a further modified picture

It leads to this page: http://www.openworldpcgaming.com/?akID[8][atSelectOptionID][]=43

 

[Here Comes Tomorrow]

It genuinly annoys me that people associate this art with Fallout 4 now because someone stuck a logo on it and cropped out the STALKER bits. It shows up when you GIS Fallout 4.

It even has a military copter, the CNPP and a few other STALKER landmarks in it.

It also says a lot about the Fallout 4 art that most people choose to use artwork from another game entierly.

 

[DoPo]

For what it's worth, I found some more examples of this artwork being used

Spoiler: A YouTube video has it as the cover image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQbf6FPKLY0

Spoiler: Another YouTube video has it as the cover image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm-3wF9Pxa0

Spoiler: a news article has a giant modified version of it

http://www.technewstoday.com/25606-the-upcoming-fallout-4-game-will-include-these-new-perks-for-enhanced-gamep/

Spoiler: Actually, there seem to be quite a lot of articles that use it

http://411mania.com/games/four-player-co-op-will-bethesda-announce-fallout-4-at-e3-2015/

Spoiler

http://www.technrich.com/fallout-4-specs-on-release-dates-prices-mods-and-other-topics-rip-the-market-1641869

Spoiler

http://www.ibtimes.com.au/player-walks-through-open-world-map-fallout-4-less-11-minutes-1480937

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2503244

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2571246

http://www.ibtimes.com.au/fallout-4-game-director-todd-howard-reveals-future-dlc-plans-game-1483684

http://www.downloadsource.es/todos-los-comandos-codigos-y-trucos-para-fallout-4-para-pc/a/189/

http://gearnuke.com/fallout-4-set-record-sales-retail-stores-12-million-copies-sold-one-day/

http://www.boosharticles.com/2014/12/fallout-4-release-date-anytime-soon-its-development-related-with-skyrim/

http://www.boosharticles.com/2015/04/fallout-4-include-multiplayer-version-bethesda-quiet/

http://www.vcpost.com/articles/47472/20150306/fallout-4-release-year-bethesda-confirms-e3-2015-attendance.htm

I gave up looking for more after those. Yeah, there are more. It seems the artwork has been associated with Fallout 4 for at least a year now (one of the articles is from 2014).

My guess is that a year or something back, somebody wrote something about Fallout 4 but with a lack of any official Fallout 4 artwork, they grabbed the one from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and then other people started copying that.

EDIT: Also worth noting that the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. artwork also shows up in searches for "post apocalyptic". Without the game's logo. Dunno if that image was originally not associated with anything or it was associated with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and then "transformed". At any rate, I think that all those articles that do use it, stem from somebody going for "post apocalyptic" and finding that.

 

[Aerosteam]

Stolen? Well, I guess it is? But do you expect the contest holders to create original artwork?

 

[DemomanHusband]

Stolen? Well, I guess it is? But do you expect the contest holders to create original artwork?

They probably expect them to use artwork that pertains to the actual game. I'm all for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. getting more exposure, but it'd be nice if anyone ever knew the difference between that game and Fallout 4.

 

[Aerosteam]

Stolen? Well, I guess it is? But do you expect the contest holders to create original artwork?

They probably expect them to use artwork that pertains to the actual game. I'm all for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. getting more exposure, but it'd be nice if anyone ever knew the difference between that game and Fallout 4.

In that case this isn't about the artwork being stolen, it's about taking artwork from the wrong game.

Anyway, I love it when things like this happen, I couldn't stop laughing when when that game journalist was playing Uncharted 2 Remastered but thought he was playing Uncharted 4.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Please excuse me. Seeing STALKER artwork associated with Fallout requires true weeping. The game is already too obscure, but now what little identity it has that those outside of its fan base would recognize is being gobbled by the bigger, more popular game.

This is truly a sad day for gaming.

 

[sonicneedslovetoo]

I've never been that much of a stalker fan(I've tried the games but I can't get into them) and even I know that's blatantly artwork from the Stalker games from the art style alone.

 

[Chaosian]

I was almost going to mention this myself.
Seriously, if you're going launch a contest - at least know what you're talking about. It just looks sleezy when you don't.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Hey, what's good enough for IGN...

I would've linked to the tweet itself, but they've rather wisely deleted that.

 

[Strelok]

Hey, what's good enough for IGN...

One would hope the Escapist would aspire to be something more than IGNorant.

Also worth noting that the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. artwork also shows up in searches for "post apocalyptic". Without the game's logo. Dunno if that image was originally not associated with anything or it was associated with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and then "transformed". At any rate, I think that all those articles that do use it, stem from somebody going for "post apocalyptic" and finding that.

You can see the array in the middle far right of the picture, this is a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. location near reactor 4. The picture used was also a poster in the Russian Collector's Edition of Clear Sky.

Guess they just realized Fallout 4 is essentially Stalker-but-shit.

Not sure that's it, I think S.T.A.L.K.E.R. just does post apocalyptic better than Fallout 3,4. Which is kind of amusing, as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. isn't post apocalyptic.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

It also says a lot about the Fallout 4 art that most people choose to use artwork from another game entierly.

That's... a tad presumptuous, honestly.

The game's art style is fine, seeing as it's an artistic choice. I appreciate it, others tolerate it, and you're within your right to think Bethesda's design is sub-par. What isn't acceptable, though, is assuming "most people" associate STALKER's art style with Fallout because it's superior. It isn't *necessarily* superior - it's an art style, a direction that was chosen by GSC. I'm not too fond of the STALKER series' art style, myself, but I also don't assume that Bethesda's approach is superior in any way, shape or form.

I'm pretty sure this is just a case of some Lockerdome art asset drone ignoring the first thing about Fallout as a game universe and just being told it's some new Post-Apoc vidyagaem. Said drone runs a basic Google image search, doesn't give enough of a damn to check to see if the image actually matches with the product, and there ya go.

Perceiving this as being a criticism of an aspect of the game's that's being put up for sweepstakes is honestly far-fetched.

 

[StoleitfromKilgore]

@Strelok:

Not sure that's it, I think S.T.A.L.K.E.R. just does post apocalyptic better than Fallout 3,4. Which is kind of amusing, as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. isn't post apocalyptic.

How about "post-soviet semi-sci-fi wilderness simulator" then?

 

[Barbas]

I just encountered that in the right-hand margin on this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/walkthroughs/14946-Ashes-of-the-Singularity-Alpha-Beta-Walkthrough-How-To-Tips] page when signed out. Sent word to the Tech Team. Keep calm and carry on.

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

Big snip

Ouch. This must be painful to see to people at GSG. Some guys really need to improve their research skill.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Also Fallout 4 is probably buggier (there's a lot of problems with the toolsets of F3/FNV and Skyrim, and you installed too many mods you'll have to start using workarounds like fullscreen emulator because fullscreen will actually break the game).

Someone forgets the mess that Shadow of Chernobyl was on release, where falling through geometry was common enough that it regularly happened to plot items. Then there was the broken AI that gave about a 50/50 chance that you either faced a smart enemy or an enemy that froze in position or decided to keep sprinting against a wall. Then there were all the graphics issues (that made the game a massive resource hog as well as giving it about a million graphical artifacts) and the notoriously bad stability issues and the memory leaks. Then there was Clear Sky, which still to this day is incredibly buggy but was so bad at release that it was actually unplayable for a majority of day 1 players.

The best one can say is that Call of Pripyat was actually stable and relatively bug free once it released outside of the Russian speaking territories, but that was on account of the original Russian language release being on par with Clear Sky in terms of bugginess and stability.

In comparison Fallout 4 seems like the patron saint of good coding.