Forum Challenges: Official Rules

FORUM CHALLENGES - OFFICIAL RULES

NO FEE OR PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR PLAY.

This is the general set of rules that applies to the forums challenges, unless we tell you otherwise. Under certain circumstances, a different set of rules may apply, which we will make available to you when applicable. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules for SOE forum challenges (each a "Challenge" and collectively, the "Challenges"). Challenges are sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC, 8928 Terman Court, San Diego, CA 92121 ("Sponsor").

Eligibility: Challenges are open to everyone thirteen (13) and over, except employees, agents, and contractors of SOE and its affiliates, and their immediate family members, who are not eligible to participate.

How to Enter: To enter and participate in a Challenge, review the requirements posted in the Challenge. To enter, upload, post and/or email your submission as directed in the Challenge (Flickr Group, forum discussion thread, etc.). Do not include your submission as an attachment. All submissions must be hosted externally, and made available for download by Sponsor. If a Challenge requires you to submit a screenshot, live photograph, or original artwork, submissions must be 800 x 600 pixels in size, unless otherwise noted in a Challenge, and character names and NPC names must be turned off. Unless otherwise instructed in a Challenge, do not include any text in your image. If a Challenge requires you to submit a video, submissions must be externally-hosted, under 100 MB, five (5) minutes in length or less (including credits), and in one of the following formats only: Windows Media (.wmv), QuickTime (.mov), or AVI (.avi). Submissions that require non-generic plug-in applications will not be considered. Video submissions may be uploaded to a video hosting site, such as You Tube. All submissions must include a title, the name of your in-game character that you want listed with your submission, and your server name (if applicable). Challenges are limited to one (1) submission entry per person per Challenge. If you submit more than one (1) submission entry for a given Challenge, your last submission will be judged. Any submission of robotic, automatic, or programmed entries, or any entries submitted by agencies, other third parties, or through other unapproved methods are void. Any attempt at entry except as stated herein is void. Sponsor will not provide you with confirmation of receipt of your submission.

By participating in a Challenge, you agree to comply with the applicable game’s End User License Agreement, and SOE’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and all applicable game rules, regulations, and policies. Entrants who do not comply with these requirements will be disqualified. You expressly acknowledge and agree that all content submitted is owned by Sponsor. No aspect of your submission may be subject to the rights of any third parties, other than Sponsor and/or its licensors. Your submission may not be offensive or otherwise unsuitable for use, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion. By participating in a Challenge, you acknowledge and agree that Sponsor has an irrevocable right and license to publish, use, edit, and display any or all of your submission, without further approval from you, without territorial, time, or other limitations, for any and all purposes, including, but not limited to, marketing, advertising, and promotional purposes.

Determination of Winners: Eligible entrants will be judged by a panel of judges, consisting of members of Sponsor’s development, marketing, and/or community relations teams, according to the criteria set forth below, and whose decisions are final and binding in all respects. The panel of judges will use the following criteria to determine winners (the number of which is at Sponsor’s discretion) for a Challenge: The panel of judges will use a 0-100 point scale: 0-35 points for originality, 0-35 points for creativity, and 0-30 for thematic content consistent with the applicable game and Challenge. In the unlikely event of a tie, the judging panel will break that tie by determining which of the tied entries is most original - or the judging panel may elect to award each tied entry a prize. Winners will only be selected from those eligible entries meeting the judging criteria set forth above, and if no entry meets the criteria above, in the panel’s sole and absolute discretion, then no prize shall be awarded.

Description of Prizes: Prizing varies from Challenge-to-Challenge. See each individual Challenge description for prizing; Challenge winners will receive one or more of the following prizes: one or more in-game rewards (i.e., item, title, badge, merit), and/or recognition. Approximate retail value of each prize is $0.00.

General Limitations for all Prizes: No alternative prize, cash, or other substitution is permitted except by Sponsor in the event of prize unavailability. All prizes are non-transferable and non-tradable virtual items. Most prizes will be delivered immediately, but allow up to two (2) weeks for delivery.

General Terms and Conditions: By participating in a Challenge, you grant Sponsor and its licensors an irrevocable and fully sublicenseable right and license to publish, use, edit, copy, distribute, transmit, perform and display any or all of the details of your participation, including your player name, without further approval, without territorial, time, or other limitations, for any and all purposes, including, but not limited to, marketing, advertising, and promotional purposes. By participating in a Challenge, you agree that under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Sponsor or its licensors, its and their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, agents, successors, and assigns (the "Released Parties") be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of participation in a Challenge, even if any or all of the Released Parties have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, and therefore such exclusions may not apply to you. By entering, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any person that Sponsor determines to be in violation of any term contained in these Official Rules. Sponsor, its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, licensors, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors, and the respective employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, and representatives of each, are not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, interruptions or difficulties of any kind; (ii) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions; (iii) any condition caused by events beyond the control of the Sponsor that may cause a Challenge to be disrupted or corrupted; (iv) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result from participation in a Challenge or arising from your access to and use of the Internet site (and all related websites of Sponsor), including without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy, to the extent permitted by law; or (v) any errors in any materials associated with a Challenge. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify a Challenge if any problem corrupts the administration, security, or operation of the Challenge, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of a Challenge or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of a Challenge may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Disputes: Challenges are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of California. As a condition of participating in a Challenge, you agree that any and all actions or proceedings related to a Challenge shall be exclusively brought in the County of San Diego, State of California (if under state law) or the Southern District of California (if under Federal law), and the parties agree not to raise in connection therewith, and hereby waive, any defenses based upon the venue, the inconvenience of the forum, the lack of personal jurisdiction, the sufficiency of service of process or the like in any such action or suit brought in the State of California.