Terms of Service

Welcome to PaceArena! These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of our strategic running game platform. By creating an account or using our services, you agree to these Terms. Please read them carefully.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using PaceArena, you agree to:

• Be bound by these Terms of Service
• Comply with our Privacy Policy
• Follow all applicable laws and regulations
• Be at least 13 years of age

If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use PaceArena.

2. Account Registration and Security

Account Creation

• You must provide accurate and complete information during registration
• You must verify your email address to activate your account
• Each person may only create one account
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password

Account Security

• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately at support@pacearena.com if you suspect unauthorized access
• We are not liable for losses caused by unauthorized use of your account

Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in fraudulent or abusive behavior
• Remain inactive for extended periods
• Pose security risks to our platform or users

3. Game Rules and Fair Play

Acceptable Use

You agree to use PaceArena only for lawful purposes. You must NOT:

• Cheat or Exploit: Use bots, scripts, or automated tools to gain unfair advantages
• Fake Activities: Upload false running data or manipulate activity information
• Multiple Accounts: Create duplicate accounts to gain additional points or territories
• Account Sharing: Share your account credentials with others
• Harassment: Abuse, threaten, or harass other players via team chat or any platform features
• Impersonation: Pretend to be another user or PaceArena staff member

3.2 Strava Integration

If you connect your Strava account, the following terms apply:

3.2.1 Authorization

• You authorize us to access your running activity data via Strava's OAuth API
• We request minimal scopes: "read" and "activity:read" only (NOT activity:read_all)
• You can revoke this authorization at any time from your Strava settings or our Integrations page
• All data usage is described in detail in our Privacy Policy

3.2.2 Data Accuracy & Verification

• You are responsible for the accuracy of data provided by Strava
• PaceArena relies on Strava's activity tracking; we are not responsible for GPS or timing errors from Strava
• We may verify suspicious activities and request additional proof
• Activities verified through Strava OAuth are assumed authentic; manual entry may require verification

3.2.3 Data Privacy Protection

Under our current implementation:

• Your Activity Details: You will see full details of your Strava runs (distance, pace, duration, heart rate)
• Teammate Visibility: Your teammates will see only the game points (PAP) you contributed to the team
• Privacy Guarantee: Your teammates will not see your Strava activity metrics (distance, pace, duration)
• Other Teams: Other teams will not see any information about your activities

3.2.4 Disconnection

• You can disconnect Strava at any time from the Integrations page
• Soft disconnect: pause integration without revoking OAuth tokens
• Hard disconnect: full deauthorization with Strava
• After disconnection, we stop syncing new activities; existing data retained unless you request deletion

Territory and Contest Rules

• Territory ownership is determined by the game's point-based system
• Contests follow a 3-round format with defender advantage in the final 3 hours of each round
• Point decay applies to reinforced sectors (1 point per 24 hours down to base value)
• All territory actions are final once submitted (no refunds except for technical errors)

4. Intellectual Property

Our Content

PaceArena and all its content, features, and functionality are owned by PaceArena and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute our code, design, or assets
• Reverse engineer or attempt to extract our source code
• Use our trademarks or branding without written permission
• Create derivative works based on our platform

Your Content

You retain ownership of your running data and personal information. By using PaceArena, you grant us a limited license to:

• Display your username and statistics on leaderboards
• Show team activity logs to your teammates
• Use anonymized, aggregate data for platform analytics

5. Points and Virtual Goods

Pace Arena Points (PAP)

• PAP are virtual points with no real-world monetary value
• PAP cannot be purchased, sold, or transferred for real money
• Points are earned exclusively through verified running activities
• We reserve the right to adjust point balances if fraudulent activity is detected

No Refunds

PaceArena is currently a free platform. If we introduce paid features in the future:

• All purchases will be clearly disclosed before completion
• Virtual goods (PAP, premium features) are non-refundable except as required by law
• Refunds for technical errors will be handled on a case-by-case basis

6. User Conduct and Community Guidelines

Respectful Behavior

PaceArena is a community-driven platform. We expect all users to:

• Treat other players with respect and sportsmanship
• Communicate constructively with teammates
• Avoid offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate language
• Report violations to support@pacearena.com

Prohibited Content

You may not post, share, or transmit content that is:

• Illegal, harmful, or promotes violence
• Hateful, discriminatory, or harassing
• Sexually explicit or inappropriate
• Spam, advertising, or phishing attempts
• Infringing on others' intellectual property rights

Enforcement

Violations may result in:

• Warning notifications
• Temporary account suspension
• Permanent account termination
• Legal action for severe violations

7. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

Service Availability

PaceArena is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee:

• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• Complete accuracy of data or calculations
• Compatibility with all devices or browsers
• Permanent availability of features or content

Running and Physical Activity

Third-Party Services

We integrate with third-party services (like Strava). We are not responsible for:

• Availability or accuracy of third-party data
• Changes to third-party APIs or policies
• Security breaches at third-party services

Strava-Specific Disclaimers:

• Data Accuracy: We rely on Strava's activity tracking; PaceArena is not responsible for GPS errors, timing inaccuracies, or data corruption from Strava
• API Availability: Strava may experience outages or rate limiting that affect activity syncing; we cannot guarantee real-time data synchronization
• API Changes: Strava may modify their API without notice; we will adapt to maintain compliance but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service during transitions
• Data Ownership: PaceArena is an integrator of Strava data; Strava maintains ownership and control of all activity data sourced from their platform
• Policy Updates: Our Strava data handling practices may evolve with proper notice to users and continued compliance with Strava's API Agreement

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, PaceArena shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Loss of data, profits, or opportunities
• Damages arising from service interruptions or errors
• Actions of other users on the platform

8. Modifications to Service and Terms

Service Changes

We reserve the right to:

• Modify or discontinue features at any time
• Change game rules, formulas, or mechanics with notice
• Add new cities or remove inactive ones
• Introduce premium features or subscriptions

Terms Updates

We may update these Terms periodically. When we do:

• The "Last Updated" date will change
• Existing users will be notified of significant changes
• Continued use constitutes acceptance of new Terms
• You may terminate your account if you disagree with changes

9. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

Key points:

• We collect running data from Strava (with your consent)
• We do NOT collect GPS routes or exact running locations
• We NEVER sell your personal data to third parties
• You can request data deletion at any time

10. Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution

If you have a dispute with PaceArena, please contact us first at support@pacearena.com. We will work in good faith to resolve issues informally.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Bulgaria. Any legal disputes will be resolved in the courts of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Arbitration

For disputes that cannot be resolved informally, both parties agree to binding arbitration under Bulgarian law, except where prohibited.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold PaceArena harmless from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your misuse of the platform
• Your violation of others' rights
• Your running activities or related injuries

12. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

13. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and PaceArena regarding your use of the service.