The Current Rules of deNomic

Rule 101 - immutable
Obey The Rules

All players must always abide by all the rules then in effect, in the form in which they are then in effect, and interpreted in accordance with currently existing game custom. Until such time as they are legally transmuted, Rules 101-115 are immutable, and Rules 201-221 are mutable.

Rule 102 - immutable
The Speaker and Citizens

Each Player shall be either a Citizen or the Speaker; no Player may be both at the same time. There will always be one Speaker. The term "Player" refers to any Citizen or the Speaker.

Rule 103 - immutable
What Is A Rule Change?

A rule change must be one of the following: (1) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule; (2) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of an amendment; or (3) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a mutable rule, or vice versa.

Rule 104 - immutable
Adopting Proposals

All proposals made in the proper way shall be voted on. Three conditions must be satisfied for a proposal to be adopted: (1) a quorum must have been achieved; (2) the required number of votes must have been cast in favour of the proposal; and (3) the prescribed voting period must have elapsed or all voters have cast a vote, whichever is first.

Rule 105 - immutable
Proposals Must Be Written Down

Any proposed rule change must be written down (or otherwise communicated in print or electronic media) before it is voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the form in which it was voted on.

Rule 106 - immutable
When Proposals Can Take Effect

A rule change will take effect when either the prescribed voting period has elapsed, or all voters have cast their vote, whichever is first.

No rule change may have retroactive application.

Rule 107 - immutable
Numbering Proposals

The Speaker shall give each proposed rule change an ordinal number for reference. The numbers shall begin with 301, and each rule change proposed in the proper way shall receive the next successive ordinal, whether or not the proposal is adopted. The effective ordinal number of a rule is the ordinal number of the most recent change to that rule.

Rule 108 - immutable
Mutable/Immutable Inconsistencies

Mutable rules that are inconsistent in some way with some immutable rule (except by proposing to transmute it) are wholly void and without effect. They do not implicitly transmute immutable rules into mutable rules and at the same time amend them. Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules will be effective only if they explicitly state their transmuting effect.

Rule 109 - immutable
Making Proposals

The proper way to make a proposal is to send it by electronic mail to the current Speaker. The Speaker will then distribute the proposal to all Players. The prescribed voting period begins at the moment that the proposal is distributed by the Speaker.

Rule 110 [transmuted - see Rule 348]

Rule 111 - immutable
Forfeiting The Game

A player always has the option to forfeit the game rather than continue to play or incur a game penalty. No penalty worse than losing, in the judgement of the player to incur it, may be imposed.

Rule 112 - immutable
At Least One Mutable Rule

There must always be at least one mutable rule. The adoption of rule changes must never become completely impermissible.

Rule 113 - immutable
Rule Changes That Affect Rule Changing Rules

Rule changes that affect rules needed to allow or apply rule changes are as permissible as other rule changes. Even rule changes that amend or repeal their own authority are permissible. No rule change is impermissible solely on account of the self-reference or self-application of a rule.

Rule 114 - immutable
Voting Options

Voters may vote either for or against any proposal during the prescribed voting period. Citizens should send their vote by electronic mail to the Speaker before the end of the voting period. Voters who do not vote within the prescribed period shall be deemed to have abstained.

Rule 115 - immutable
Permissibility Of The Unprohibited

Whatever is not explicitly prohibited or regulated by a rule is permitted and unregulated, with the sole exception of changing the rules, which is permitted only when a rule or set of rules explicitly or implicitly permits it.

Rule 201 [amended - see Rule 303]

Rule 203 - mutable
Required Number Of Votes

The number of votes required to pass a proposal is two-thirds of the votes legally cast within the prescribed voting period.

Rule 204 - mutable
One Voter One Vote

Each Voter has exactly one vote.

Rule 205 - mutable
The Prescribed Voting Period

The prescribed voting period on a proposal is seven days, starting from the moment that the proposal is distributed by the Speaker.

Rule 206 - mutable
When Proposals Take Effect

An adopted proposal takes effect at the moment that the prescribed voting period ends.

Rule 207 [amended - see Rule 345]

Rule 208 - mutable
Scoring When A Proposal Is Defeated

When a proposed rule change is defeated, the player who proposed it loses 10 points.

