Rule 101 (Immutable)
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 whenever a game begins. The Initial Set consists of Rules 101-116 (immutable) and 201-213 (mutable).
Initially rules in the 100's are immutable and rules in the 200's 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.
A rule-change is any of the following: (1) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule; (2) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of an amendment of a mutable rule; or (3) 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at least initially, all new rules are mutable; immutable rules, as long as they are immutable, may not be amended or repealed; mutable rules, as long as they are mutable, may be amended or repealed; any rule of any status may be transmuted; no rule is absolutely immune to change.)
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.
Every player is an eligible voter. Every eligible voter must participate in every vote on rule-changes.
All proposed rule-changes shall be written down before they are voted on. If they are adopted, they shall guide play in the form in which they were voted on.
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.
Each proposed rule-change shall be given 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in the proper way shall receive the next successive integer, whether or not the proposal is adopted.If a rule is repealed and re-enacted, it receives the number of the proposal to reenact it. If a rule is amended or transmuted, it receives the number of the proposal to amend or transmute it. If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule of which it is a part receives the number of the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.
Rule-changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules may be adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among the eligible voters. Transmutation shall not be implied, but must be stated explicitly in a proposal to take effect.
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.
If a rule-change as proposed is unclear, ambiguous, paradoxical, or destructive of play, or if it arguably consists of two or more rule-changes compounded or is an amendment that makes no difference, or if it is otherwise of questionable value, then the other players may suggest amendments or argue against the proposal before the vote. A reasonable time must be allowed for this debate. The proponent decides the final form in which the proposal is to be voted on and, unless the Judge has been asked to do so, also decides the time to end debate and vote.
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.
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.
There must always be at least one mutable rule. The adoption of rule-changes must never become completely impermissible.
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.
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.
Players shall alternate in clockwise order, taking one whole turn apiece. Turns may not be skipped or passed, and parts of turns may not be omitted. All players begin with zero points.In mail and computer games, players shall alternate in alphabetical order by surname.
A rule-change is adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among the eligible voters. If this rule is not amended by the end of the second complete circuit of turns, it automatically changes to require only a simple majority.
If and when rule-changes can be adopted without unanimity, the players who vote against winning proposals shall receive 10 points each.
An adopted rule-change takes full effect at the moment of the completion of the vote that adopted it.
When a proposed rule-change is defeated, the player who proposed it loses 10 points.
Each player always has exactly one vote.
The winner is the first player to achieve 100 (positive) points.In mail and computer games, the winner is the first player to achieve 200 (positive) points.
At no time may there be more than 25 mutable rules.
Players may not conspire or consult on the making of future rule-changes unless they are team-mates.The first paragraph of this rule does not apply to games by mail or computer.
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 to defer to one another, then the numerical method again governs.
If players disagree about the legality of a move or the interpretation or application of a rule, then the player preceding the one moving is to be the Judge and decide the question. Disagreement for the purposes of this rule may be created by the insistence of any player. This process is called invoking Judgment.When Judgment has been invoked, the next player may not begin his or her turn without the consent of a majority of the other players.
The Judge's Judgment may be overruled only by a unanimous vote of the other players taken before the next turn is begun. If a Judge's Judgment is overruled, then the player preceding the Judge in the playing order becomes the new Judge for the question, and so on, except that no player is to be Judge during his or her own turn or during the turn of a team-mate.
Unless a Judge is overruled, one Judge settles all questions arising from the game until the next turn is begun, including questions as to his or her own legitimacy and jurisdiction as Judge.
New Judges are not bound by the decisions of old Judges. New Judges may, however, settle only those questions on which the players currently disagree and that affect the completion of the turn in which Judgment was invoked. All decisions by Judges shall be in accordance with all the rules then in effect; but when the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the point at issue, then the Judge shall consider game-custom and the spirit of the game before applying other standards.
