Colin Kaepernick Will Be the Only Player in Madden NFL 15 with Tattoos

[Aggies7]

Can tattoos be added via Edit player?

[CT Pitbull]

Quote: Originally Posted by asu666

EA looks to have done some nice work. I'd be fine with generic tattoos because I don't know what they look like in detail anyway. Someone could scribble I love EA in small unreadable font on Colin's arms and I wouldn't know the difference. Just come up with something in the ballpark or should I say stadium?

I completely agree man. They don't all have to be authentic tats. If a guy has a tat though put a generic one there. it doesn't matter to me really. I have no clue whether the tats on the 2k basketball players are all real and I don't care. I DO know that they look great and add great detail to enhance my overall immersion level.

[edwing]

The sense of entitlement here is just absurd. People saying that EA might as well not have tats at all is laughable. Geez, a lot of you really do find the smallest things to nitpick. Why not look at it like an opportunity and a step in the right direction? Now that Kaepernick's gone and done the work to get his tats in the game maybe other players will want to follow suit. We just have to exercise patience but it seems like many people don't have any.

[moylan1234]

^We've been waiting for a decent game of football for like 15 years. Madden gamers are the most patient on the planet. Any other group would have abandoned ship completely years ago

[Segagendude]

Tats or not, Kaep definitely looks better than he has in past Madden's.

[azdawgpound]

Quote: Originally Posted by CT Pittbull

I completely agree man. They don't all have to be authentic tats. If a guy has a tat though put a generic one there. it doesn't matter to me really. I have no clue whether the tats on the 2k basketball players are all real and I don't care. I DO know that they look great and add great detail to enhance my overall immersion level.

if they don't have authentic... id rather them not put some generic tattoo's in the game I remember the ones in the ps2 those were horriable and looked like lil kid scribbles.

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by RipCityAndy

Copyright law disagrees with you. Even though a photo of the tattoo is technically different from a graphical rendering, they are treated the same. See 17 USC 102 - Scope of copyright. Clearly covers pictorial and graphic works under a(5). See 17 USC 106 - Exclusive rights in copyrighted works . Specifically see sections (1) and (2). FYI, a derivative work is a "work based on or derived from one or more already exist- ing works. Common derivative works include translations, musical arrange- ments, motion picture versions of literary material or plays, art reproductions, abridgments, and condensations of preexisting works." A graphical representation of a tattoo is either an art reproduction, or in the alternative an "abridgment." EA is SMART for not illegally recreating a tattoo. What's wrong with not wanting to get sued? Also, as a bit of irony, the importance you are all placing on tattoos makes a lawsuit against the NFL, NFLPA, etc. more lucrative for the IP holder because it shows a high monetary value of the intellectual property at issue = more damages. Some other things to be considered: 1) If the tattoo is non-original it doesn't need to be approved by the tattoo artist. See 17 USC 102 (a). So, if a player has a tribal tattoo that is a reproduction of a tattoo that dates back hundreds of years, the tattoo artist has no IP rights. 2) Does the player own the tattoo IP in the first place? See 17 USC 201(b) Works made for hire. In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title, and, unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them, owns all of the rights comprised in the copyright. I'm curious (having no tattoos) if a tattoo artist retains the IP rights with a written instrument.

Well, I learned something today. Obviously, IANAL. Thanks!

And to be clear, I agree with you with respect to understanding EA wanting to avoid litigation here; I was attempting to say that an artist reproducing the tattoo art without consent and/or compensation falls under copyright infringement while photos did not, but it appears I'm wrong about that and both are treated the same, as you explained.

[apollon42]

Quote: Originally Posted by azdawgpound

if they don't have authentic... id rather them not put some generic tattoo's in the game I remember the ones in the ps2 those were horriable and looked like lil kid scribbles.

Especially because it's HD. Nobdoy wants to zoom in and see some horrible inauthentic tattoo. Honestly most players, you can't even see their tattoos.