Grundo's Cafe - Terms and Conditions (Rules)
You must review the following rules to know what you can and cannot do on Grundo's Cafe. By using this site, you agree to abide by the following terms and conditions.
In short, please...
DO :
- Enjoy the personalization Grundo's Cafe offers with pet names, NeoHTML and signatures, and customization.
- Use quality-of-life userscripts that don't confer a competitive advantage.
- Report discovered bugs via the on-site report form or Discord for a bug bounty.
- Enjoy the site if you are 13 years of age or older
- Continue reading for more detail about what we expect from our players.
DON'T :
- Discuss tense subject matters and real-world events onsite.
- Use slurs (including reclaimed ones).
- Use hate speech or discriminatory language.
- Use disallowed site content or other grey area adult content with which other users may take issue.
- Use programs or hacks that give an unfair advantage on a competitive part of the site. More details below.
- Play on more than one account or participate in scamming behavior.
- Collaborate to manipulate the market.
- Trade GC pets, items, or currency for any commodity from another website, or for real-life currency.
- Be under the age of 13.
Click each heading to learn more about the topic.
Disallowed Site Content
- References to Other IPs: We specifically disallow references to the following intellectual properties throughout the site. This is not an exhaustive list.
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and/or JK Rowling
- Kanye "Ye" West and/or the Yeezy brand
- We strongly discourage the use of AI Generated Art. We encourage you to commission a community member or find free-to-use images from a human artist.
- AI content that heavily reproduces an onsite artist’s work will be removed.
- Please read through Don't Be A Jerk and Keep Customization Reasonable for a more comprehensive understanding of what is and isn't allowed.
Don't Be A Jerk
- Insulting, threats, bullying, harassment, or otherwise nasty behavior is not tolerated.
- Venting about other users’ play styles and calling out users is disallowed in public channels and on-site.
- Please keep tense subject matters such as religion, politics, current events, tense historical events, and real life violence off-site and off our discord.
Keep Customization Reasonable
Grundo's Cafe allows for a lot of personalization, whether it be pet names, NeoHTML, signatures, or customization!
- All content displayed on-site should be PG-13. Please open a ticket if you're unsure.
- Due to the can of worms it presents, we do not allow slurs - even reclaimed ones - in any of these personalization features.
- Gray area adult content is strongly discouraged.
- Any references to injury, blood, or anything otherwise associated with "gore" should be kept to a minimum OR described in a biological manner, rather than visceral.
- Be mindful of content that can trigger photosensitivities such as flashing images.
- AI generated art is highly discouraged.
- Code should not redirect individuals to incorrect or misleading pages.
- Pet image overlays should follow the sitewide content rules and should not be maliciously misleading on userlookups.
- Only use custom content (CSS, HTML, art) that you own or have permission to use, and give credit when customizing with assets and code that are not your own.
- Do not use customization to hide or change your stats on your personal pages. More details below.
We reserve the right to clear customization and rename pets/usernames that are in violation of any of the above guidelines.
Userlookup Rules- The following stats must be visible and legible:
- Username
- Shop Link
- Gallery Link(s)
- BD Stats
- Guild(s)
- Avatars
- Stamps
- Links to trades, auctions, wishlist, scores, mail, & neofriend
- Pets and Pet Names
- Do not use customization to hide or change the true name of your pet.
- Pet overlays on userlookups may not misrepresent the pet as any other pet color that exists on site. If an overlay is a crosspaint the pet must have both colors blobbed (excluding any basic color, defined as any color that has been removed from carbonated flasks).
- The team may ask for overlays that do not meet these requirements to be changed or removed. Malicious misrepresentation of a pet for trading purposes may lead to an account freeze.
- All userlookups that use pet overlays must include a link or button to toggle CSS off.
- Link Example : https://www.grundos.cafe/help/siteprefs/?redirect=/userlookup/?user=YOURUSERNAMEHERE&togglecss
- Site & Game Trophies
- NB: the colour of the trophy images can be changed so long as it is still clear whether the trophy is Gold, Silver, or Bronze; you should not misrepresent which trophy you have (e.g. if the "Second Place at Balthazar Basher!" text is visible, the trophy image may be filtered to be greyscale).