If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the legality of a move cannot be determined with finality, or if by the Judge's best reasoning, not overruled, a move appears equally legal and illegal, then the first player unable to complete a turn is the winner.This rule takes precedence over every other rule determining the winner.
i) This game of Nomic shall have a Name. This name may change during the game.ii) The name by be changed by a clause added to any proposal, which shall be known as a NomenRider. This NomenRider is voted upon independently of the proposal with which it is associated. For the name to be changed, the NomenRider must be supported by the majority of players who cast votes for or against the NomenRider. If no votes are recorded for or against the NomenRider, it is considered passage. Successful passage of a NomenRider shall confer upon its proposer 1 point, plus one point for every vote for the NomenRider.
iii)The Rules concerning NomenRiders are considered rules concerning other Rules, and thus any amendments to Rules concerning rules shall affect NomenRiders unless stated otherwise.
iv) In the absence of a passed NomenRider, this game shall be known as Nomiclature.
i) This game of Nomic shall not be exclusive and shall continue to grow and evolve.ii) New players may be added by a clause added to any proposal, which shall be known as a "Bandwagon." This Bandwagon is voted upon independently of the proposal with which it is associated. For the new player to be added, the Bandwagon must be supported by the majority of players who cast votes for or against the Bandwagon. If no votes are recorded for or against the Bandwagon, it is considered failure. Successful passage of a Bandwagon shall confer upon its proposer points equal to the new total number of players, and the new player loses an equal number of points.
iii) The Rules concerning Bandwagons are considered rules concerning other Rules, and thus any amendments to Rules concerning rules shall affect Bandwagons unless stated otherwise.
i) The players have their own lives outside of Nomic that sometimes need to take precedent. There should be a state that allows the player to concentrate on other things. This state should be called "Panic Mode"ii) Panic Mode is the state that allows any player in it to automatically vote "abstain" without having to email the vote. If a vote occurs and a player is in Panic Mode, their vote is automatically "abstain". The abstain vote from a "Panic Mode" will be cast automatically one minute before the end of the voting period.
iii) An abstain vote will not cause a Proposal to fail to pass. In effect the voter to opts to "abstain" is not considered an eligible voter for that vote.
iv) A player can announce he or she is in panic mode by emailing all active players. This announcement only has to be done once.
v) Panic mode is ended by having the player in panic mode email all active players about their change of state. This announcement only has to be done once.
vi) Panic mode can only be started or ended by the player that it effects.
Voting on Proposal 303 shall conclude at 11:59pm of Friday, November 15th.
i) To facilitate the process by which this game of Nomic grows and matures all Proposals should have a clear and understandable format.ii) To this end all Proposals must commence with a Title followed by the Proposer's Name. After this will be the Text of the Proposal (section iii). Any NomenRider clauses must be placed after the Text of the Proposal, clearly labeled as a NomenRider clause. Any Bandwagon clauses will be placed after the Text of the Proposal, clearly labeled as a Bandwagon clause. Finally the Voting Period shall be stated at the end of the Proposal, clearly labeled as the Voting Period.
iii) Text of the Proposal: The Text of the Proposal shall begin with a complementary greeting to the other players. If any Player feels that the greeting is not sufficiently complimentary that Player may publicly sneer at the Proposing Player (hereafter Proposer). If a majority of the Players publicly sneer at the Proposer before the end of the Voting Period, and the Proposal was not retracted (if this action is allowed), then the Proposer must publish a Public Apology to the Players. If they do not produce a Public Apology before the end of the next Voting Period two (2) points will be deducted from their point total and they shall be considered Impolite. A Proposer will remain Impolite until such time as they have proposed a Proposal which has a sufficiently complimentary greeting and which also is accepted.
v) No Proposal not thus formed is invalid and shall not be voted upon.
1) One turn consists of two parts in this order: (1) proposing one rule-change and having it voted on, and (2) scoring.
2) Scoring is handled as follows:
a) The player subtracts 291 from the ordinal number of their proposal and multiplies the result by the fraction of favorable votes it received.
b) The player subtracts 2 points for every NomenRider that failed in the current Proposal.
c) The player subtracts 2 points for every failed Bandwagon attached to the current Proposal.
d) All eligible players who failed to vote subtract 10 points from their score.