TERMS OF SERVICE
Code of Conduct
All visitors and members of the BGS are expected to follow the following behavioral guidelines when posting content anywhere on the BGS.

Guests and Members will refrain from posting the following

Profanity
Spaming
Attacks on other groups or individuals
Confidential information
Impersonate the BGS Staff
Any illegal activities
Other content as deemed by the BGS Staff


Profanity
Members will refrain from posting the following

Use of swearing or vulgar terms
Sexual or adult content

There is a filter to catch most profanity. Intentionally bypassing this filter will land a ban from the website.

Spamming
Forbidden spamming includes but is not limited to the following

Advertising products or websites
- You may post a link to your website in appropriate URL link boxes and your signature
Random gibberish (Example: arigheaoigh)
Typing the same message over

You will be warned first, and then banned for repeat problems.

Other spamming included

Creating Multiple Accounts
Posting multiple copies of the same content.
Creating content soley for the sake of positng content.


Attacks on the other groups
The following is forbidden on the BGS, weather its directed to any person or group, living or dead.

Racism
Prejudice
Threats
Harrasement

This includes flaming

Confidential Information
Members and guest will refrain from posting confidential information, weather related to their self or another individual. This includes but is not limited to the following

Passwords
Credit card numbers
Access Keys
Registration Numbers


Members and guests may post the following only if it is information about themselves or with expressed permission from the person it is about.

Phone numbers
Addresses
Real name
E-mail
Screennames


Posting of confidential information will be removed and any necessary people and/or companies will be contacted. A ban will also be issued.

Impersonate the BGS or DPN Staff
Members and guests may not impersonate the staff of the Bluehog Gaming Studio as defined on the staff page.
Impersonating the BGS or DPN staff will result in a warning then a ban.

Illegal activities
The BGS is located in the United States and is subjected to all the laws of that area. Any posting or activities that involve breaking of laws will be removed and the authorities will be notified.

Other Content
Other content may be restricted and any posted content may be removed by the staff at anytime for any reason

All posting must be in English unless called for otherwise.

Members may use the following

1337 speak (Example: /\/\`/ /\/4/\/\3 i5 = My Name is)
chat speak (Example: BRB = Be Right Back LOL = Laugh Out Loud
n00b speak (Example: OMG!!11 LOOOOLZ!!11 I roxxorz ur saxoorz = Oh my gosh! laugh out loud I rocks your socks

When using the above forms of writing your message should be clear and obvious. If the staff cannot understand what is written it will be deleted without notice.
The above writing may not be used in excess as deemed by the staff.

Membership
Membership is acquired by registering on the BGS. The registration link is located in the upper corner of the BGS.

Guests
Guests are regular visitors to the BGS. They are either people who have not registered or have not logged in. Guests have minimal posting power on the BGS, being restricted to the shoutbox certain sections of the forum. Guests may have to complete a CATCHPA challenge prior to posting any content. Guests who violate the Terms of Service may have their IP banned, preventing them from future activities on the BGS.

Validating
When a new account is registered it is put in validating status. A validating member has the same privillages as a guest with access to the PM system. A e-mail with a code is sent to the member's e-mail address and serves to activate full membership.
Accounts left in Validating Status for more then one month are automatically deleted.

Members
Members are users who have registers on the BGS and are currently logged in. Members can post links in the shoutbox and submit content to the BGS. Members who violate the Terms of Service may have their posting abilities revoked or suspended.

Beta Testers
Beta Testers are members who have chosen to participate in the BGS Beta Testing program. They try new features and products at the BGS before they have a general public release. Beta Testers have agreed not to reveal any information on unreleased features and products without staff permission.

Members may join the Beta Testing program through filling an application out on the Beta Tester page when available.

Moderators
Moderators are members who have higher powers to aid the staff in enforcing the rules set forth by this Terms of Service.
Moderators are choosen at the staff's discretion.

Staff Member
Staff Members are the administrators of the BGS. They have unlimited posting privileges and moderation powers throughout the web site. They are unpaid volunteers who either run the BGS and/or create its products. Staff members are not above the Terms of Service.

Members may apply for one of the positions in staff through the staff application page when available.

Bots
Bots are automated programs that run on a website. Most parts are not allowed on the BGS except for its built in bots. The BGS Bots have special permissions on the site and act like regular staff members.
BGS Bots are identified in that their name, in all circumstances, come in itallic text.
BGS Bots include:

for($index=1;$index
echo("-" . membername(($index*-1)) . "");
?>
Banned Users
Members who have violated the Terms of Service have had their user account banned from the BGS. They are still able to view the site but can no longer post content. Guests who violate the Terms of Service will have their IP address banned from the site.
Do not speak up for banned users. They have been banned for a reason and communicating for them may result in administration against you.
If you feel you are unjustly banned then contact the staff and state your case.
Ban-Dodging is creating a new account when the first has been banned. This ban-dodging will land an instant ban on the new account.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
By submitting content to the BGS you agree that you either own the copyright for the content or have received permission to post it here.

You must be a logged in member to submit content.

