FAQ on Planetary DAO Membership and Council Terms
Dear members of the community,
We are very excited to finally be releasing the Syndicate-Functions of Alien WorldsTM. Everyone worked really hard for this and we are truly humbled by the response. It is fantastic to see so many of you head off onto the Planets to experience and engage with the new features!
As you will have noted in doing so, there are some special provisions that apply in addition to our usual terms and conditions when you engage in the Syndicate game. To address the most pressing questions when it comes to what you are allowed to do and what not in the Syndicates, we have prepared the following FAQ* for you:
_Q: When I’m running to be elected onto a Planetary Council, can I promise members of the Syndicate to reward them with Trilium if they vote for me?_
A: No, you cannot distribute Trilium of the Syndicate to its members just because they voted for you. You can only send Trilium of the Syndicate to individual members if they actually do something for the Syndicate to deserve it or if they win in a game published by the Syndicate. So you cannot promise members to reward them for their vote, as you would not be allowed to fulfill that promise.
Q: If I get elected even without such a promise, can I send Trilium of the Syndicate to all members of the Syndicate?
A: As we stated above, the Syndicate can only hand out Trilium to players who deserve it for special things they do, so the Planetary Council can award Trilium to players who actively develop the Syndicate’s games or support it with its activities. But the Syndicate cannot send out Trilium to reward players for merely having staked to the Planet.
Q: Ok, but can the Syndicate give its members other rewards (e.g. money or NFTs) for staking?
A: No, staking is not an investment and the Syndicates are not allowed to give players anything in return for staking.
Q: So what can the Council do for the Syndicate members then? A: Quite a lot actually. The mission of the Council is to develop an engaging and entertaining gaming landscape on their Planet, when it’s not busy having the Planet become more powerful and prevail over all of the other Planets of course ;)
Q: Got it, but how do the Syndicate members benefit from that?
A: The Syndicate members get to select Custodians - if they don’t like what the Council is developing, they’ll replace the Council or leave the Planet. In both cases, it could become much more difficult for the Council to realize their vision on the Planet. Members of the Syndicate who aren’t on the Council can also contribute in all kinds of ways. They can help with development or with the management of a Planet’s games. They can also assist in fostering the community and support other members in their journeys on the Planet, add to the storytelling or create dedicated artwork for example. Ultimately, there are relatively few boundaries on creativity.
The Syndicate is allowed to reward those who contribute to making the Planet a lively and engaging place, as well as those who help make the Syndicate larger and more powerful - for example by sending them dedicated NFTs or even with Trilium awards, to make sure the most active members of the community get to make their voices heard well when it comes to voting.
Q: Off to developing games for the Planet then! Is there anything we need to pay attention to when we do that?
A: The Council has great freedom in designing games. Of course, with great freedom comes great responsibility. Players come from all over the world and many of the countries they live in have quite restrictive gambling laws.
If you help release a game on the Planet, you have to keep in mind that these laws are likely to apply and that you could be responsible if you breach them. You would also be violating the terms of the game, as gambling is not allowed within the Alien WorldsTM Metaverse. You’ll want to be careful in that regard. You should always check whether the game structure you have in mind could be viewed as gambling in the countries where the players are going to play from.
To give you a rough idea, the most common elements of gambling are typically that an asset of some kind, meaning something that has a value (even if it’s not very valuable) is placed at risk of being lost, or something else gained. So if you have something akin to money going in which the user can lose, some uncertainty in the middle of the process and a prize as a possible outcome, you have to be very careful. This applies for example, to loot packs, where the purchaser puts in some money or crypto to buy the pack, receives one or several NFTs compiled by chance and might, but is not guaranteed to receive a valuable NFT in the process. That’s why projects relying on loot pack mechanics must be treated with special care, as does anything akin to betting, slot machines or other casino games, to name just some examples. Conversely, games which are free to enter or games where players don’t stand to lose or to win a thing are relatively safe (even though special rules may apply in certain places). We would generally try to focus on entertainment and enjoyment, rather than on proceeds. This is one more aspect where strong storytelling might be a great element to consider.
Aside from classic gambling and betting, gambling laws often restrict lotteries and raffles as well, which is also something you may want to keep in mind.
Q: I see, so instead of bets and rewards, it’s better for games to be built around entertaining stories?
A: For sure, and we are very much looking forward to discovering all the stories that will develop.
Q: Can we just tell any stories?
A: In the spirit of decentralization, you have great freedom in that department. Just be mindful that certain people have sensitivities that should be respected. As a gaming environment in outer space, Alien WorldsTM is not a place to bring things we know can be divisive and alienating here on earth, so we recommend you keep such things out of your journey across the Planets. In the interest of every explorer of the Metaverse, we should all try to keep it as clean and respectful as we can. We love a heated debate and by no means are we suggesting there shouldn’t be a healthy dose of competition among and within the Syndicates. But we can’t allow abusive, obscene, discriminating, threatning or excessively violent statements, to name just a few things that are clearly off limits.
If you’re unsure, please consult the posting policy in section 8 of the terms and conditions, which explains in detail where the boundaries are drawn.
You should also be mindful that, depending on what jurisdiction you are in, overstepping these boundaries may get you in trouble with the law. Just because you say something in the Metaverse, doesn’t mean there can’t be very real consequences here on earth.
Q: Speaking of consequence, can I become legally liable for engaging in the Syndicates?
A: While the Alien WorldsTM Planets are in outer space, for all we know, we all remain here on earth. Liability is a thing in everything we all do here on earth and engaging in Alien WorldsTM is no exception. There are, to put things into very general terms, two kinds of liability you may want to have in mind. On the one side, there is criminal liability - the consequences you face if you commit or help others commit a crime, misdemeanor or other offense. This exists in every area of life in which crimes, misdemeanors or other offenses can be committed and the Metaverse is one of them. But we sincerely hope you’re not planning on intentionally or negligently committing illegal acts in Alien WorldsTM. On the other side, there is civil liability - this arises if you cause, alone or with others, damage to another party. As a member of a Syndicate, you will need to make sure neither the Syndicate, nor its members do so.
Q: Understood, so with all that said, do I still need to read the Member Terms and the Council Terms now?
A: This FAQ is intended as a helpful guide and summarizes certain of the elements in the terms. However, it does not replace the terms, nor does it limit them in any way. We therefore recommend that you read them carefully before you approve them. Also, please keep in mind that while we’re doing our best to break down complex provisions into a simple format here, none of this constitutes legal advice. As a consequence, you cannot and you should not rely on this questionnaire when you determine whether and how you engage in Alien WorldsTM and its many different features. You remain solely responsible for that, and if you are unsure, we strongly recommend you seek advice from a qualified advisor. Of course, in addition to doing so, you are always welcome to reach out to our support team if there’s something we can help clarify.
Thank you very much for engaging in the exciting journey of developing the Alien WorldsTM Metaverse. We hope this was helpful to you. If there’s something that’s still unclear or if you have other questions, please do reach out to our support team.
* Please note that this FAQ does not replace or in any way affect the scope of the Planetary DAO Member Terms and/or the Council Candidate Terms, which you have to read and approve in order to engage with the relevant features. This FAQ is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute, purport to give and it should not be relied on as advice of any nature, in particular not as legal or financial advice. This document does further not purport to be comprehensive. It does not prevail in the event of any inconsistency between this FAQ and the applicable terms. Dacoco reserves the right to update or amend this guidance at any time, within its sole discretion. However, for the avoidance of doubt, Dacoco has no obligation to keep this document current and makes no representations whatsoever as to its alignment with any relevant contractual terms or applicable laws, as may be amended or otherwise change from time to time.