Terms of Service

Last Updated: November 24, 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By using The Appalachian Trail Discord Bot ("the Bot," "we," "our," or "us"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, do not use the Bot.

These terms constitute a legal agreement between you and the Bot's developer(s). Your continued use of the Bot signifies your acceptance of any updates to these terms.

2. Description of Service

The Appalachian Trail is a text-based horror survival game bot for Discord. The Bot provides:

• Interactive survival gameplay with horror elements
• Character progression and save systems
• Leaderboards and achievement tracking
• Multiplayer features including trail families (parties)
• Asynchronous encounters with other players

3. Eligibility

3.1 Age Requirements

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Bot, in compliance with Discord's Terms of Service and COPPA regulations.

3.2 Content Warning

⚠️ The Bot contains horror themes including:

• Supernatural and psychological horror elements
• Descriptions of peril, injury, and death
• Tense and disturbing atmospheric content
• Themes of isolation and survival

Users who are sensitive to horror content should consider whether this Bot is appropriate for them.

3.3 Discord Compliance

You must have a valid Discord account and comply with Discord's Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.

4. User Conduct

4.1 Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Bot only for its intended purpose: playing the survival horror game. You agree to:

• Treat other players with respect
• Use commands as intended
• Report bugs through appropriate channels
• Respect the game's community spaces

4.2 Prohibited Actions

You agree NOT to:

• Exploit bugs or glitches for unfair advantage
• Attempt to hack, reverse-engineer, or manipulate the Bot
• Use automation, macros, or scripts to interact with the Bot
• Spam commands or intentionally overload the Bot
• Harass other players through game features
• Impersonate the Bot developer or staff
• Use the Bot for any illegal purposes
• Attempt to access other players' save data
• Circumvent any access restrictions or bans

4.3 Leaderboard Conduct

Leaderboard entries must be earned through legitimate gameplay. We reserve the right to remove entries obtained through exploitation or cheating.

5. Game Data and Progress

5.1 Save Data

Your game progress is saved and associated with your Discord User ID. You are responsible for your own save data.

5.2 No Guarantees

While we strive to maintain save data integrity, we cannot guarantee:

• Permanent preservation of save files
• Recovery of lost or corrupted data
• Continuity of progress through major updates

5.3 Data Deletion

You may delete your save data at any time using /delete-save. This action is irreversible.

6. Availability and Modifications

6.1 Service Availability

The Bot is provided "as is" without guarantees of uptime or availability. We may experience:

• Scheduled maintenance periods
• Unexpected downtime
• Performance issues during high usage
• Hosting limitations or outages

6.2 Updates and Changes

We reserve the right to:

• Update game content, mechanics, and features
• Modify or remove existing features
• Reset leaderboards or game data
• Change command structures
• Discontinue the Bot entirely

Major changes will be announced when possible, but we are not obligated to provide advance notice.

6.3 Beta Features

Some features may be in beta or testing phases. These features may be unstable, incomplete, or subject to removal.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Bot Ownership

The Appalachian Trail Bot, including its code, content, narrative, artwork, and game design, is the intellectual property of its developer(s).

7.2 Limited License

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Bot for personal, non-commercial entertainment purposes.

7.3 Restrictions

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute the Bot's code
• Use the Bot's content in other projects without permission
• Create derivative works based on the Bot
• Use the Bot's name or branding without authorization

7.4 User Content

Any trail names or character names you create remain yours, but you grant us license to display them on leaderboards and in game features.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE BOT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
• Accuracy or reliability of game content
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Security of data transmission

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Bot's developer(s) shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Loss of data or game progress
• Interruption of service
• Any damages arising from your use of the Bot

This is a free, hobbyist project. Your use is entirely at your own risk.

10. Termination

10.1 Your Rights

You may stop using the Bot at any time. You may request deletion of your data as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

10.2 Our Rights

We reserve the right to:

• Restrict or terminate your access for violations of these terms
• Remove your leaderboard entries
• Delete your save data in cases of abuse
• Ban users who engage in prohibited conduct

Termination decisions are at our sole discretion and may occur without warning.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Bot's developer(s) from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of the Bot
• Your violation of these terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights

12. Governing Law

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws. Any disputes shall be resolved through good-faith communication before pursuing other remedies.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be indicated by updating the "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the Bot after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

Significant changes may be announced through:

• The Bot's official Discord server
• The GitHub repository
• In-game announcements

14. Contact

For questions about these terms, contact us via:

• Discord: The Bot's official support server
• GitHub: Open an issue in the repository

15. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

Summary

• Play fair and respect other hikers
• Don't exploit bugs or cheat
• We can't guarantee the Bot will always be available
• Your save data isn't guaranteed forever
• We can update or discontinue the Bot at any time
• Breaking rules may get you banned

Stay on the trail. Watch your step. And remember... something is always watching back.

*The mountains remember.*