- Report/Block Links
- The following stats must be visible and legible:
- The name of your pet
- Your pet’s color and species in the pet header
- Battledome stats
- Pet overlays on petlookups may represent the pet as any species or color without limitations.
- The following stats must be visible, legible, and accurate:
- Shop name
- Shop owner
- "Report" link
- Shop item images
- Shop item names
- Shop item quantities
- Shop item prices
- The following stats must be visible, legible, and accurate:
- Gallery name
- Gallery owner
- "Report" link
- Gallery categories
- Gallery item images
No Cheating
- Quality-of-life user scripts are not just tolerated but encouraged!
- In competitive parts of the site, scripts and programs that provide an unfair advantage are not allowed e.g. auto-buyers, score-senders, auto-refreshers.
- One-to-one input rule: If a script is automating clicks (one input -> multiple outputs) on a competitive site area, that is considered cheating and will result in an account freeze.
- If you are uncertain about a script, don't hesitate to ask! We will be reasonable when considering edge cases, but flagrant cheating will be punished without warning.
- OKAY : A user script that moves or changes the size of buttons on Dice-A-Roo to make it more user-friendly. Inputs are still 1-to-1.
- OKAY : A user script that auto-fills a Wishing Well wish and donation. Inputs aren't 1-to-1, but this part of the site isn't sufficiently competitive for it to be an issue.
- OKAY : A user script that adds SW/SDB for items as they appear on various parts of the site. Inputs are still 1-to-1.
- BAD : A user script that auto-fills user shop prices for you. That is not okay, as user shop repricing tends to be highly competitive.
- BAD : A user script that highlights words or expressions on pages. Inputs are still 1-to-1, but not okay as this provides an unfair advantage in competitive parts of the site.
- BAD : An auto-refresher: Inputs are not 1-to-1. This provides the user with an unfair advantage.
- BAD : A script which automatically submits an action for you: inputs are not 1-to-1.
Examples of what is and isn't okay (with some edge cases) :
Age Requirements
- We do not allow players under the age of 13 to play Grundo's Cafe. If your local jurisdiction sets higher age limits to participate in or provide data to online gaming sites with social features, you may not play. By playing Grundo's Cafe, you are agreeing that you are of the appropriate age to enjoy the site.
- For your safety and privacy, it's important to remember that sharing personal information while gaming can expose you to risks. If you are under the age of 18, do not share any personal information like your real name, age, location, school, or phone number with other players.
- If you are not of age to play, we are happy to welcome you into Grundo's Cafe when you are!
One Account Per Person
- You may only create one account per person.
- Side accounts are not allowed.
- Do not perform actions on another player's account. This includes but is not limited to: sending items, neopoints, or pets to other accounts.
- Do not funnel items, neopoints, or pets between accounts.
- Think: Is the amount of gifting helping the other user gain significant advantage on the site? Is the gifting mostly one directional (not being reciprocated)? Could the amount of gifting appear as one person using multiple accounts? If you ever are unsure, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We will always consider full context when making freezing decisions.
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Click here to see specific examples.
- OKAY : Occasionally gifting and receiving items and neopoints to friends/family.
- BAD : Two or more friends or family members playing on the same account.
- BAD : Temporarily quitting and giving items, neopoints, and/or pets to one user, but continuing to play and sending/receiving items to/from that user.
- BAD : Gifting relics to a friend or family member and receiving continuous Grundo's Warehouse tokens in return.
- BAD : Using a friend or family member's account to store pets longterm that you don't intend for them to keep.
- BAD : Using accounts of friends/family to enter the wishing well, lottery, and other prize features on your behalf then having them send all or many of the prizes to you.
Bug Bounty
- Please report any bugs to site admins or moderators via the on-site report form or Discord.
- A bug bounty will be provided to any user who reports a bug that could impact the economy (e.g. item duplication, np generation, pet exploits, etc.). The bounty ranges from 100k to 1m+ depending on the severity.
