Using images from games

Is it legal?

[Numberman]

Here's the deal. I'm creating a PC-gaming community site, and I'd like it to have the look and feel of the game its based around. Its possible to enter the game's data archive and extract images, and I'd like to do this to get user-interface images, make minor modifications (mostly scaling, nothing really creative), and use on the site.

Is this allowed? I could create my own images, but it'd take quite a large amount of time and I doubt they'd ever look quite right, so I'd really rather use the ones that are readily available.

Thanks for any help,
Numberman

[BigDave]

Ask the publishers of the game for permission. They just might say yes.

[vkaryl]

I've had one "yes" and one "no" to this exact question. The "yes" was from the BG folks, the "no" was from the Final Fantasy group....

Can't hurt to ask.

[timchuma]

Some publishers actually have special "fan site packs" you can download to use on your own site.

Failing that I would look for media releases on their site with images they are releasing to the press.

Thanks.