History Main / GISSyndrome

* Likely the cause of [[https://forums.serebii.net/threads/serebii-net-pok%C3%A9mon-omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire-discovery-thread.637946/page-9#post-17524236 a map of the world from serebii.net ending up on the wall of a house]] in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]]''. Hilariously, the devs tried to disguise the fact by flipping the pic horizontally.

* Happens during an event in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver]]'' where you have to take [[OlympusMons Arceus]]--basically the verse's equivalent to {{God}}--to a certain room and he proceeds to recreate the universe from scratch to give you an egg containing one of the cover legendaries for [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl the other Gen IV games]]. [[MindScrew This process]] is illustrated starting with stock images of space and stars and how the Earth may have looked, up to single-celled organisms and finally civilizations by showing overhead satellite shots or skylines of big cities. As one [=YouTube=] commenter put it: "Arceus used Google Image Search!"

* The iPad adventure game ''Lechuza'' was made almost entirely with art assets found on Google Image Search, as noted in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUYfp-8S8M8 this playthrough video]] from our friends LetsPlay/{{slowbeef}} and LetsPlay/{{Diabetus}} of ''WebVideo/{{Retsupurae}}''. In the respective Website/SomethingAwful thread, the goons managed to track down almost every single stolen art asset using Google Image Search.

* In ''{{VideoGame/Mass Effect 3}}'', there were two cases of taking images and modifying them, one being [[spoiler:the post-ending epilogue image]], and the other being the photograph of [[spoiler:[[TheReveal Tali's face]].]]
* Apparently, the art of ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} V'' had been redesigned shortly before release, forcing the developers to rely on this technique for their button graphics, which [[http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422219 drew some ridicule from the community]].
* Happens during an event in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver]]'' where you have to take Arceus to a certain room and he proceeds to recreate the universe from scratch to give you an egg containing one of the cover legendaries for the other Gen 4 games. This process is illustrated starting with stock images of space and stars and how the Earth may have looked, up to single-celled organisms and finally civilizations by showing overhead satellite shots or skylines of big cities. As one [=YouTube=] commenter put it: "Arceus used Google Image Search!"

* Likely the cause of [[http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?637946-Serebii-net-Pok%E9mon-Omega-Ruby-amp-Alpha-Sapphire-Discovery-Thread&p=17524236#post17524236 a map of the world from serebii.net ending up on the wall of a house]] in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]]''. Hilariously, the devs tried to disguise the fact by flipping the pic horizontally.

* ''[[Webcomic/EightBitTheater 8-Bit Theater]]''

* Stock images make up many of the backgrounds in the VisualNovel style [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/Charon Charon]] RPGMaker games.

* VideoGame/{{Okami}} had an infamous example where the cover of the wii version was pulled from a search engine. If you look carefully at the cover, you will see an IGN watermark. This was, of all things, because they had ''lost the original image file''.

* Other than effects and characters, Taiwanese illustrator VOFAN's animated film [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jx4dvabOJ8 1/60]] is composed entire of photographs. Because the film is all about photography, it's an interesting {{deconstruction}} of this trope.

* This trope is an oft occurring one within' the BZPower Comics community, especially in [[Webcomic/InternationalComicContinuity Nuparurocks' Comics]] most often are these pictures blended in well due to the Sprite nature of said comics. But there are [[SpecialEffectsFailure times when it's used less sucessfully]].

* VideoGame/{{Okami}} had an infamous example where the cover of the wii version was pulled from a search engine. If you look carefully at the cover, you will see an IGN watermark.

[[IThoughtItMeant No relation to]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system Geographic Information Systems]], which aren't used by artists nearly as much.

* Happens just as often as in case of webcomics, whether directly in ClipArtAnimation or traced in Flash. Any time a pistol appears, it's [[http://www.terminal-2.pl/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/gun.jpg this]] picture of a CZ-75. More egregious, if a shotgun is supposed to appear, it's usually [[http://www.theuniteduniverse.nl/weblog/images/new_shotgun.jpg this]] ''airsoft'' shotgun. A bomb? [[CartoonBomb Likely]] [[http://www.h4x3d.com/feat/themes/bomb.jpg this one]]. And so on.

