Dan Dave & Dylan Nomic

Current Ruleset


(Please note that the rules give no official credence to this document.  While I believe it to be accurate as of its most recent upload, if I go on vacation, die, start making things up, or even make a mistake, this document might come to vary widely from the ruleset as it actually exists.  However, for the rules proposed and voted in chat, this document is the only extant record of which I am aware; if anybody saved chat logs, let me know and I will add them to the website.)

Immutable Rules

Rule 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 whenever a game begins. The Initial Set consists of Rules 101-116 (immutable) and 201-213 (mutable).

Rule 102. 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.

Rule 104. 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.

Rule 105. Every player is an eligible voter. Every eligible voter must participate in every vote on rule-changes.

Rule 106. 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.

Rule 107. 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.

Rule 108. 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If a rule is repealed and reenacted, it receives the number of the proposal to reenact it.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 If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule of which it is a part receives the number of the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.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 109. 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.

Rule 110. 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.

Rule 111. 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.

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.

Rule 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.

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

Rule 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.

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.

Rule 342:
(1) A rule-change is one or more of the following:
  (i) A proposal to create one or more rules. Such proposal shall include the full text of the rule(s) to be created. This is a substantive proposal.
  (ii) A proposal to repeal one or more rules. This is a substantive proposal.
  (iii) A proposal to amend one or more rules. Such proposal shall include the full text of the rule(s) as amended. This is a substantive proposal.
  (iv) A proposal to add a title to, and/or change the title of, one or more existing rules. This is an immaterial proposal.
  (v) A proposal to correct the spelling or grammar in one or more rules. This is an immaterial proposal.
  (vi) A proposal to transmute one or more rules from mutable to immutable, and/or from immutable to mutable. This is a substantive proposal.
  (vii) A proposal to overturn one or more rulings of a judge. This is a substantive proposal.
  (viii) A proposal to create, destroy, and/or transfer points and/or other artifact(s) of the game, excluding rules, proposals, judgments, and players. This is a substantive proposal.
(2) A rule-change must contain at least one substantive proposal.
[Initial Rule 109; Transmuted to Mutable by proposal 342 (Dan, Constitutionalist), 30 Jan 2003; Amended by proposal 342 (Dan, Constitutionalist), 30 Jan 2003; Transmuted to Immutable by proposal 342 (Dan, Constitutionalist), 30 Jan 2003.]
 


Mutable Rules

Rule 204. If and when rule-changes can be adopted without unanimity, the players who vote against winning proposals shall receive 10 points each.

Rule 205. An adopted rule-change takes full effect at the moment of the completion of the vote that adopted it.

Rule 209. At no time may there be more than 25 mutable rules.

Rule 211. 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.

Rule 212. 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.

Rule 213. 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.

Rule 305. [Dan] The player who submits a rule change shall be assumed to vote in favor of its passage; however, the player may change this vote if the vote is not completed.

Rule 312. [Dave] If a player puts forth a rule that is voted down, that player shall recive -5 points.

Rule 316. [Dan] A misspelled word shall be treated as if it is spelled correctly if the word it represents can be unambiguously determined.

Rule 318. [Dan] A proposal to correct the spelling and/or grammar of one or more rules is not an amendment within the meaning of rule 108 or its successors.

Rule 319. [Dylan]
Should a person vote "nay" on a rule change of his own design and proposal, and should this rule change have been proposed solely and not in co-sponsorship with any other player, then that vote shall be considered an immediate resignation from the game.
i. This resignation shall last for a period of the next two votes, no matter what form they take.
ii. Upon reinstatement, the player shall lose half of his points, if his point total is >0, or shall lose 25 points if his point total is <=0.
iii. The proposal on the table shall be considered null and void, and it shall be removed from the agenda with no vote. [Rule 317 (Dylan) Enacted 19 Jan 2003; Amended by Proposal 319 (Dylan) 19 Jan 2003]

Rule 322. [Dan, 19 Jan 2003] If a rule-change is adopted which contains provisions which are against the rules, the player who proposed the rule-change shall earn ten points in addition to points awarded by any other rule. The provisions which are against the rules shall not have effect.

Rule 323. [Dylan, 19 Jan 2003] For every 20 proposals, it shall be mandatory for at least one to result in the transmutation of an immutable rule, or the transmutation of a mutable rule. Should no transmutation occur, the most recently passed mutable rule shall become immutable, and the most recently amended immutable rule shall become mutable at the point of the 21st proposal since the last transmutation.

Rule 324. [Dan, 19 Jan 2003]
(1) If a rule is amended or transmuted, whether or not it comes to have a new rule number, the new rule is a successor rule to the old rule, and the old rule is a predecessor rule to the new rule. Both definitions shall apply retroactively and recursively.
(2) A reference within the ruleset to a rule no longer in the ruleset shall be understood to refer to its successor rule, if any. This section shall have recursive application.
(3) A reference within a rule-change or other proposal to a rule no longer in the ruleset shall NOT refer to its successor rule, if any. 

