Click hereto see rules 501 onwards.

These are the current rules of NomiCam. This file will be updated often.

Immutable Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*

101
All players must always abide by all the rules then in effect,
in the form in which they are then in effect.  The rules in the
Initial Set are in effect at the beginning of the first game.
The Initial Set consists of rules 101-116 (immutable) and
201-219 (mutable).

*

102
Initially rules in the 100s are immutable and rules in the
200s are mutable.  Rules subsequently enacted or transmuted
(that is, changed from immutable to mutable or vice versa) may
be immutable or mutable regardless of their numbers, and rules
in the Initial Set may be transmuted regardless of their numbers.

*

103
At any time, each player shall be either a Voter or the Speaker; no player
may simultaneously be a Voter and a Speaker.  At any time there shall be
exactly one Speaker.  The term "player" in the rules shall specifically
include both the Voters and the Speaker. 

*

104
The Speaker for the first game shall be Jack Rudd.

*

105
A rule change is any of the following:
i)  the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule;
ii) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a mutable rule or vice versa.

(Note:  This definition implies that, at least initially, all new
rules are mutable; immutable rules, as long as they are immutable,
may not be amended or repealed; mutable rules, as long as they are
mutable, may be amended or repealed; any rule of any status may be
transmuted; no rule is absolutely immune to change.)

*

106
All rule changes proposed in the proper way shall be voted on.  They will
be adopted if and only if they receive the required number of votes and
Quorum is achieved. 

*

107
Any proposed rule change must be communicated to all players before it is
voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the form in which it was voted on. 

*

108
No rule change may take effect earlier than the moment of the completion
of the vote that adopted it, even if its wording explicitly states
otherwise.  No rule change may have retroactive application. 

*

109
The Speaker shall give each proposed rule change a number for
reference.  The numbers shall begin with 301, and each rule change
proposed in the proper way shall receive the next successive
integer, whether or not the proposal is adopted. If a rule is repealed 
and re-enacted, it receives the number of the proposal to re-enact it.  If
a rule is amended or transmuted, it keeps its original number.

*

110
Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules
may be adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among votes
legally cast.  Transmutation shall not be implied, but must be
stated explicitly in a proposal to take effect.

*

111
In a conflict between a mutable and an immutable rule, the
immutable rule takes precedence and the mutable rule shall be
entirely void.  For the purposes of this rule a proposal to
transmute an immutable rule does not "conflict" with that immutable rule.

*

112
The state of affairs that constitutes winning may not be altered
from achieving n points to any other state of affairs.  The
magnitude of n and the means of earning points may be changed,
and rules that establish a winner when play cannot continue may be
enacted and (while they are mutable) be amended or repealed.

*

113
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 judgment of the player to incur it, may be imposed.

*

114
There must always be at least one mutable rule.  The adoption of
rule changes must never become completely impermissible.

*

115
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 or type of move is
impermissible solely on account of the self-reference or self-application of
a rule.

*

116
Whatever is not 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.

*

120 (JACK)
Leah Morin is a goddess.


Mutable Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*

201
Quorum for a proposed rule change is defined to be 20% of Voters
at the beginning of the prescribed voting period for that proposal.

*

202
All players begin with 0 points.  Points may not be gained, lost, or
traded except as explicitly stated in the rules.

*

203
The winner is the first Voter to achieve under -100 points.
If more than one Voter achieves this condition simultaneously, all
such Voters win. When a game ends in this manner:

i) if there is only one winner, that Voter becomes the Speaker, and the old
   Speaker becomes a Voter;

ii) if there is more than one winner, the Speaker randomly selects one of the
    winners, who becomes the new Speaker, and the old Speaker becomes a
    Voter;

iii) all players' scores are reset to 1% of the score they had at the end of the previous game;

iv) a new game is begun, in which all rules and proposed rule changes retain
    the status they had at the end of the old game.

*

204
A proposal shall be made by submitting it to the Speaker.  Only
Players may make proposals.  As soon as possible after receiving
a proposal, the Speaker shall assign the proposal a number and
distribute the proposal along with its number to all players.

*

205
The prescribed voting period for a proposal shall be one week, beginning at
the time the Speaker distributes the proposal to the newsgroup.

*

206
Each Voter has exactly one vote.  The Speaker may not vote.

*

207
Voters may vote either FOR or AGAINST any proposal within its
prescribed voting period.  In order to be legally cast, the vote
must be received by the Speaker by the end of the prescribed voting
period.  The Speaker may not reveal any votes until the end of the
prescribed voting period.  Any Voter who does not legally vote within
the prescribed voting period shall be deemed to have abstained.

*

208
At the end of the prescribed voting period on a proposal, the
Speaker shall reveal all votes legally cast on that proposal.  If
the Speaker's consent may be required for a proposal to be adopted,
then the Speaker should indicate at that time whether or not such consent 
is given. If the Speaker does not explicitly indicate refusal to consent 
to the proposal, it shall be assumed that such consent is given.