Rule 209 [amended - see Rule 358]

Rule 210 [amended - see Rule 349]

Rule 211 - mutable
Invoking Judgement

Any player who has a question or complaint about any matter concerning the laws and their interpretation may email their statement to the Speaker, who will then distribute it to the rest of the Citizens. A call for judgement is then incurred on that statement.

Rule 212 - mutable
Selecting A Judge

When Judgement has been called for, a Judge is randomly selected from among the other registered players by the Speaker. The player selected has 3 days in which to accept or refuse the appointment by posting to the Speaker. Any player who does not respond to selection in 3 days shall be penalised 10 points, and is deemed to have refused appointment. If a selected player refuses appointment, then a further random selection is made from the remaining pool.

Rule 213 - mutable
Delivering Judgement

Having accepted the appointment, a Judge has exactly one week in which to post an official Judgement. A Judge who fails to deliver Judgement within that period is penalised 10 points.

Rule 214 - mutable
Three Possible Judgements

There are only three possible Judgements: (1) True; (2) False; or (3) Undecided. A Judgement may be accompanied by reasons and arguments, but any such reasons and arguments form no part of the official Judgement itself.

Rule 215 - mutable
Judgements Must Accord With The Rules

All Judgements must be in accordance with all the rules then in effect. When the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the statement in question, however, then the Judge shall consider currently existing game custom and the spirit of the game in reaching a decision.

Rule 216 - mutable
Judgements Are Not Rules

If a statement on which Judgement has been called is Judged to be true, and that Judgement is not overruled, it does not thereby become a rule, or any part of a rule. It merely becomes an explicit part of currently accepted game custom.

Rule 217 - mutable
Overturning Judgements

At any time in the week following the posting of a Judgement of "true" or "false", any player may propose that the Judgement be overruled, i.e. changed to "undecided". If that proposal is adopted, according to whatever rules are currently in effect for the adoption of proposals, then the Judgement is overruled, and the Judge who made it penalised 20 points.

Rule 218 - mutable
Registered Players

A player is any person who is registered as a player. No person may register as a player more than once concurrently. Anyone is allowed to observe the game and participate in discussion of any issue, but no person who is not a player may make a proposal, or vote on any proposal, or call for judgement, or judge, or score points, or win the game.

Rule 219 [amended - see Rule 350]

Rule 220 - mutable
Voters

The term Voters, as used in the rules, refers to all players, and anything or anyone else that is eligible to vote.

Rule 221 [amended - see Rule 363]

Rule 303 - mutable
Quorum

Quorum is defined to be 30% of the players. Voters who are not players do not count for the purpose of determining quorum.

Rule 304 - mutable
Knowing your Ants

By stating his/her intention to do so, a player may lose a number of points equal to the number of an Electric Ant. The player may then predict, what the said Ant will vote, next time it is called upon to vote. The player must name one of the Ant's possible voting options, as delineated in rule 221. If the Ant votes as predicted by the player, and no other player made the same prediction, the said Ant becomes the property of the said player. While an Ant is a player's property, it will vote as determined by the player. This rule takes precedence before rule 221.

Rule 308 - mutable
Vegetables

There are Vegetables. Vegetables do not vote, nor do they win or lose any points or anything else. If a rule refers to something as being a Vegetable, then this rule takes precedence before the referring rule. This rule also takes precedence before any rule that has a Q in its title.

Rule 311 - mutable
Office of Agriculture

There exists an Office of Agriculture.
This office is held by a Citizen, chosen randomly by the Speaker.
The Citizen holding the Office of Agriculture can once a week produce one Vegetable.
If any kinds of Vegetables are mentioned in the rules, the produced Vegetable must be of one of the mentioned kinds. Otherwise, it is a generic Vegetable. The holder of the Office of Agriculture notifies the Speaker as to which kind of Vegetable is produced.
Each time a non-generic Vegetable is produced, the holder of the Office of Agriculture receives four points. Each time a generic Vegetable is produced, the holder of the Office of Agriculture receives one point.
The holder of the Office of Agriculture can be presented with a vote of no confidence at any time, and can be removed from office by a 2/3 majority attained in a no confidence vote. Such a vote can be initiated by any Citizen. A Citizen who initiates such a vote of no confidence loses one point for each Vegetable in his/her possession, and three points for each Vegetable in the possession of the holder of the Office of Agriculture. Those points are returned to the initiating Citizen if the holder of the Office of Agriculture is removed.