Rule 326. [Dan, 26 Jan 2003]
(1) If a rule-change creates a rule, it may also propose a title for the rule. Such title shall be included in any official ruleset.
(2) A rule-change which proposes a title for one or more existing rules is not an amendment within the scope of rule 108 or its successors.

Rule 327: Nomic Extension Act [Dave, 26 Jan 3003]
The amount of points needed to achive victory, as per Rule 112, shall be defined as n = + Infinity.
To compensate for not being present, Dylan shall be awarded 20 points.
[Initial Rule 208; Amended by Proposal 321 (Dylan), 19 Jan 2003; Amended by Proposal 327 (Dave), 26 Jan 2003]

Rule 328: Wouldn't You Like to Be a Player Too [Dan, 26 Jan 2003]
(1) At the time of the creation of this rule, each person who has proposed a rule-change shall be defined as a player.
(2) A human person, not already a player, may become a player by publishing a statement to that effect to all players.
(3) A player who has made no game-related communication for one week shall be considered "inactive" and shall not be a player under the rules.
(4) An inactive player who becomes a player under section (3) shall regain any artifacts of the game, including points, which he had before becoming inactive. This section shall defer to any rule which would restrict its application. 

Rule 330:
A player shall have a number of votes equivalent to his current total of points, divided by one hundred, and rounded up to the nearest integer. However, a player shall never have less than one vote.
[Initial Rule 207; Amended by Proposal 330 (Dave), 29 Jan 2003]

Rule 334: The Nomic Political Parties Recognition Act.  [Dave, 29 Jan 2003]
If a player so chooses, he may, at the beginning of a turn, declare himself to be member of a party. If a player does declare himself to be a member of a party, the name of the party shall be recorded along with the player's name in any official record of his actions.

Rule 335: [Dan, Constitutionalist, 29 Jan 2003]
The publication of a rule-change to all players, clearly marked as a proposed rule-change, while its authour is legally entitled to propose a rule-change, in a forum other than chat, shall indicate that the rule-change is in its final form and is ready for a vote.

Rule 338:  [Dave, Neo-Nomic Freedom Alliance, 29 Jan 2003]
A rule-change, amendment, or proposal is passed with a majority of votes cast.

Rule 339:  [Dan, Constitutionalist, 30 Jan 2003]
  (a) A player may enter a vote of PRESENT. Such player shall count as having voted. In any tabulation of votes, a vote of PRESENT shall count for none of the available options. Specifically, a vote of PRESENT on a rule-change shall count neither FOR nor AGAINST the rule-change.
  (b) At the end of any voting period prescribed by the rules, all players who have not voted, shall be presumed to vote PRESENT.
  (c) If the rules do not specify the length of time during which a vote must be completed, the vote must be completed within three days.

Rule 341:  [Dylan, Flexicrat, 30 Jan 2003]
A. A. On the first calendar day of each month, every political party with an active member, shall elect, in private caucus, a party leader. The party leader enjoys no special privileges except as defined in the ruleset, or as understood within his party caucus.
b. At the moment that a party's total membership becomes >1, the party shall elect a party whip. Any party member may proxy his votes to the party whip for a period of time not to exceed 7 days by stating this intent to the other players. The party member may choose to annul this arrangement at any time.
c. c. A player holding one or more proxies may cast, in addition to the votes he is entitled to cast for himself, an additional number of votes equal to the number of proxies he holds. Such votes shall be recorded and scored as if they came from the player who granted the proxy.

Rule 343: The Nomic Co-Sponsorship Omnibus Act. [Dave, Neo-Nomic Freedom Alliance, 30 Jan 2003]
One turn consists of two parts in this order:
  (1) proposing a rule-change, and having it voted on, and
  (2) determining the amount of points gained:
    (a) The amount of points gained by the successful passing of a bill shall be determined by the number twenty multiplied by the proportion of favorable votes, rounded up to the next integer.
    (b) A player may offer co-sponsorship to another player. If this occurs, and the co-sponsored bill is passed, the co-sponsor shall receive a number of points equal to one-half the amount earned in section (a). Should the bill fail, the co-sponsor shall receive the same amount of points as the originator of the bill.
    (c) Should a rule-change occur that requires unanimous consent, 10 points shall be added to the amount of points gained in section (a).

Rule 344:
The game proceeds with players submitting proposals which are then voted on and adopted or rejected according to the rules. There is no playing order and any player may take one or more turns, as defined by R343, at any time, following the correct procedure for submitting proposals as detailed in other rules, and provided that the player is entitled to issue a proposal at that time.
[Initial Rule 201; Amended by Proposal 344 (Dylan, Flexicrat), 3 Feb 2003]