Bounty Rules & Guidelines

Welcome to the Bounty Board. These rules apply to every bounty posted, claimed, and completed on TheWoWForge. Reading them before you post or claim is your responsibility — ignorance is not a defence in disputes. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 1. WHAT A BOUNTY IS ────────────────────────────────────────────── A bounty is a public job: a member describes a task they want done (an addon, a WeakAura, a script, a server fix, art, audio, anything WoW-related) and attaches a monetary reward. A developer claims it, delivers it, and the reward is paid out directly between the two parties. TheWoWForge is the platform that hosts the listings, the messaging, and the reputation system. We are NOT a party to the agreement between you and the other side. We do not hold or transfer money. We do not arbitrate technical opinions ("is this code good enough"). We do enforce the rules below. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 2. POSTING A BOUNTY (FOR MEMBERS) ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Bounties must include a clear description of the deliverable, an honest reward amount in USD ($) or EUR (€) — between $1 / €1 and $1,500 / €1,500 — and an optional deadline (24 hours minimum, 180 days maximum). Pick one currency per bounty and stick to it; do not mix. - If the agreed scope is genuinely worth more than the $1,500 / €1,500 cap (rare), the listed bounty stays at the cap and the remainder is arranged privately between the two parties — outside the public bounty board. The platform will not mediate amounts above the cap. - Pick the correct expansion tag. Wrong tags will be retagged or removed. - Payment is arranged directly between you and the developer (PayPal, crypto, bank transfer — whatever you both agree on). TheWoWForge does not handle the money and cannot recover it for you if something goes wrong, so vet who you are working with: check their reputation, completed bounties, and reviews before committing. - Do NOT post the same bounty in multiple categories. - Do NOT edit a bounty after it has been claimed in a way that materially changes the scope. If the scope must change, agree it with the developer in writing first. - Repeated abandoned bounties (posting, then ghosting the developer who claimed them) will result in a temporary block from posting new bounties. Severe or repeated offences are permanent. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 3. CLAIMING A BOUNTY (FOR DEVELOPERS) ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Only claim a bounty if you genuinely intend to start work within a reasonable timeframe (typically 7 days). - Read the description carefully. If anything is ambiguous, ask the member in the bounty thread BEFORE claiming. - Once claimed, you are expected to deliver. Abandoning claimed bounties without communication damages your reputation and may result in moderation action. - Post progress updates in the bounty thread — at minimum once per week for active bounties. Members who can't see progress will (rightly) lose confidence and may dispute. - Do not claim bounties you cannot legally deliver (e.g. work that infringes on third-party IP you don't have rights to). ────────────────────────────────────────────── 4. DELIVERY & ACCEPTANCE ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Delivery means the developer has uploaded a Delivery Proof (file, screenshot, video, or repo link) that demonstrates the work meets the original description. - The member should review and either accept or contest the delivery within 7 days. Don't leave developers hanging — they have done the work. - On acceptance: the bounty is marked Completed, payment is sent directly by the member, and both sides may leave a review. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 5. DISPUTES ────────────────────────────────────────────── - If the member believes the delivery does not match the description, they may open a dispute through the bounty thread. - Disputes are resolved by reviewing the original bounty description, the delivered work, and the conversation history. Verbal agreements outside the platform have no weight. - Because TheWoWForge does not hold the money, we cannot force a refund or release payment. Dispute outcomes are advisory and primarily affect the reputation/standing of both parties on the platform: * Delivery accepted as-is (member was unreasonable) — member is expected to pay. * Developer asked to revise (within original scope) — work continues. * Bounty marked failed (delivery materially fails the description) — member is not expected to pay; developer's rating is affected. - Repeated frivolous disputes from the same member will affect their ability to post new bounties. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 6. RATINGS & REPUTATION ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Both sides may rate each other after a completed bounty. - Ratings should reflect the working relationship: communication, deliverable quality, payment reliability. Not personal disagreements. - Retaliatory or false ratings will be removed and may result in moderation action. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 7. PROHIBITED CONTENT ────────────────────────────────────────────── You may NOT post or claim bounties for: - Anything illegal in the EU or your local jurisdiction. - Cheats, exploits, or tools targeting Blizzard's live (retail/Classic) servers or any commercial server you do not have permission from. - Account services (boosting, account sharing, account selling). - Anything covered by an active NDA you do not have authority to commission. - Personal data harvesting. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 8. PAYMENTS ────────────────────────────────────────────── - All bounty payments are handled directly between member and developer. TheWoWForge does not process, hold, or take a cut of bounty payments. - Use a method you both trust (PayPal Goods & Services for buyer protection, escrow services, or whatever you agree on). Cash-equivalent transfers (PayPal Friends & Family, crypto, bank wire) offer no recourse if the other side disappears — choose accordingly. - TheWoWForge cannot recover funds, mediate refunds, or pursue payment on your behalf. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 9. STAFF DISCRETION ────────────────────────────────────────────── - Moderators and admins may close, edit, or remove bounties that violate these rules. - Repeated rule violations will result in escalating action: warnings → temporary posting block → permanent ban from the Bounty Board → site-wide ban. - Staff decisions are final. You may appeal in writing once via support@thewowforge.com. ────────────────────────────────────────────── 10. THIS THREAD IS LOCKED ────────────────────────────────────────────── Replies to this thread are disabled. If you have a question about the rules, use the Suggestions & Feedback forum or contact support@thewowforge.com. If you want to report a rule violation, use the report button on the offending thread/post. These rules may be updated. Material changes will be announced in News & Announcements.