Please note as you answer guys that the original poster’s question related to copy protection for CD games, not for disk games. If my memory here at work of the KQ5 manual is correct, the symbols actually have a transparent red layer over them, to make copying the manual harder since obviously that was the easiest way to pirate a game, just by copying the manual. I’m not sure if CD version of KQ5 also retained this copyright protection. Some of Sierra’s early CD games I’m certain didn’t include the copyright protection that was in their disk version counterparts, based on the assumption that the CD format wouldn’t lend itself to copying. Later Sierra games like KQ6, SQ6, etc made the copyright protection more ‘integrated’ into the game and a part of the game’s puzzles, instead of just requiring you to look up a word or symbol at the start of the game or during gameplay. You had to use the symbols or information in the manual or supplemental book to solve a puzzle. I would still consider this a copyright protection.