Market Guidelines
- While Grundo's Cafe shares some features of real-life capitalist societies, it is a game where economic choices do not impact an individual’s human rights. We are therefore mindful of the power of the language used to describe economic activities within this context. Please be mindful using any of the following terms to avoid diminishing their real-world effects :
- Price Gouging : The practice of increasing the prices of goods, services, or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. This commonly applies to price increases of basic necessities after natural disasters.
- Artificial Inflation/Artificial Scarcity : Scarcity of items despite the technology for production or the sufficient capacity for sharing.
- Market Manipulation : Artificial inflation or deflation of the price of a security. It involves the literal manipulation of a financial market for personal gain.
- Price Fixing : An anticompetitive agreement between participants on the same side in a market to buy or sell a product, service, or commodity only at a fixed price, or maintain the market conditions such that the price is maintained at a given level by controlling supply and demand.
- Players are allowed to buy and sell items at the prices they choose and for whatever reason they wish.
- Players may not engage in deceptive behavior or attempt to exert influence over the broader economy through collaboration.
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As a guide, follow these examples of what is and isn't okay :
- OKAY : Selling an item for above/below the generally agreed upon market value, so long as both parties are aware of this fact.
- OKAY : Purchasing items which are perceived to be priced below the generally agreed upon market value and re-listing them for a higher price.
- OKAY : Gifting another player with items or funds to purchase something for their own personal use.
- OKAY : Guild members voluntarily donating items to be gifted to or swapped with other guild members, with the understanding that once the item has left their account they are no longer the "owner" and there is no guarantee that they will be reimbursed.
- OKAY : A group of players forming a mall, in which they agree to consistently supply their own shops with distinct categories of items. Buying other user's items from the Shop Wizard to stock your own mall is okay.
- BAD : Providing false estimates of an item’s value for personal gain.
- BAD : Misrepresenting or concealing your intentions when purchasing items for personal gain. Example scenarios :
- Under-offering on a paint brush with the intention of reselling it for profit, whilst telling the seller you are purchasing the paint brush for personal use.
- Harassing a seller via the trading post or neomails in an attempt to coerce them into selling their item/s for significantly lower than the currently agreed upon market value.
- BAD : Attempting to mislead people by listing a low-value item with a similar name or image to a high-value item for a significantly higher price than its generally agreed upon market value. Example :
- Listing a “Lost Desert Paint Brush Plushie” at the same price as a “Lost Desert Paint Brush” in an attempt to mislead potential buyers.
- BAD : Offering a low-value item with a similar name or image to a high-value item on a trade lot with the intention of misleading the seller. Example :
- Offering a “Lost Desert Paint Brush Plushie” on a trade lot where the seller has requested a “Lost Desert Paint Brush” with the intention of misleading the seller.
- BAD : Pooling funds amongst multiple players in order to collectively purchase and own an item or exert power over the economy. Example scenarios :
- A group of friends offering to give Neopoints or dubloons to one person in order for them to purchase an item which will then be collectively owned by all shareholders.
- A guild soliciting donations from members in order to purchase an item for the use of all guild members, with no clear “owner”.
- A group of people pooling Neopoints or dubloons in order to purchase an item to sell for profit which will then be redistributed amongst all shareholders.
- A group of people coordinating to increase the price of items.
- BAD : Offering a "prize" or other reward for users who make purchases from your user shop. These offers are not possible for the moderation team to monitor and are considered scams.
Trading Post Guidelines
Please ensure your trade lots, wish lists, and offers follow site rules.
- All trades must be for Neopoints, on-site items, or art commissions.
- Trading for Neopets, referral codes, or IRL currency is not allowed.
- Do not use the Trading Post to store items or post wishlists without the intention to sell.
- Please keep your Trading Post messages site-appropriate and in accordance with site rules.
Trading Lots found in violation of these rules will be removed.
Pet Trading
- All trades must be 1:1, 1 pet for 1 pet.
- You may not trade items or neopoints for a pet.
- Name Change Tokens and Species Changing Items are an exception to this rule provided that they are intended to be used on a pet involved in the trade. It is up to the trading parties to decide who pays for the token(s) based on what both parties think is fair.
- Customs, including FFQs, must be applied to the pets before they leave the parties' accounts.
- If a user's or pet's profile notes that the pet is not UFT, respect their wishes and avoid asking.