* The "creators" of ''LimboOfTheLost'' have apparently used Google Image Search themselves to take various images for use as [[http://lotl.wikia.com/wiki/Items inventory items]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Asperchu}}'' does this for most outdoor scenes. Which still puts it ahead of it's [[Webcomic/{{Sonichu}} inspiration]] by actually ''having'' backgrounds.

* Likely the cause of [[http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?637946-Serebii-net-Pok%E9mon-Omega-Ruby-amp-Alpha-Sapphire-Discovery-Thread&p=17524236#post17524236 a map of the world from serebii.net ending up on the wall of a house]] in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]]''.

-->-- '''AndrewHussie''', ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''

* Some earlier ''{{Nodwick}}'' strips did this.

* ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic'', a {{LEGO}} comic, uses (copyright-free or self-taken) photo backgrounds when LEGO isn't enough.

* ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes'' does this occasionally. The last panel of [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150310065351/http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=138013 this comic]] is one example.

* VideoGame/Okami had an infamous example where the cover of the wii version was pulled from a search engine. If you look carefully at the cover, you will see an IGN watermark.

A common shortcut that creators use is to collect pictures from [[http://images.google.com/ Google Image Search]] and use them as a background. These images are usually run through a filter (almost always some type of blur) on Photoshop, either to lessen focus or to make the image more congruent with the comic's art style. This is often utilized for complex designs (book and video game covers are common examples), but can be seen as a sign of laziness if the artist comes to depend on it.

[[IThoughtItMeant No relation to]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system Geographic Information Systems]], which aren't used by comic artists nearly as much.

[[folder:WebComic]]

* ''[[http://www.piratejesus.com/ Pirate Jesus]]''

* ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes'' does this occasionally. The last panel of [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=138013 this comic]] is one example.

A common shortcut that {{Webcomic}} creators use is to collect pictures from [[http://images.google.com/ Google Image Search]] and use them as the background of a frame (or a portion thereof). These images are usually run through a filter (almost always some type of blur) on Photoshop, either to lessen focus or to make the image more congruent with the comic's art style. This is often utilized for complex designs (book and video game covers are common examples), but can be seen as a sign of laziness if the artist comes to depend on it.

In some cases, the author is lazy enough that he picks the first fitting image from the first results page, thus allowing bored readers to guess his search terms and find the original images easily. Laziness and ignorance can also get authors in much more serious trouble -- for some reason, people tend to think that anything found via GIS is fair game, when of course it's still all covered by copyright law.

!!Webcomic Examples:

* ''[[Webcomic/EightBitTheater 8-Bit Theater]]''
* ''Webcomic/{{Candi}}'' did this for a while before going back to drawn backgrounds.
* ''Webcomic/CtrlAltDel'', usually for various movie posters hanging on the walls. Game consoles also used to be this, most notably Ethan's Gamecube.
* ''Webcomic/HowIBecameYours''
* ''[[http://www.piratejesus.com/ Pirate Jesus]]''
* ''Webcomic/MistakesOfYouth''
* ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic'', a {{LEGO}} comic, uses (copyright-free or self-taken) photo backgrounds when LEGO isn't enough.
* Used by the comic ''Webcomic/JaydenAndCrusader'' [[http://www.jaydenandcrusader.com/2008/05/29/2008-05-29/ frequently]], almost always to make up for lack of artistic ability
* ''Webcomic/SpleenTea'', specifically the mugshots. Justified somewhat, as it is a review site using pictures of the product in question.
* ''Webcomic/MSPaintAdventures'' uses black-and-white (usually pixellated) photos for most background objects. It's used for comic effect since the photo detail contrasts so highly with the stickfigure-esque characters.
** Sometimes, mostly with landscape from ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' Act Four onward, pictures are recolored to match colors. In a few cases this ends up looking odd, to say the least. Also, there's a tendency for such images to be the underlay for additional background illustrations, for example the Land of Wind and Shade (which draws certain features like rivers and mushrooms on top of pictures of landscapes).
** Lampshaded in this [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/ACT6ACT6.php?s=6&p=008162 page]].
** And of course, much as you'd expect, ''Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff'' occasionally does this for StylisticSuck purposes, often picking the most severely watermarked image possible.
* ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes'' does this occasionally. The last panel of [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=138013 this comic]] is one example.
* ''Webcomic/UGMadness'' ocasionaly did this in its early days, usually in the form of pictures on the wall.
* ''Webcomic/{{Asperchu}}'' does this for most outdoor scenes. Which still puts it ahead of it's [[Webcomic/{{Sonichu}} inspiration]] by actually ''having'' backgrounds.
* The latest episode of ''Webcomic/TheFan'' started using photos for occasional outdoor backgrounds. The pictures are taken by the author himself, of more or less the actual locations where the scene is supposed to take place.
* ''Webcomic/ABeginnersGuideToTheEndOfTheUniverse'' uses this for everything but [[RPGMechanicsVerse interface elements]] and the stick figure humans.
** Same goes for its sequel, ''Webcomic/ChairmanJackEmerge''.
* ''Webcomic/PowerupComics'' spoofed this in one strip, where the background had a giant iStockphoto watermark.
* This trope is an oft occurring one within' the BZPower Comics community, especially in [[Webcomic/InternationalComicContinuity Nuparurocks' Comics]] most often are these pictures blended in well due to the Sprite nature of said comics. But there are [[SpecialEffectsFailure times when it's used less sucessfully]].
* ''Webcomic/EvenInTheDeepestHeartOfChaosAGlimmerOfOrderCanBeFound'' is composed of nothing but a selection of random Flickr photos.
* ''Webcomic/{{Waterworks}}'' uses this occasionally, mainly for inventory items, as well as the backgrounds in [[http://mspfanventures.com/?adv=43&id=283 a particular character's flashback]].

!!Non-Webcomic Examples:

[[AC:RealLife]]
* [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9296664/BBC-mistake-computer-game-logo-for-United-Nations-Security-Council-symbol.html BBC News]] once used the logo of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'''s United Nations Space Command instead of that of the United Nations Security Council, probably because searching for [[AcronymConfusion "UNSC"]] online only returns results for the former.

In some cases, the author is lazy enough that he picks the first fitting image from the first results page, thus allowing bored readers to guess his search terms and find the original images easily. Laziness and ignorance can also get authors in much more serious trouble -- for some reason, people tend to think that anything found via GIS is fair game, when of course it's still all covered by copyright law. [[IThoughtItMeant No relation to]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system Geographic Information Systems]], which aren't used by comic artists nearly as much.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Art]]

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC: FanWorks]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WebAnimation]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9296664/BBC-mistake-computer-game-logo-for-United-Nations-Security-Council-symbol.html BBC News]] once used the logo of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'''s United Nations Space Command instead of that of the United Nations Security Council, probably because doing a Google Image Search for "UNSC" only returns results for the former.

* ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' consists of exactly four visual elements: A stubborn refusal to ever change the yellow background, white figures with RaymanianLimbs, imps, and pictures he took off Google images. One in particular that keeps cropping up is the Thomas Ruff portrait that, according to WordOfGod, he found by searching for "expressionless man".

* Happens during an event in ''VideoGame/PokemonHeartGoldAndSoulSilver'' where you have to take Arceus to a certain room and he proceeds to recreate the universe from scratch to give you an egg containing one of the cover legendaries for the other Gen 4 games. This process is illustrated starting with stock images of space and stars and how the Earth may have looked, up to single-celled organisms and finally civilizations by showing overhead satellite shots or skylines of big cities. As one [=YouTube=] commenter put it: "Arceus used Google Image Search!"
* Likely the cause of [[http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?637946-Serebii-net-Pok%E9mon-Omega-Ruby-amp-Alpha-Sapphire-Discovery-Thread&p=17524236#post17524236 a map of the world from serebii.net ending up on the wall of a house]] in ''VideoGame/PokemonOmegaRubyAndAlphaSapphire''.