RC Testing Agreement

1. Program Overview

Welcome to the BranchPy v1.0.0 Release Candidate (RC) Testing Program. By participating, you gain early access to BranchPy's professional-grade features while helping us refine the product before public release.

2. What You Get

• Full Pro Tier Access: All features including AI-powered code assistance, Pilot Mode, Doctor diagnostics, and Flowchart+ editing
• Commercial Use Allowed: You may use BranchPy for commercial projects during the RC phase
• Priority Support: Direct access to the development team via the private RC Testing forum
• RC Tester Badge: Special recognition in the BranchPy community (optional visibility)
• Lifetime Discount: Special pricing when BranchPy officially launches

3. Your Responsibilities

3.1 Active Participation

RC testers are expected to:

• Use BranchPy regularly on real projects
• Report bugs and issues via the RC Testing forum
• Provide constructive feedback on features and usability
• Respond to surveys and feature polls

3.2 Telemetry & Usage Metrics

3.2.1 Purpose of Telemetry

During the Release Candidate ("RC") test phase, BranchPy records technical usage and performance information ("Telemetry") in order to improve stability, performance, and feature design before the general public release. Telemetry is used exclusively for debugging, performance tuning, and product decisions related to BranchPy.

3.2.2 Local-Only Collection

Telemetry is collected and stored locally on your machine in a structured, machine-readable format. BranchPy does not automatically transmit Telemetry to the BranchPy team, to any server, or to any third party. No background network calls or automatic uploads are performed by the RC build.

3.2.3 How Telemetry Is Exported

At any time, you may generate a Telemetry export file by running:

branchpy telemetry export --output rc-metrics.json

The exported file contains aggregated usage and performance information, as well as a scrubbed list of technical events. You may open and review this file in any text editor before deciding whether to share it.

3.2.4 What Telemetry Includes

Telemetry may include, without limitation:

• Information about which BranchPy commands are used (e.g. analyze, stats, providers, websocket tools)
• Technical metadata about your environment (e.g. operating system, Python version, BranchPy version)
• Aggregated performance metrics (e.g. duration of analysis runs, provider operations, and other actions)
• Aggregated counts of errors and error types (e.g. provider connection failures, validation errors)
• Anonymized usage statistics related to providers and engines (e.g. whether Ren'Py, Godot, or other engines are detected)

Telemetry is designed to focus on metadata only and not on the content of your projects.

3.2.5 What Telemetry Does Not Include

BranchPy RC Telemetry is not intended to collect any of the following, and you agree not to knowingly submit such content as "Telemetry":

• The actual text, dialogue, or story content of your visual novel or game
• Image, audio, or video asset contents
• The full contents of your project files
• Sensitive personal data about you or any other person (such as names, addresses, emails, or payment details)

Where possible, project paths and file information are reduced to counts, hashes, or non-identifying technical metadata.

3.2.6 Voluntary Submission of Telemetry

As an RC tester, you understand that Telemetry is recorded locally as part of the technical operation of BranchPy. You are not obligated to share the exported Telemetry file with the BranchPy team. However, by voluntarily uploading your Telemetry export through the official RC telemetry upload portal (accessible via your Profile → RC Testing tab), you:

• Grant BranchPy the right to store, process, and analyze the exported file for the purposes described in Section 3.2.1; and
• Confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, the exported file does not contain any sensitive personal data or confidential third-party information.

3.2.7 Anonymity & Aggregation

Telemetry may be analyzed both individually and in aggregate across multiple testers. Where feasible, BranchPy will minimize personal identifiers and may anonymize tester identifiers (for example, by hashing an internal tester ID). Results may be used internally to guide product decisions and may be shared in aggregate form (for example, "X% of RC testers used feature Y").

3.2.8 Retention

Uploaded Telemetry may be retained for the duration of the RC program and for a reasonable period thereafter in order to support follow-up analysis and long-term product improvements. BranchPy may also retain anonymized and aggregated statistics for historical and benchmarking purposes.

