rr3-server/EA-LEGAL-AGREEMENT.md

⚖️ EA Legal Agreement - Community Server Guidelines

Date: February 22, 2026
Source: Electronic Arts (EA)
Applies to: RR3 Community Edition Server Project

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📜 Official EA Policy

Electronic Arts has communicated the following requirements for community servers:

✅ Allowed

1. Free Distribution

   • APK can be distributed for free
   • Server can be hosted for community use
   • All in-game content must be free

2. Donations

   • Server operators may accept donations
   • Donations must be for server upkeep costs only
   • No pay-to-win features
   • No premium memberships with gameplay advantages

3. Community Features

   • Custom content (cars, tracks, mods)
   • Community events
   • Server modifications
   • Quality of life improvements

❌ Prohibited

1. Monetization

   • NO charging for the APK
   • NO in-app purchases with real money
   • NO paid DLC or content packs
   • NO subscription fees
   • NO selling in-game currency

2. Commercial Use

   • Cannot operate commercially
   • Cannot generate profit
   • Cannot sell access to features

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🎮 Implementation Requirements

Server Configuration

All in-game items MUST be free:

// ProductController.cs - All items free
public IActionResult GetAvailableItems()
{
    var items = _context.Products
        .Select(p => new {
            p.Id,
            p.Name,
            p.Description,
            Price = 0,              // MUST be 0
            Currency = "FREE",      // Mark as free
            IsPurchasable = true    // Available to everyone
        });
    return Ok(items);
}

// RewardsController.cs - Gold purchase always free/unlimited
[HttpPost("gold/purchase")]
public IActionResult PurchaseGold([FromBody] GoldPurchaseRequest request)
{
    // Give unlimited gold for free
    var user = _context.Users.Find(request.SynergyId);
    user.Gold += request.Amount; // Or just += 999999999
    
    _context.SaveChanges();
    
    return Ok(new { 
        Success = true, 
        NewBalance = user.Gold,
        Cost = 0,  // FREE
        Message = "Community server - all currency is FREE!"
    });
}

DRM Controller

Purchase verification MUST bypass real transactions:

// DrmController.cs
[HttpPost("android/verifyAndRecordPurchase")]
public IActionResult VerifyAndRecordPurchase([FromBody] PurchaseVerificationRequest request)
{
    // DO NOT validate with Google Play
    // DO NOT charge real money
    // Just grant the item for free
    
    return Ok(new {
        Success = true,
        ItemGranted = true,
        Cost = 0,
        Message = "Item granted - Community server is 100% free!"
    });
}

---

💰 Donation Guidelines

Acceptable Donation Practices

Transparency:

• Clearly state donations are optional
• Show server costs breakdown
• Provide donation receipt/confirmation
• Never gate features behind donations

Example Donation Message:

🎮 RR3 Community Server is 100% FREE!

All content, cars, tracks, and features are completely free.
No in-app purchases. No premium memberships.

Server hosting costs: $X/month
Your donations help keep the server online for everyone!

Donate (optional): [PayPal/Patreon/Ko-fi link]

Thank you for supporting the community! 🏎️

Donation Transparency

Monthly Report Example:

📊 November 2026 Server Report

Server Costs:
- VPS Hosting: $50
- CDN Bandwidth: $20
- Domain/SSL: $5
Total: $75

Donations Received: $80
Surplus: $5 (carried to next month)

Thank you to all donors! The server remains free for all players.

---

🚫 What NOT to Do

❌ Bad Examples (PROHIBITED)

1. Paid Features:

❌ "Premium members get exclusive cars"
❌ "Donate $10 to unlock multiplayer"
❌ "VIP pass: $5/month for faster progression"

2. Paid Currency:

❌ "Buy 1000 Gold for $9.99"
❌ "Gold Pack: $19.99"
❌ "$0.99 per car unlock"

3. Selling the APK:

❌ "Download APK: $4.99"
❌ "Modded APK access: $2.99/month"

✅ Good Examples (ALLOWED)

1. Optional Donations:

✅ "Server costs $50/month. Donate if you can - keeps us online!"
✅ "100% free game. Optional donations help cover hosting."
✅ "Thank you donors! See transparency report: [link]"

2. Community Perks (Non-gameplay):

✅ "Donors get 'Supporter' badge in Discord"
✅ "Name in credits/thank you page"
✅ "Early server update announcements"

(No gameplay advantages!)

