The Initial 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 - immutable
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 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 - mutable
Quorum

Quorum is defined to be 50% of the players. Voters who are not players do not count for the purpose of determining quorum.

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 - mutable
Scoring When A Proposal Is Adopted

When a proposed rule change is adopted, those players who voted against it receive 5 points each. A player whose proposed rule change is adopted also receives 10 points.

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 - mutable
Required Number Of Points To Win

The winner is the first player to achieve a score of 100 points.

Rule 210 - mutable
Resolving Conflicts

If two or more mutable rules conflict with one another, or if two or more immutable rules conflict with one another, then the rule with the lowest 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) or 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, then the numerical method must again govern.

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 - 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 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 - mutable
Random Voters

There are 10 Electric Ants. These are non-player Voters. When all players have voted on a proposal, or when 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.

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