Note: the Initial Ruleset is based heavily on that of Imperial Nomic (Game 27).

This is the initial ruleset for the Round 1, not the initial ruleset for the current round.

0. Ruleset and Gamestate

The Game of DocNomic shall be played according to the current Ruleset. Each Rule shall begin with a unique, finite, nonnegative integer number and a brief descriptive name.

Certain information reflecting the state of the game is known as the Gamestate.

The Ruleset and Gamestate may not be altered except as specified in the Rules.

1. Office Holders

A person shall hold the office of Doc. The identity of Doc is part of the Gamestate. At the outset of the Game, Doc is the person variously known as Doctroid, Rich Holmes, or rsholmes.

2. Players

A person becomes a Player at the submission of their first Proposal or Point of Order. Doc may not be a Player. The list of Players is part of the Gamestate.

3. Proposals

Players may submit Proposals by sending them to Doc using the submission form at <http://www.richholmes.net/games/nomic/docnomic/doc_submit.html#prop_submit>. A Proposal thus submitted becomes Pending. A Proposal consists of one or more new proposed Rules, and/or a proposed amendment to one or more existing Rules, and/or a proposed repeal of one or more existing Rules.

Doc will judge each Pending Proposal and accept, reject or ignore it. To ignore a Proposal, the condition by which it is ignored must be explicit elsewhere in the ruleset. Once a Proposal has been judged, it ceases to be Pending.

Doc may rewrite a Pending Proposal to clarify its meaning, correct errors, or for any other reason, as long as the rewriting does not alter the meaning.

Doc may, at any time, modify or remove any existing Rule or enact new Rules, or modify the Gamestate, by the publication of a Proclamation. In addition, Doc may, at any time, publish a Directive calling for Proposals in a certain area.

The lists of Proclamations, Directives, and Pending Proposals are part of the Gamestate.

4. Publication

Doc must publish the current Ruleset at <http://www.richholmes.net/games/nomic/docnomic/doc_ruleset.html>, and the current Gamestate at <http://www.richholmes.net/games/nomic/docnomic/doc_gamestate.html>. No change to the Ruleset shall be considered to have occurred until and unless it is so published.

5. Appeals Mechanism

Any player may, at any time, submit a Point of Order to raise any issue relevant to the Game by sending it by electronic mail or the submission form at <http://www.richholmes.net/games/nomic/docnomic/doc_submit.html#poi_submit> to Doc. A Point of Order thus submitted becomes Pending. Doc will consider each Pending Point of Order and, if in Doc's judgement the Point of Order is upheld, publish one or more Proclamations to address the issue. Once a Point of Order has been judged, it ceases to be Pending.

The list of Pending Points of Order is part of the Gamestate.

6. Precedence

When two or more rules conflict, precedence as specified explicitly by the rules is applied first. Where there is no non-conflicting explicit precedence, the rule with the lower number takes precedence.

7. Winning

The Game is divided into Rounds. When the Game begins, the Round Number is 1. The Round Number is part of the Gamestate.

When one (and only one) Player achieves the title of The Winner of Round n, where n is the Round Number, the Round ends. The Round Number increases by 1 and the Game continues. The identity of The Winner of each Round is part of the Gamestate.

Last modified: Mon Aug 13 12:37:10 EDT 2001