3. Free Everything:

✅ "All cars unlocked for free"
✅ "Unlimited gold and currency"
✅ "All tracks available immediately"
✅ "Custom content free for everyone"

---

📋 Compliance Checklist

Server Implementation

• All ProductController items have price = 0
• Gold/currency purchase endpoints give unlimited free currency
• DRM controller bypasses real purchase verification
• No premium/paid tier system
• No paid subscription features
• No gameplay advantages tied to donations

APK Distribution

• APK distributed for free
• No paid download links
• No "premium APK" versions with extra features
• Clear disclaimer about EA's IP ownership

Donation System (If Implemented)

• Clearly labeled as "optional"
• Shows server costs breakdown
• No gameplay rewards for donating
• Transparent financial reporting
• All donations go to server costs only

Legal Notices

• Disclaimer: "Real Racing 3 is owned by Electronic Arts"
• Notice: "Community server - not affiliated with EA"
• Statement: "100% free - no in-app purchases"
• Donation transparency report available

---

📄 Recommended Disclaimers

In-Game Message (First Launch)

🏎️ Welcome to RR3 Community Server!

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
• This is a community-run server
• 100% FREE - No in-app purchases
• All content, cars, and tracks are unlocked
• Not affiliated with Electronic Arts
• Real Racing 3 is owned by EA

Server donations (optional) help cover hosting costs.
Donations do NOT provide gameplay advantages.

Have fun racing! 🏁

Website/GitHub README

## ⚖️ Legal Notice

**Real Racing 3** is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc.  
This community server is not affiliated with or endorsed by EA.

### Free-to-Play Policy

In accordance with EA's guidelines:
- ✅ This server is **100% free**
- ✅ All in-game content is **free**
- ✅ No in-app purchases with real money
- ✅ APK is distributed free of charge

### Donations

Server hosting costs money. **Optional donations** help keep the server online.
- Donations cover hosting costs only
- No gameplay advantages for donors
- Full financial transparency provided

[Monthly Cost Breakdown] [Donation Options]

### Intellectual Property

All game assets, code, and trademarks belong to Electronic Arts.
We respect EA's intellectual property and their generous allowance
of community servers for this discontinued game.

---

🎯 EA's Reasoning (Implied)

Why these restrictions exist:

1. Protect EA's IP - RR3 is still EA's property
2. Prevent commercial exploitation - No profiting from EA's work
3. Avoid legal issues - Clear boundaries prevent lawsuits
4. Fair to players - Discontinued game should be accessible to all
5. Community goodwill - EA allowing this is generous

What EA gets:

• Community keeps game alive
• Positive PR for supporting fans
• No maintenance costs
• Players stay engaged with EA franchise

What community gets:

• Game continues after EA shutdown
• Free access to all content
• Custom mods and improvements
• Active community

Win-win situation! 🤝

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🔒 Enforcement

Server Operator Responsibilities

1. Monitor for violations

   • Regular audits of code
   • Check no paid features sneak in
   • Review donation messaging
   • Ensure APK distribution is free

2. Community moderation

   • Ban users selling items/accounts
   • Remove paid mods/content
   • Report violations to EA if needed
   • Keep community informed of policies

3. Transparency

   • Public server costs
   • Open source code (recommended)
   • Financial reports for donations
   • Clear communication with EA if needed

If EA Contacts You

Do:

• ✅ Respond professionally and promptly
• ✅ Provide evidence of compliance
• ✅ Fix any violations immediately
• ✅ Keep communication documented

Don't:

• ❌ Ignore EA communications
• ❌ Argue about policy
• ❌ Continue violations after warning
• ❌ Claim ownership of EA's IP

---

📝 Server Configuration Template

appsettings.json

{
  "ServerSettings": {
    "ServerName": "RR3 Community Server",
    "IsCommercial": false,
    "AllowRealMoneyPurchases": false,
    "FreeToPlay": true,
    "AcceptDonations": true,
    "DonationUrl": "https://donate.example.com",
    "ShowDonationNotice": true,
    "TransparencyReportUrl": "https://example.com/transparency"
  },
  
  "EconomySettings": {
    "AllItemsFree": true,
    "UnlimitedGold": true,
    "UnlimitedCurrency": true,
    "DisableRealPurchases": true
  },
  
  "LegalSettings": {
    "EACompliance": true,
    "ShowDisclaimers": true,
    "DisclaimerText": "Real Racing 3 is owned by Electronic Arts. This community server is not affiliated with EA. 100% free - no in-app purchases.",
    "TermsOfServiceUrl": "https://example.com/terms"
  }
}

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🎉 Summary

EA's policy is simple:

1. Keep it FREE - No charging for anything
2. Donations OK - For server costs only
3. No profit - Community service, not a business

This is very reasonable! EA could have shut down community servers entirely. Instead, they're allowing the community to keep the game alive.

Let's respect their terms and build an awesome free community server! 🏎️💨

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Last Updated: February 22, 2026
Status: Documented and understood
Compliance: Server configured for 100% free operation