- If there is no note on the pet’s or user’s profile and the pet is not publicly UFT/UFA please use good etiquette. Do not repeatedly ask nor vent about the owner, pet name, or any other identifying information publicly.
- If a pet will be leaving your account for any reason and you intend to get it back, do so at your own risk. While we will investigate reports of suspected scamming behavior, we recommend taking a preventive approach and only lending to people you trust.
Commission Best Practices
The following are not official rules, but recommended guidelines to help make the process of buying and selling art easier for users to navigate. While this guide was written with illustrated pieces in mind, most of the points also apply to graphics, custom CSS/HTML, and other types of commissioned work.
NB: All commissions should be completed for in-game currency only.
Best Practices for Artists :
- Price high enough for what your time is worth! If you were charging by the hour, how many Neopoints would you feel is a fair rate? Is it comparable to the amount of NP you would gain spending that same time on other site activities? If you’re unsure how to price your art, ask others and skim recent commission openings to find a ballpark price for similar styles and levels of quality.
- While it is up to you to decide at what stage(s) the commissioner must send payment, including the choice of whether to include a down payment, it is strongly recommended to not provide the final piece in high-res (or equivalent) until you have been paid in full.
- Check in with your commissioner often, and give them progress updates. This makes the process easier on both of you should changes or extensions be needed, and reduces the possibility of miscommunications. If you have unexpected circumstances and the commission takes longer than expected, it’s better to let the commissioner know that upfront.
- Estimate more time than you may actually need to finish commissioned work. Good art takes time, life can be unpredictable, and setting broader estimates gives you more flexibility and helps the commissioner have realistic expectations.
Best Practices for Commissioners :
- Be patient with the artist, and give them plenty of time to finish your piece. While many artists will give an estimated turnaround time, and while you should always feel comfortable reaching out with questions or for updates, be understanding if the process takes slightly longer than expected.
- If you wish for the artist to make major changes to a piece (such as composition, character poses, etc), ask during the sketch stage before lines/color are added where possible unless the artist states otherwise in their Terms of Service. This allows the artist to easily make those changes before the details are set in stone. Once color is added, it is often more difficult to make larger alterations to the piece.
- Provide references where relevant/possible. If you have a character with a specific design, sending the artist an image or two of them helps greatly. Even if you aren’t an artist yourself and don’t have exact reference art on hand, stick figure drawings and stock photos can greatly help communicate what you have in mind for posing and composition!
- Be mindful of an artist’s availability, and unless they state otherwise, only inquire about commissions if they say that they have slots open. If their commissions are closed, wait until they’re ready to reopen their queue before reaching out about it.
- Follow the artist’s terms of service where applicable in regard to pricing, payment, and usage
- Tipping artists is always recommended, especially if they went above and beyond in creating a custom piece for you!
For both Artists and Commissioners :
- Clear and consistent communication is one of the most important parts of the commission process! Make your expectations clear, and don’t be afraid to speak up with any questions or concerns for the other party.
- If you encounter problems that cannot adequately be resolved privately between artist and commissioner, open up a ticket and staff will assist you.
NOTE : We are able to directly mediate only when site rules are being broken, or in cases of suspected scamming. For example, if an artist doesn’t receive timely payment after completing a piece, or a commissioner goes multiple weeks without expected progress updates from the artist despite their best attempts to reach out and resolve the issue privately.
We typically cannot enforce anything related to art pricing, usage (except for art, asset, or code theft, as outlined in the site rules), or individual artist Terms of Service unless the issue is covered by our broader site rules.
Photosensitivity Warning
- For individuals with light sensitivity or photosensitive conditions, user discretion is advised when playing the site. Site preferences can be adjusted to mitigate some animation elements. Grundo's Cafe is not responsible for any adverse reactions.
- If you have concerns about photosensitivity, please consult a qualified physician prior to use.
If you are interested in doing any gray-area activity that isn't mentioned in this write-up, feel free to reach out to the GC Team and ask for clarification!
The Grundo's Cafe Team reserves the right to modify, add or remove rules at any time, with or without prior notice. Players are responsible for staying up-to-date with site rules.