Linux Game Publishing on Copy Protection After many years of resisting the need to do so, LGP has finally decided to add a level of copy protection to our games. This is being done in response to the exceptionally high levels of piracy of Linux games. Facts about why LGP is adding copy protection --------------------------------------------- Over the last 6 years, we have resisted adding any kind of protection system to our games. We believe that users are happier without them. Unfortunately, many users have decided to ignore our polite requests to respect our copyright and have simply placed our games for download. They seem to feel that they are allowed to do so, or they just don't care. Either way, this kind of action, and the downloading by many people, lead to a significant loss of revenue, which in turn directly affects our ability to produce new games (we arent about growing profits, we are talking about lower revenue directly affecting which games can be licensed). It is estimated that many more pirated copies of LGP games exist, than do original copies. We obtained this estimate by seeding the download sites with a number of broken copies of our games, and monitored the number of requests for technical support that referenced the known bug we had inserted. Adding copy protection will give us benefits as a company. Firstly, it will allow us to recover some of the lost revenue, by means of additional license sales, either via online vendors or direct through the copy protection system. Secondly, it will allow LGP to show a solid revenue protection system that will increase our credibility as a porting company in the eyes of licensors, allowing us to attempt to obtain higher profile games. How our copy protection works ----------------------------- Our copy protection is an online protection system. There is never a need to have a disc in the drive, or to have the hard copy of the game with you. When you install, the system will ask you for the key that came with the game, and then for a password, and, optionally, your email address. Once the key has been verified on the LGP servers, and the password registered then you are good to go, you never need to worry about the system again. It will call to the LGP servers each time the game starts, to verify its details. It does all this in the background. You do not need to enter anything when you start the game. If you wish to install the game on multiple personal machines, you may do so, using the same password and CD key. This is explicitly allowed. If you ever lose your password, you can request to have it emailed to you using the key management system, which is readily available. This is why we ask for your email address during registration, your email address will never be used for anything else. Contingencies are made so that if no internet connection is available, the game will never lock out legitimate customers. Finally, we come to the people that want to copy the game and give it to friends. We cannot stop people from telling their friends their serial number and password. However, bear in mind, anyone who has your serial number and password can change your password. If your password that is stored on your computer does not match the one on the server because your friend has changed it, you will be locked out of your own game. What you get out of the LGP key system -------------------------------------- When you receive a game from LGP with a copy protection key, you are receiving a license to play that game forever. In this spirit, we will offer a new LGP download site that will give the ability for users to download a new copy of their game should their disc become damaged, or somehow destroyed. You will not need your key, just your email address and password (assuming you set your email address, if you didn't you will need your key). You also get the knowledge that this system is designed to ensure that LGP can continue making games into the future. What happens if LGP ceases trading ---------------------------------- LGP has pledged that should we, for any reason, cease trading, and our keyserver is removed, then we will, using any means possible, provide patches to remove the copy protection from our games, or provide back doors, or other such methods to allow games to be played. All LGP employees have the authority to produce, on their own, and without the order of the company, such patches, should the company be unable to produce them or to request their production, on the event that LGP ceases trading. Mailing List ------------ A mailing list has been set up for further discussion. /mailman/listinfo/lgp-copyprotect Please note, this list is proactively controlled and is for sensible and calm discussion regarding this subject.