Rule 313 - mutable
Vegetable Taxation

The holder of the Office of Agriculture may tax the players for vegetables. The taxation must be performed according to rules of equality decided by the holder of the Office. The players must then pay to the holder of the Office the number and type of vegetables due. If a player has too few vegetables to be able to pay, he/she loses 3 points for each vegetable he/she is short of payment.

Any player may present the holder of the Office with a vote-of-no-confidence, referring to a specific taxation (not necessarily a vote-of-no-confidence in the holder of the Office him/herself). If this vote passes, then the taxation in question, and subsequent taxations up to the time the vote is decided, are deemed void, and must be paid back.

If there is no holder of any Office of Agriculture, then the Speaker assumes this rôle for the purpose of this rule.

Rule 314 [repealed - see Proposal 380]

Rule 316 - mutable
Vegetables for Public Servants

The Speaker receives one vegetable every time a vote is decided.
A judge receives three vegetables for every point he/she makes a decision about, except if the point in question is found to be undecided.
Other public servants are paid according to subsequent rules.
All payments must be made by the holder of the Office of Agriculture or, if there is no holder of any Office of Agriculture, the Speaker.

Rule 319 - mutable
Organisations

Players can form organisations.
An organisation must have at least one member.
All members of an organisation must be players.
An organisation must have a name.
Any player can establish an organisation by notifying the Speaker of his/her doing so, and of the name of the organisation.
A player can join or leave an organisation by notifying the Speaker of his/her doing so.
No player may transfer any points, Ants, or anything else to any other player if they are not members of the same organisation.
No player can be member of more than two organisations at the same time.
This rule defers to Rule 311, but not to any other rule concerning the transfer of points.

Rule 324 - mutable
Geography II

This game takes place in a town by the name of deVillage.
The image deVillag.gif is a map of the town. This image is considered a part of this rule.

deVillag.gifdeVillag.gif

The black lines represent roads.
The red dots represent crossroads.
Four of the crossroads are designated 'farms', and named as such on the map.
All players start the game at the central crossroads, also known as Central Square.
Each time a player votes, he/she can move along a road, but no further than to the nearest crossroads in the direction moved.
A player moves by informing the Speaker of where he/she moves to.
If any player is in Central Square, no player outside Central Square can make proposals.
While a player is in a farm, he/she can collect a vegetable (of the kind grown at that specific farm) there, each time he/she votes. In order to collect a vegetable, the player must inform the Speaker of his/her doing so. Initially all farms grow generic vegetables.

Rule 325 - mutable
Offices

An Office is any position established by the Rules as such.
At any time, a given Office is held by exactly one Player. If an Office would otherwise not be held by any Player, it shall be held by the Speaker.
An Officer is any Player who holds an Office.
A given Office has whatever duties, responsibilities, and privileges that the Rules assign to it.

Rule 326 - mutable
Change of points

The number of points that a player has can only be changed when explicitly allowed by a rule.

Rule 327 - mutable
Feed and care of animals

Ants, even Electrical, are animals, and as such must be fed.
Each time a player-owned Ant votes for or against a proposal, it needs food.
Therefore it will eat one of it's owner's Vegetables, thus causing the Vegetable to be no more. If the owner has no Vegetables, the Ant will return to its original randomness, and cease to belong to its owner.
The Ants will eat in numerical succession.

Rule 328 - mutable
Security

No possesion, points, ants or vegetables can be harmed, changed or removed from any players possesion unless otherwise stated in the rules.


Rule 329 - mutable
Theft

Any player can steal any of another players possesions except points. Succes is determined with a 50% probability by the speaker. A player who fails a theft is penalised 3 points.


