Terms of Service

1. Scope

These Terms of Service apply to your use of "Project Maelstrom" (the "Game"), available at /play/, and the associated Discord community. By registering a game account, you agree to these terms.

2. Status: Active Testing Phase

The Game is currently in an active playtest phase. Concretely, this means:

• Access is currently limited to a one-time access key issued through Discord.
• Game content, balance, and features may change at any time without prior notice.
• A full reset of a game world (galaxy reset) can occur as part of a new playtest cycle — all game state, planets, fleets, and progress within the affected galaxy are irrecoverably lost when this happens. Your account itself (your login credentials) is unaffected.
• There is no entitlement to uninterrupted availability, data backup, or the continued existence of any individual game state during this phase.

3. Registration and Account Security

Registration requires either a valid email address or a linked Discord or Steam account (see our Privacy Policy). You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential, and are liable for activity carried out through your account to the extent it's attributable to you.

4. Code of Conduct

The following is prohibited within the Game and the associated Discord community, in particular:

• Harassment, hate speech, or discriminatory behavior toward other players
• Cheating, exploiting bugs, or using automation/bot software to bypass normal game mechanics
• Creating multiple accounts to abuse or circumvent in-game restrictions (multi-accounting)
• Distributing unlawful content

5. Enforcement

Depending on severity, we may temporarily mute an account, temporarily or permanently ban it, or remove individual content (e.g. chat messages) for violations of these terms. You may appeal such an action through the appeal process offered in the game or at sign-in; appeals are reviewed by a human.

6. Ownership of Game Content

All rights to game content, graphics, text, and the underlying software remain with the operator or the respective rights holders. Registration grants you a simple, non-transferable right to use the Game under these terms.

7. Limitation of Liability

Since the Game is currently provided free of charge, we are only liable for intent and gross negligence, and as otherwise required by mandatory statutory provisions (in particular for injury to life, body, or health, and under applicable product liability law). Liability for the loss of game state resulting from the playtest resets described in Section 2 is expressly excluded.

8. Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account at any time in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to permanently suspend accounts for serious or repeated violations of Section 4.

9. Changes to These Terms

We may amend these Terms of Service with effect for the future, in particular once paid content is introduced. We will provide reasonable notice of material changes, e.g. via the Discord community.

10. Governing Law

German law applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Mandatory consumer-protection provisions of the country in which you have your habitual residence remain unaffected.

11. Severability

Should any provision of these Terms of Service be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.