*

209
The voting requirements for the adoption of a proposal are as follows:

i) For a proposal which would directly alter the actions which are required
   of and/or forbidden to the Speaker:

   * a simple majority of all votes legally cast, if the Speaker consents;
   * a 2/3 majority of all votes legally cast, if the Speaker does not
     consent.

ii) For all other proposals, a simple majority of votes legally cast.

This rule defers to rules which set the required number of votes
for proposals which propose to transmute a rule.

*

210
An adopted rule change takes full effect at the moment of the
completion of the vote that adopted it.

*

211
Voters who voted against proposals which are adopted receive 5
points apiece.  Voters who voted for proposals which are not 
adopted receive 5 points apiece. Players whose proposals are 
adopted shall receive 10 points. Players whose proposals are not 
adopted shall lose 10 points.

*

212
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 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
defer to one another, then the numerical method again governs.

*

213
If players disagree about the legality of a move or the
interpretation or application of a rule, then a player may invoke
judgement by submitting a statement for judgement to the Speaker.

Disagreement, for the purposes of this rule, may be created by the
insistence of any player.  When judgement is invoked, the Speaker
must, as soon as possible, select a Judge as described in the Rules.
The Speaker must then distribute the statement to be judged, along
with the identity of the Judge, to all players.

*

214
If judgement was invoked by a Voter, then the first Judge to be
selected to judge that statement shall be the Speaker.  If judgement
was invoked by the Speaker, the first Judge to be selected shall be
a randomly selected Voter.
In all cases, if a Judge beyond the first must be selected to judge
a statement, it shall be a randomly selected Voter.  The Voter thus
selected may not be the player most recently selected as Judge for
that statement, nor the player who invoked judgement.

*

215
After the Speaker has distributed the statement to be judged and the
identity of the Judge, the Judge has one week in which to deliver a
legal judgement. If a judgement is not delivered within
this time, the Judge is penalized 10 points and a new Judge selected.
A judgement is delivered by submitting that judgement to the
Speaker, who must then distribute that judgement to all players
as soon as possible.

*

216
A legal judgement is either TRUE, FALSE, or UNDECIDED.  The
judgement may be accompanied by reasons and arguments, but such
reasons and arguments form no part of the judgement itself.  If a
judgement is accompanied by reasons and arguments, the Speaker must
distribute the reasons and arguments along with the judgement.

*

217
All judgements must be in accordance with the rules; however, if
the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the statement
to be judged, then the Judge shall consider game custom and the
spirit of the game before applying other standards.

*

218
In addition to duties which may be listed elsewhere in the rules,
the Speaker shall have the following duties:

i)   register new players;

ii)  maintain a list of all players and their current scores, and make such a
     list available to all players;

iii) maintain a complete list of the current rules, and make such a
     list available to all players;

iv)  make a random determination whenever such determination is required by
     the rules.

*

219
If a player believes that the rules are such that further play is
impossible, or that the legality of a move cannot be determined with
finality, or that a move appears equally legal and illegal, then the
player may invoke judgement on a statement to that effect.  If the
statement is judged TRUE, then the player who invoked judgement
shall be declared the winner of that game, and the game ends, with
no provision for starting another game.
This rule takes precedence over every other rule determining the
winner of the game.

Mutable Game Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

303 (MARTIN)
Any proposal may include undefined terms.
These shall me marked as such by putting them in squiggly brackets ({}).
These undefined terms may be defined by the acceptance of later proposals.
They will then cease to be undefined terms.
Any sentence forming part of a rule which contains an undefined 
term is considered nonbinding, ie players act as if it did not 
exist, until the undefined term is defined.
The speaker, or anyone to whom later proposals delegate this 
task, shall keep a list of undefined terms, so that players can 
clearly see what terms remain to be defined.


Rule 309 (MARTIN)

All players inhabit the university city of Camford.
All players are affiliated to a college.
All players should submit a name for their college.
Should any two players submit the same name, they must both choose
another.
Each player starts with a bar in eir college.
 
End of rule.


Rule 310 (JACK)

NomiCam shall declare war on OxNomic.


Rule 311 (WILL)
(Birch) Poe Faces
 
Prop. 303 applies only after the Fall of the House of Usher
 

Rule 312 (WILL)
(Scots Pine) Fire at Will
 
In the event of fire breaking out in the lower end of the proposals (note 1) all participants are required to exit quickly 
and calmly via the back doors (note 2) of the NomiCam complex 
until the situation can be effectively dealt with.
(1) "Fire" being caused by
        (1.1) Friction: ten or more proposals within one hour
        (1.2) Explosive reaction: An argument over a proposal
              lasting more than six exchanges
(2) The more recent 10% of proposals, by amendment. Kindling is a 
collectible object. Fire is, and remains, hot.
 