Rule 330 - mutable
Protoproposals

All players can make Protoproposals.
The proper way to make a Protoproposal is to send it by electronic mail to the current Speaker.
The Speaker will then distribute the Protoproposal to all Players.
The Speaker shall give each Protoproposal an ordinal number for reference.
The numbers shall begin with 10001, and each Protoproposal shall receive the next successive ordinal.
A week after the distribution of the Protoposal, it becomes a Proposal in the form it has at that time, and shall receive a Proposal Number as if it had been proposed at this same time.
The original maker of a Protoproposal may within this week make minor changes in the wording of the Protoproposal.
The original maker of a Protoproposal may, also within this week, withdraw the Protoproposal by informing the Speaker of his/her doing so. A player withdrawing a Protoproposal loses two points.
If, during this same week, a player who is not the original maker of the Protoproposal makes a Proposal that is identical or almost identical to the Protoproposal, the said player shall lose 5 points, and the maker of the Protoproposal shall receive 5 points.


Rule 331 - mutable
Entities and properties

There are Game Entities and Real Entities.
Game Entities exist only within deNomic, and as such, have only Game Properties.
Real Entities exist outside of deNomic, and may, if they also exist within deNomic, have Game Properties.
Game Properties may only be changed by means provided within this Ruleset.


Rule 332 [amended - see Rule 367]

Rule 333 [amended - see Rule 395]

Rule 334 - mutable
Death of a Citizen

If a citizen has shown no sign of life for 14 days, the citizen is considered dead. A dead citizen shall not be considered a player.
If a dead citizen later proves conclusively that he/she is in fact alive, he/she must immediately be revitalised as a player.
Sign of life is defined as an email from the citizen to the speaker.


Rule 340 - mutable
I Sure Could Use Some Longer Arms

No Player can transfer points, Vegetables, or Parking Tickets with any other Player, unless both are in the same location.


Rule 345 - mutable
Scoring When A Proposal Is Adopted

When a proposed rule change is adopted, the player who proposed it receives 10 points.

Rule 347 - mutable
The Walking Oak

There is one Walking Oak tree.
Initially, the Walking Oak is at Cental Square.
Everytime a new proposal or any other reason to vote is publicized, the Oak walks to one of the crossroads next to its present location.
The direction is determined by the Speaker.
The Speaker must not tell the location of the Oak nor the direction of its moves to any Citizen.
When a Citizen enters the crossroad where the Oak is currently standing, the Oak greets the Citizen by giving him/her an acorn.
An acorn is a kind of vegetable.
A player may trade 10 acorns for 10 points at any farm.

Rule 348 - mutable
Winning The Game

The state of affairs that constitutes winning the game may not be changed from achieving n points to any other state of affairs. However, the magnitude of n and the means of earning points may be changed, and rules that establish a winner when play cannot be continued may be enacted and (while mutable) be amended or repealed. The winner of the last game shall become the new Speaker for the next game, assuming all current duties allocated to the Speaker.

Rule 349 - mutable
Resolving Conflicts

If two or more immutable rules conflict with one another, then the rule with the lowest effective ordinal number takes precedence.
If two or more mutable rules conflict with one another, then the rule with the highest effective ordinal number takes precedence.
If at least one of the rules in conflict explicitly says of itself that it defers to another rule (or type of rule), then such provisions shall supersede the numerical method for determining precedence.
If at least one of the rules in conflict explicitly says of itself that it takes precedence over another rule (or type of rule), then such provisions shall supersede the numerical method for determining precedence.
If two or more rules claim to take precedence over one another, or to defer to one another, however, the numerical method must govern.

Rule 350 - mutable
Winning By Paradox

If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the legality of some action cannot be determined with finality, or if some action appears equally legal and illegal, then a player may call for judgement on a statement to that effect. If the statement is judged true, and the judgement is not overruled, then the player who called for judgement is declared the winner of the game. This rule takes precedence over every other rule for determining the winner of the game.

Rule 351 - mutable
Ambulant Psychiatry

The Ambulant Psychiatrist is a Public Servant, who holds the Office of Ambulant Psychiatry.
When the Ambulant Psychiatrist is in the same place as one (and only one) other Player, this other Player (known as the Client) will lie down on the Ambulant Psychiatrist's Portable Couch.
The Client can neither cast any votes nor move within the geography of the game while lying on the Portable Couch.
The Client will rise from the Couch, when one of these occurs:
-the Ambulant Psychiatrist leaves the place,
-24 hours have passed while the Client was lying on the Couch, or
-the Ambulant Psychiatrist resigns as Ambulant Psychiatrist.
When the Client rises from the Couch, he/she may immediately move to a neighbouring crossroads. This move is apart from any other move, the Client may be entitled to.
The Ambulant Psychiatrist is randomly chosen among the Players.
The Ambulant Psychiatrist is Silly.
If a non-Silly Player becomes Ambulant Psychiatrist, he/she becomes Silly immediately.
If the Ambulant Psychiatrist becomes non-Silly, he/she immediately resigns as Ambulant Psychiatrist and a new (not necessarily another) Ambulant Psychiatrist is chosen, as per this rule.