All submitted content to the BGS must follow the code of conduct.
All submitted content must be related to Sonic the Hedgehog or related characters unless staff permission otherwise has been obtained.

By submitting content to the BGS you agree that the BGS has the right to publicly host said content on this website.
Bluehog Gaming Studio and its staff will not repost submitted content elsewhere on the Internet with its creator’s permission and by its creator's request.

Videos
Videos submitted to the BGS Video Listing are hosted on Youtube and are subject to Youtube’s Terms and Conditions.
Videos must not violate the BGS Code of conduct
Videos must be created by the member submitting the video or be submitted with permission from its creator.

Fan Games
Fan Games may be either host or linked to. All fan games must be rated upon submission according to the ESRB rating system.
Fan Game submissions must include four screenshots including the following.

Title Screen
Game play
Anything from the game
Anything from the game

Failure to rate a game or provide four screenshots will automatically void the submission and it will not be added to the BGS.

Forbidden content in Fan Games includes but is not limited to the following

Adult Content
Extreme violence or vulgarity
Large amounts of blood or gore
Harmful/malicious/or otherwise undesired software

Viruses
Trojans
Adware
Spyware
System Hacks
Other undesired software

Racism
Threats to any individual or group
Confidential Information of any kind
Any illegal content
Other content as deemed by the BGS Staff

Failure to comply will result in the fan game being removed and may result in a ban from the BGS.

Games must be rated according to their content. Use the ESRB rating system when rating a game.
-Games that would be rated Ec, E, E10, and T normally are accepted on the BGS
-Games that would be rated M are evaluated and may or may not be accepted based on content
-Games that would be rated Ao are not accepted on BGS, period

Improper ratings may be changed or the game may be deleted.

Character Profiles
Character Profiles on the BGS include two categories, official characters and fan characters.
Only one charcter per profile and each profile must be about a character. Do not make multiple profiles for one character.

All characters must include a name, nicknames, age, species, and main profile information.

Members may edit or add official character profiles.
Official characters must be included in at least one of the following

SEGA games
Official Sonic Comics
Sonic the Hedgehog (TV Series) (SATAM)
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (AOSTH)
Sonic Underground
Sonic X

Members may not vandalize official character profiles with inaccurate information. Profiles should be written from a neutral standpoint, avoiding personal taste and just including factual information.

Fan character profiles can only be edited by their creator and the BGS Staff. They are subject to the same code of conduct as normal content.
- Members may only submit their own fan characters

Character Profile content for fan characters must be owned by you or have permission to upload it, including the profile image. Simple editing of another person's artwork or official artwork does not give you the right to post it. Extensive editing of official artwork is permitted however.
Comics
Members may submit their own Sonic the Hedgehog fan comics.
Comics may be in any medium.
Different chapters of a comic should be submitted as seperate comics using the same name with different subnames.

Wallpapers
Future Section

Flash Movies
Future Section
All content submitted to the BGS must be created by the submitter or the submitter must obtain written permission to post it.
- When posting content not created by the submitter credit must be given.
- Just giving credit is not the same as obtaining permission.
- Falsifying claims of permission or copyright is grounds for administrative action.

The BGS reserves the right to refuse or remove any submitted content at any time for any or no reason with or without notification
All submissions are logged by Submission Bot
CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
Content created by the BGS may only be redistributed to other websites with permission from the BGS Staff unless noted otherwise.

Submitted content marked will have any of the following distribution codes, governing its redistribution.
- “BGS ONLY” – content may not be redistributed
- “LINK TO” – content may be reposted if a link to the original site is provided.
- “NOTIFICATION REQUIRED” – content may be reposted if the creator is notified.
- “FREE USE” – content may be reposted freely
Any of the above may be waived with the permission of the creator.

Content may also be governed under a Creative Commons license. Redistribution is then governed by the Creative Commons license.

COPYRIGHT
All official content on this site is copyright to its respective owners. See the Disclaimer section of this Terms of Service.

Members must own the copyright of their submitted content or have obtained permission to post it. Content found in violation of this will be removed without notification.
DISCLAIMER AND LEGAL
Bluehog Gaming Studio and its staff are in no way affiliated with or related to SEGA, Sonic Team, or any other company.
Bluehog Gaming Studio is a non-profit fan site for Sonic the Hedgehog.

All downloadable content on the BGS is freeware and may not be sold at any price. Downloadable content may only be reposted on other sites with the permission of its creator.

Sonic the Hedgehog and all related official characters are copyright SEGA/Sonic Team.
Characters from the TV shows are copyright the companies that created that show.
Characters from the Archie comics are copyright Archie Comics.
Fan Characters and submitted works are copyrighted to their creators.

Content and messages posted by the members and guests of this site do not reflect the opinions or views of the Bluehog Gaming Studio or its staff.

Bluehog Gaming Studio and its staff are not responsible for content submitted to this site. We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any submitted content. We are not responsible for the contents of any message posted on this site including messages containing copyrighted material or content some visitors may find offensive.

Bluehog Gaming Studio and its staff are not responsible for any content or aspect of any site that is linked to at the BGS.