3.3 Confidentiality

During the RC phase, you agree to:

• Keep unreleased features confidential until public announcement
• Not share your license key or download link with others
• Report security vulnerabilities privately to the development team

You MAY:

• Share your experiences and feedback publicly
• Show BranchPy in your development streams or videos
• Discuss released features on social media
• Write reviews or tutorials about BranchPy

4. License Terms

4.1 License Grant

You are granted a temporary, non-transferable license to use BranchPy during the RC testing period. This license includes:

• All Pro-tier features
• Commercial use rights
• Up to 5 device activations
• Access to the private RC Testing forum

4.2 License Duration

Your RC license is valid until one of the following occurs:

• BranchPy v1.0.0 is officially released to the public
• You violate the terms of this agreement
• The RC testing program is terminated
• You choose to discontinue participation

4.3 Post-RC Transition

When BranchPy v1.0.0 launches publicly:

• Active RC testers receive a special early adopter discount
• You may choose to subscribe to any available tier
• Your RC license will convert to a standard license based on your subscription choice
• All project data and configurations will be preserved

5. Support & Communication

5.1 RC Testing Forum

You gain access to a private forum exclusively for RC testers and the development team. Use it to:

• Report bugs with detailed reproduction steps
• Request features and suggest improvements
• Share tips and workflows with other testers
• Get direct support from the BranchPy team

5.2 Response Times

While we strive to respond quickly, please note:

• Critical bugs: 24-48 hour response
• Feature requests: Reviewed in weekly planning meetings
• General questions: 2-5 business days

6. Disclaimers & Limitations

6.1 Beta Software Warning

BranchPy RC is pre-release software and may contain bugs.

You acknowledge that:

• Features may change or be removed
• Data loss may occur (though we minimize this risk)
• Performance may not be optimal
• Compatibility issues may arise with certain Ren'Py projects

Recommendation: Always maintain backups of your projects and use version control (Git).

6.2 No Warranty

BranchPy RC is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. We do not guarantee:

• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Compatibility with all systems or projects
• That all bugs will be fixed before public release

6.3 Limitation of Liability

BranchPy and its developers are not liable for:

• Data loss or corruption
• Project delays caused by software issues
• Financial losses resulting from use of BranchPy RC
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages

7. Termination

7.1 Voluntary Withdrawal

You may leave the RC program at any time by:

• Deactivating your license
• Emailing support@branchpy.com with "Withdraw from RC"

7.2 Involuntary Removal

We reserve the right to revoke your RC access if you:

• Violate confidentiality terms
• Share your license key with others
• Abuse the support system
• Remain inactive for an extended period without communication
• Engage in malicious or unethical behavior

8. Privacy & Data Protection

8.1 Personal Data

We collect and store:

• Name, email, username
• GitHub, Discord, Reddit handles (optional)
• Country/timezone for coordination
• RC application responses

8.2 Data Usage

Your data is used to:

• Manage your RC tester account
• Send product updates and announcements
• Provide technical support
• Improve BranchPy based on feedback

8.3 Data Retention

• Active RC period: Full data retained
• Post-RC: Data retained if you subscribe to BranchPy
• Account deletion: Data removed within 30 days of request

8.4 GDPR & Privacy Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your data
• Request corrections
• Request deletion (except as required by law)
• Export your data
• Opt out of non-essential communications

9. Changes to This Agreement

We may update this agreement to reflect:

• New features or program changes
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Feedback from RC testers

If we make material changes:

• We'll notify you via email
• Changes take effect 7 days after notification
• Continued use implies acceptance of new terms
• You may withdraw if you disagree with changes

10. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by:

• Jurisdiction: Canada (developer location)
• Applicable Laws: PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)
• Dispute Resolution: Good-faith negotiation first, followed by mediation if needed

11. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or support:

• Email: support@branchpy.com
• RC Testing Forum: https://branchpy.com/community (RC Testers category)
• Website: https://branchpy.com

12. Acknowledgment

By clicking "Accept" below, you confirm that you:

• ✅ Have read and understood this entire agreement
• ✅ Agree to all terms and conditions
• ✅ Acknowledge that BranchPy records technical telemetry locally on your machine as described in Section 3.2
• ✅ Understand you remain in control of whether to export and upload telemetry to the BranchPy team
• ✅ Understand this is pre-release software with potential risks
• ✅ Will actively participate and provide feedback
• ✅ Agree to maintain reasonable confidentiality

Thank you for being part of BranchPy's journey!
Your feedback and participation are invaluable in making BranchPy the best tool for Ren'Py developers.