Rule 358 - mutable
Required Number Of Points To Win

The winner is the first player to achieve a score of 500 points minus the number of the highest-numbered rule.

Rule 360 - mutable
I promised you a WHAT?

A trade is just an exchange of gifts. If two players agree to a trade, the deal is binding if they make the exchange immediately. A deal is not binding if it involves a promise of something in the future.

Rule 361 - mutable
Monsanto Man

Monsanto Man is a Public Servant, who holds the Office of Devegetation.
Every time a proposal is voted on, Monsanto Man will spread his vile poison, causing each player in the same location as Monsanto Man to lose one Vegetable. Players with less than one Vegetable lose no Vegetables.
Monsanto Man is randomly chosen among the Players.
Monsanto Man can not own any generic Vegetables.
Monsanto Man may never refuse appointment as Judge.
If Monsanto Man at any time owns any generic Vegetables, he/she immediately resigns as Monsanto Man and a new (not necessarily another) Monsanto Man is chosen, as per this rule.

Rule 363 - mutable
Random Voters

There are 10 Electric Ants.
These are non-player Voters.
When all players have voted on a proposal, or immediately before the prescribed voting period on a proposal has elapsed, a number of Electric Ants equal to 10 minus the number of active registered players (or 0 if that would be a negative number) will vote on that proposal.
The Speaker shall randomly determine, with equal probability, whether each of these Electric Ants abstains, votes for, or votes against.

Rule 366 - mutable
Prophecy and Martyrdom

Each time a proposal is defeated, its proponent receives an Insistance Point.
A player with a negative number of points, no Vegetables and more than 5 Insistance Points shall receive the title of Prophet.
If a Prophet has fewerpoints than any other player, he/she shall receive the title of Martyr.
If at any time there are two Martyrs, the Martyr with most points shall cease to be a Martyr.
If a player wity a positive number of points enters the location of a Martyr, the said player shall lose one tenth of his/her points, rounded down, and the Matryr shall gain the same number of points.

Rule 367 - mutable
Spelling and such

The Speaker shall be empowered to make Correction Proposals. A Correction Proposal must be an attempt to correct a spelling error or adjust an upper/lower case inconsistency in the Rules.
A Correction Proposal can only be adopted if no player votes against it.
When a Correction Proposal is adopted or defeated, no loss or gain of points (or anything else) shall occur.
Electric Ants always abstain on Correction Proposals.

Rule 372 - mutable
End of the game

When a winner has been found, this game of deNomic ends.
The name of the winner, the conditions of winning, and the game number is then added to the record of won deNomic-games.
If there is no such record, one is created with the said contents.

Rule 394 - mutable
Packages

A Player can submit several Proposals in a Package.
A Package consists of two or more Proposals, submitted at the same time, and must have a title.
A Package shall be assigned the number of the lowest-numbered Proposal in it, and the number of the highest-numbered Proposal in it.
A Package shall be voted upon as one Proposal. If the Package is defeated, each of the Proposals in the Package is to be voted upon.
If a Package is adopted, its proponent shall receive 5 points for the adoption of the Package, plus the number of points he/she would receive for the adoption of the Proposals in the Package, had the Proposals been submitted singly.
If a Package is defeated, its proponent shall lose 5 points.

Rule 395 - mutable
You silly Person!
Any player with a negative number of points can declare him/herself Silly.
While Silly, the player gains points, when he/she should have lost points (as per any other rule), and vice versa.
A Silly player must write all messages backwards, otherwise the messages are invalid and must be disregarded.
A player stops being Silly only when he/she has more than the average number of points or when he/she has been the client of an ambulant psychiatrist for 24 hours.
If at any time all players but one are Silly, the non-Silly player becomes the winner of the game.
This rule has precendence before any other rule regarding the loss and gain of points.

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Revised 20-3-99