Rule 313 (WILL)
(Giant Redwood) Lunch

Lunch.


Rule 333 (DUNCAN)
"The Larch", OR "Euro-blurry-vision"

If any proposal contains the name of an ABBA song, or a song by 
any other band which has won the Eurovision Song Contest, then 
its proposer will receive 10 bonus points if the proposal is 
accepted, provided no-one else points it out first.


Rule 338 (MARTIN)

All players must submit to the Speaker between 2 and 4 places for 
their colleges to be adjacent to. Once these adjacencies have 
been submitted, they may not be changed except by proposal. If 
adjacencies are not submitted within 5 days, the Speaker shall 
select adjacencies at random. New players should submit a college 
name, and then submit their college's adjacencies via a proposal. 
[Four Giant Redwoods and a small Ash.]The term "places" 
encompasses both places and colleges. No college may be 
adjacent to another.


Rule 341 (SEBI)
"Sprucing up"
 
People with matches may set fire to trees.

 
Rule 342 (SEBI)
"Small tree noone except me knows the name of"
 
Players who do not vote three times in a row get an extra vote they can use later.


Rule 344 (MARTIN)

All proposals must be shown on the web page in such a way that 
lines of text are not longer than the width of the page.


Rule 348 (SEBI)
"Giant Chestnut Tree"
 
People own all objects mentioned in rules they have proposed. Provided
they know the name of the object, they can give any object to another
player by sending an email telling everyone of the exchange


Rule 349 (SEBI)
"Catamans rule"
 
Any boat which goes ashore but does not sink must be burnt to ashes.


Rule 351 (DUNCAN)

There must always be at least one immutable rule.  The transmutation of
rules must never become completely impermissible.

 
Rule 353 (DUNCAN)

The bar of each college is a larch pole with metal supports.  It 
may be used by a member of that College to attack any non-member 
currently in that College, transferring ten points to the 
assailant from the victim, and sending the victim to eir Home 
College.

 
Rule 353a (DUNCAN)

The name of the creator of a rule which was not in the Initial 
Ruleset shall be appended to the header of that Rule.

 
Rule 354 (DUNCAN)

Too many points gum up the works.  Therefore each Monday at noon 
according to the then current British Time each player shall lose 
25 points.


Rule 375 (ALEX)
 
The official confection of NomiCam will be Jelly Babies. Any 
player who does not own a fresh {apple} will be given a Jelly 
Baby. Other methods of receiving or using Jelly Babies are not 
ruled out.

 
Rule 377 (ALEX)
 
All new players start with six Jellybabies, one of each of the colours
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Pink, Black. They may be given or traded by
sending an e-mail letting all current Players know of the exchange. The
Speaker will keep an up-to-date list of how many Jellybabies are owned by
each player.
 

Rule 378 (MARTIN)
 
For a proposal which seeks solely to define an undefined term, 
the prescribed voting period shall be only three days.
This rule takes precedence over rule 205.


Rule 379 (MARTIN)

Within the city of Camford there exist the following places: The 
Death Van, Lecture Hall complex, Laboratory complex, Modern 
Languages Library, Scots Pine Polar Research Institute, Sewer, 
Cam, Scudamore's. Each of these places is {adjacent} to the place 
listed before and after it, and Scudamore's and The Death Van are 
adjacent. More places may be added, and more adjacencies defined 
by future proposals.


Rule 399
"Resolution"
 
Create a new rule, titled "Retrial", with the following quoted text:
"If a CFJ is judged UNDECIDED, then a new judge shall be selected as
described in Rule 214.  No judge may judge UNDECIDED on a CFJ which has
already been judged UNDECIDED by a previous judge."

 
Rule 400
"What if the CFJ is wrong?"
 
Amend Rule 216 by replacing the first sentence with
"The legal judgements are TRUE, FALSE, INVALID and UNDECIDED.", and
appending the following sentence:
"A judgement of INVALID may only be given where the rules
specifically direct that it shall be given."


Rule 403(MARTIN)

Jellybabies may no longer be exchanged by mere email sending.
A player's jelly babies are considered to start off all in the player's
college.
Then, thanks to the wonders of the Camford theology faculty, every day
players may will each individual jellybaby to perform one task. This task
must be explicitly defined in the rules.
One task is that the jellybaby may move one sector, horizontally,
vertically or diagonally, provided it ends up in a defined place.
[this oak is not gratuitous]


Rule 404 (JACK)
"Mama Mia"

"Players may not send messages written in Italian to the 
Speaker."


