LGP Introduces Linux Game Copy Protection

For seven years Linux Game Publishing has been selling their Linux-ported games with no form of copy protection on their CD/DVDs, but beginning with their forthcoming port of Sacred: Gold that will be changed. Linux Game Publishing has developed their own Internet-based game copy protection system for Linux, and in this article we have more details on this scheme as well as their motives behind this work.

LGP's new copy protection system isn't a kernel module that needs to be loaded or any CD/DVD-embedded protection like StarForce. LGP's system is Internet-based with loop-back protection. Anyone can put the game on their system, as LGP's new (Loki-based) installer isn't modified as part of this piracy-prevention scheme, but they will not be able to launch the game unless a valid key and password are provided. This information is then validated against LGP's servers (with SSL). If the key/password combination is verified, then it will launch the game.

When launching the game for the first time -- and on a routine basis thereafter -- is the "LGP Security System Manager" input box for entering the game's key. For Sacred: Gold, the key is 20 characters long with four dashes.

After entering the key for the first time, a password must be supplied. This password allows the user to install the game they purchased legitimately on more than one computer, as long as the user remembers their password for each game.

LGP's system does help users who have forgotten their passwords by having an email system in place to send reminders.