Terms of Service

Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to Northstar. These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of our website, services, and related offerings for arcade game development in European markets. By accessing or using our services, you agree to be bound by these terms.

If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services. Your continued use of our website and services constitutes acceptance of any updates or modifications to these Terms of Service.

Service Description and Scope

Northstar provides professional arcade game development services with a focus on European markets. Our services include regional expertise for Benelux countries, funding support guidance, and multi-language localization coordination.

Core Services Offered

Benelux arcade game development with regional compliance and language support
Arcade prototype funding support including pitch preparation and investor connections
European localization hub for coordinated translation across multiple languages
Consulting and advisory services for European arcade market entry

Acceptable Use Policy

When using our services, you agree to conduct yourself in a professional and lawful manner. The following activities are prohibited:

Prohibited Activities

• Providing false or misleading information in service requests or communications
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems, accounts, or data
• Using our services for any illegal purpose or in violation of applicable laws
• Infringing on intellectual property rights of Northstar or third parties
• Transmitting viruses, malware, or other harmful code through our services
• Engaging in harassment, abusive behavior, or threatening communications
• Attempting to reverse engineer, decompile, or extract source code from our services
• Using automated systems to access our website without authorization

Required Conduct

• Provide accurate and complete information in all communications
• Maintain the confidentiality of any access credentials provided
• Respect intellectual property rights and confidential information
• Comply with all applicable local, national, and international laws
• Communicate professionally and respectfully with our team

Account and Access Terms

While our website does not require account creation for basic access, certain services may involve personalized access or project-specific credentials.

Account Security Responsibilities

If you receive access credentials for project collaboration or service delivery, you are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of login credentials
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breaches
• Using access only for authorized purposes related to your project
• Not sharing access credentials with unauthorized third parties

Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to our services if you violate these Terms of Service, engage in fraudulent activity, or if we determine that continued access poses a security or legal risk. We will provide notice when reasonably possible, except in cases of serious violations or legal requirements.

Service Availability and Modifications

We strive to provide reliable and consistent service, but certain limitations and conditions apply.

Service Uptime

We aim to maintain high availability for our website and services. However, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access and may experience downtime for maintenance, upgrades, or technical issues.

Scheduled Maintenance

We may perform scheduled maintenance that temporarily affects service availability. We will provide advance notice when possible, though emergency maintenance may occur without notice.

Service Modifications

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of our services at any time. We will notify active clients of significant changes that may affect ongoing projects.

Geographic Restrictions

Our services are primarily designed for European markets. While we accept clients globally, some features or services may be limited based on geographic location or legal requirements.

Intellectual Property Rights

Understanding intellectual property ownership is essential for our working relationship. The following terms govern IP rights for our services and your content.

Northstar's Intellectual Property

All content, trademarks, service marks, logos, and intellectual property displayed on our website or in our services are owned by or licensed to Northstar. This includes but is not limited to:

• Website design, layout, and user interface elements
• Northstar brand name, logo, and visual identity
• Documentation, guides, and proprietary methodologies
• Software tools and internal development resources

You may not use our intellectual property without explicit written permission, except as necessary to access and use our services for their intended purpose.

Client Content and Materials

You retain ownership of all intellectual property rights in content and materials you provide to us, including game concepts, designs, assets, and documentation. By providing content to us, you grant Northstar a limited license to:

• Use your content to perform the requested services
• Store and process your materials as necessary for service delivery
• Display your content internally for project collaboration

This license terminates when the project is completed and materials are returned or deleted, unless otherwise agreed in a specific project contract.

Work Product and Deliverables

Ownership of work product created under our services is determined by the specific service agreement. Generally:

• Development work: IP ownership transfers to client upon full payment
• Consulting services: Advice and recommendations become client property
• Localization: Translated content ownership follows source content ownership
• Templates and tools: Northstar retains ownership; client receives usage license

Specific ownership terms are detailed in individual project agreements and take precedence over these general terms.

Copyright Notices and Attribution

All materials provided by Northstar include appropriate copyright notices. You agree not to remove or alter copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices from any materials we provide. Where attribution is required, you will display it prominently as specified in project documentation.

Payment and Billing Terms

For services that involve payment, the following terms apply unless otherwise specified in a project-specific agreement.

Pricing and Quotes

Service pricing is provided on our website and in custom quotes for specific projects. Prices are quoted in US Dollars (USD) unless otherwise agreed. Custom quotes are valid for 30 days from issuance. We reserve the right to modify pricing for future projects with appropriate notice.

Payment Schedule

Payment terms vary by service type:

• Development projects: Typically 50% upfront, 50% upon completion
• Consulting services: Invoiced monthly or upon milestone completion
• Localization: 30% upfront, 70% upon delivery of translated materials

Specific payment schedules are outlined in individual project agreements.

Late Payment and Collections

Invoices are due within 30 days unless otherwise specified. Late payments may incur interest charges at the rate of 1.5% per month or the maximum allowed by law, whichever is lower. We reserve the right to suspend services for accounts with overdue balances.

Confidentiality

Both parties may have access to confidential information during our working relationship. We commit to maintaining the confidentiality of your proprietary information and expect the same regarding our business practices and methodologies.

Confidential information includes business plans, technical specifications, financial data, customer lists, and any information marked as confidential. We will not disclose your confidential information to third parties without your consent, except as required by law or as necessary to perform our services with your authorized subcontractors.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Northstar's liability for any claims arising from our services is limited as follows.

Damages Cap

Our total liability for any claims related to our services shall not exceed the total amount paid by you for the specific service giving rise to the claim, or €10,000, whichever is less. This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory under which liability is claimed.

Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the Netherlands, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising from these terms or our services shall be resolved through the following process.

Informal Resolution

Before initiating formal proceedings, parties agree to attempt good-faith negotiations to resolve any disputes. Contact us through our official channels to discuss concerns.

Jurisdiction

If informal resolution is unsuccessful, disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Both parties consent to personal jurisdiction in these courts.

Modifications to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or business practices. When we make significant changes, we will update the effective date and may provide additional notice through our website or email.

Your continued use of our services after the effective date of updated terms constitutes acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the updated terms, you should discontinue use of our services.

Severability and Waiver

If any provision of these Terms of Service is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that the remaining terms remain in full force and effect.

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged in writing by us.