Rule 405 (MARTIN)

William West Midlands college (or coconut trout as it affectionately known
by a Mrs Davies of 458 Ely Road, Norwich) is no longer situated at grid
square (-3,-1). Instead it is shifted to (-2,-1,-1), ie underneath the
Cam. Jellybabies may be willed to move from Cam to William West Midlands
College, or vice versa. The Cam and William West Midlands College are
adjacent. Nowhere else is adjacent to William West Midlands College.


Rule 406 (MARTIN)
 
Any player who manages to get a four black jelly babies into another
player's college, he has conquered that college.
The player affiliated to the conquered college may set up a new one.
The conqueror is now affiliated to both his college and the conquered one.
The conquered is no longer affiliated to the conquered college.
The conqueror takes over ownership of the conquered's college,
jellybabies, apples, punts and owls.



Rule 407 (JACK)
"I have a dream"

"NomiCam is an equal opportunities game. It does not discriminate 
on the basis of sex, age, race, sexual preference, or tendency to 
believe one is a Womble."


Rule 409 (JACK)
"Money, Money, Money"

"The official currency of NomiCam is the CamPound. There are 100 
CamPennies to the CamPound. All prices in NomiCam shall be given 
in CamPounds and CamPennies. CamPound may be abbreviated to C£."


Rule 409b (MARTIN)
"Kashew Pike"

The word MARTIN is defined to have the following meanings:
1) The player of that name, Martin Stribblehill.
2) the name of a different tree
3) the name of a different fish
In the event of it not being clear which of these three it is supposed to
mean, ask Martin, who will then give the definitive answer.


Rule 410b (MARTIN)
"Sycamore trout"

There exists a place, Porker's piece, at (-2,-3).
Should two jellybabies of the same colour spend five days in porker's
piece, a creature known as "the stork" shall fly in from the west, and
deposit a jellybaby of that colour in porker's piece, before flying off to
the east. The jellybaby shall belong to whoever has the highest number of
jellybabies of that colour in porker's piece, in the event of a tie the
speaker selects an owner at random from those tied.


Rule 411b (JACK)

AT WAR: Two players are AT WAR if one has a black jellybaby in
the college of the other.

SINKING: A ship SINKS if enough water gets into it for it to go below the waterline.

RADIO TRANSMITTER: A device which transmits messages along radio waves.


Rule 413(ALEX)
 
A task Jellybabies may be instructed to perform is to "fight" jellybabies
belonging to another player. This starts a fight in the location where the
jellybabies are situated.
 Then the fighting strength of the jellybabies belonging to each of the
two fighting players is calculated from the following formula:
 
  10 x Red + 8 x Yellow + 4 x Orange + 3 x Green + 2 x Pink - 2 x Black
 
where Red represents the number of Red jellybabies the player has in the
place, and so on.
 Whichever player scores higher wins the fight, and the jellybabies of
their opponent are returned immediately to eir home college.


Rule 414 (MARTIN)
"Family Flat"

Jellybabies may be willed to "stand guard".
All jellybabies so willed will attack any other jellybabies of another
player, as detailed in proposal 413, should they remain or move into the
same place as the jellybabies standing guard.
If jellybabies are standing guard inside a college, their attack is
assumed to take place before an invading player conquers that college: ie
if 4 black jellybabies move into a college, they must survive any attack
by guarding jellybabies before conquering the college.
Jellybabies standing guard do not attack jellybabies of {allied players}.


Rule 415 (MARTIN)
"Probability Sole"

Any jellybaby losing an attack in its own college is picked up by the
stork, who flies off to drop them in a place known as "the packet" which
is adjacent to nowhere.


Rule 416 (JACK)
"One of us"

"NomiCam uses the gender-inspecific pronouns e, em, eir and eirs, 
which are the singular forms of they, them, their and theirs 
respectively. The Speaker may amend any rule, just once, to 
reflect this rule coming into action."


Rule 417 (MARTIN)
"Yddrasgil shark"

OxNomic the game may be admitted as a player provided Nomicam is
admitted as a player of OxNomic.
It shall be up to each game how their powers as players are used in the
other game.


Rule 418 (MARTIN)
"A diffent kind of tree a different kind of
fish"

If a player considers a proposal to be "just too silly" he may submit a
message to the mailing list saying that, for example:
Proposal 345 is just too silly.
This may be preceded or followed by other remarks.
Should a majority of all registered players submit such a message, the
proposal shall be rejected out of hand, and the player fined 30 points.


Rule 420 (DUNCAN)
"The name of a different tree in their title 1 sequoia"

A player may retract a currently active proposal that they authored as a
public action (i.e. by sending a message to the mailing list).  Retracting
a proposal results in the player performing the retraction being penalised
4 points.

Rule 424 (MARTIN)
"Brian"

This defines "thwapping" to mean "of music video, which he must watch all the
way through non-stop"


Rule 426 (ALEX)
 
{Thwapping} shall be defined to mean "a large fluffy toy hedgehog".