Subject: ackanomic Digest V4 #191
From: [email-masked]
To: ackanomic digest users <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 00:00:01 -0400 (EDT)

ackanomic Digest	Sunday, July 18 1999	Volume: 04  Issue: 191

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gavin Logan" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Educational Hearing
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 07:08:44 -0400 (EDT)

I call an Educational Hearing on else...if's thesis below. Valid responses
are "Burn the Heretic!" [against] and "Students who THINK? What will they
come up with next..." [for]. Players have three days to vote.

King Felix
(dean)

***

>Submitted in completion of a BA in History.
>
>The Birth of a Nomic
>else...if
>
> There are, as everyone knows, a few large, long-lived nomics.
>Agora and Ackanomic have lasted for more than five and three years
>respectively.  The Fantasy Rules Committee, although not a nomic by the
>strictest definition, shares most of its players with the nomic community,
>and predates even Agora.  A few other nomics have lasted more than a year
>or so, although often with periods of quiescence.  Meanwhile an endless
>string of nomics are being born only to atrophy into non-existance after a
>few weeks or months.  The question occurs then, why do some nomics survive,
>and how can a successful nomic be founded.
> Typically, a nomic is founded when one person decides to create a
>new nomic, publicizes it, and convinces a few other players to join.
>Experience shows that the few weeks following this are critical.  Usually
>at this stage the founder takes on the administrative needs of the nomic
>and players begin to make the proposals which establish a nomic's
>character.  There is a single factor which distinguishes nomics which
>succeed at this stage from those which fail: the effort of the founder.  In
>many nomics the founder will take days to distribute proposals or voting
>results; as examples take the Common Law Nomic and the Fantasy Wargame
>Design Project.  In both cases the founder was an experienced nomic player
>(Scott Goehring and Joel Ricker, Ackanomic's own 404 Not Found,
>respectively) and in both cases a number of players joined.  Neither,
>however, was able to keep up with the pace of the game.  (This should not
>be taken as a criticism.  The needs of a new nomic can be quite time
>consuming.)  These few weeks are the first major hurdle a nomic faces; to a
>prepared founder, however, they are also the easiest.
> A few things mark the transition from an infant nomic to a child.
>The two most significant are a transition away from dependance on a single
>player for administrative needs and a (relatively) stabilized set of
>players.  Ackanomic achieved this stage around its second week, with Wayne
>Sheppard taking over as Tabulator and the last of the first batch of
>players joining.(1)  Not all games achieve this so early.  The People's
>Republic of Macronomic achieved a stable membership quite early but never
>really made a transition from depending on a single player to handle its
>harfing.  Although a number of players took on minor tasks, only one player
>was willing to take on the two biggest--rule and proposal harfing.  Once a
>nomic does make the transition it tends to become significantly more
>stable.  Usually such nomics progress steadily for a period; it is the
>development in this period which determines its eventual survival (or
>collapse).
> Typically after a month or two some of the early players of a nomic
>begin leaving.  This immediately demands that the nomic have more people
>willing to handle the work (since the founder often leaves, or at least
>steps down).  As players begin to trickle out, both formally and
>informally, the nomic faces its second major hurdle.  Being able to survive
>the loss of multiple influential players, along with having the energy to
>survive a crises, is what defines an adult nomic.  Ackanomic hit this in
>mid-March, when a number of players left (killing two of the three
>political parties), followed promptly by the Quorum Crises.(2)  Having
>survived both of these, Ackanomic had the potential for a long history.
>Other nomics are not so successful: Pnomic watched its players trickle out
>one by one until only three remained.
> The crucial factor for a nomic to survive into and through
>adulthood is being able to keep people interested.  Interest in a nomic is
>cyclical: interested player do things like make proposals, harf the game,
>and perform other actions; when things happen players get interested.  Many
>nomics fall apart when the summer doldrums cause a number of college age
>players to take a hiatus and noone wants to bother to restart it.
>Macronomic is a typical example.  Ackanomic itself has had several periods
>like that in its history; several of them have brought nomic quite close to
>death, once as close as a single vote.(3)  Thus far Ackanomic has managed
>to recover each time; the best explanation is that Ackanomic has a critical
>mass of players.  One of them usually begins making proposals, then
>another, and so on.  Smaller nomics are less likely to have a player
>attempt to revive it, and it is less likely that the other players will
>join in.
> What lessons can this history give us?  Firstly, it is a reminder
>that when a game does begin to slow, Ackans should take it into their own
>hands to make proposals and perform actions.  Even if the proposals fail,
>they will help get players thinking about the game.  The other lesson is
>for any players who seek to found new nomics: be ready to invest real time
>into it to help get it off the ground.  If you can't do that, wait until
>you can or convince someone else to help you.
>
>
>(1)breadbox, _The History of Ackanomic_ (Ackanomic Press:1998)
>(2)ibid.
>(3)else...if, ^Proposal 4161^ (Ackanomic Press:1999)
>
>--
>-Henry Towsner
>
> <[email-masked]>
>
> Thank heavens, the sun has gone in, and I don't have to go out and
>enjoy it.
> -Logan Pearsall Smith
>
>
>
>
>

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Dice server)
Subject: Acka: Otzma Card
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 07:09:03 -0400 (EDT)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

Dice rolls requested by: "Gavin Logan" <[email-masked]>
Rolls also sent to:
    [email-masked]

# Player: Emperor Ai! Pedrito!
# 1 - Go Fish
# Shield (at maximum)
# 2 - Map Shard
# 3 - Share My Expenses
# 4 - Share Your Income
# 5 - Swinging Sale
# 6 - Tactical Retreat
# 7 - Paratroop
# Foul Fowl (at maximum)
# 8 - Truthseeker
# 9 - Skeleton Key
# 10 - Arctic Explorer
# Founder's Boon (at maximum)
# 11 - Roulette Wheel
# 12 - Training Regime

No. of sides on every die:     12
No. of dice for every roll:     1
No. of dice rolls requested:    1
No. of rolls per line:          1

      4

Information on the dice server:
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Original message follows:
> From [email-masked]  Sun Jul 18 04:39:49 1999
> Received: (from smtp@localhost) by xkey.com
>       id EAA08359 for <[email-masked]>; Sun, 18 Jul 1999 04:39:49 -0700
> Received: from mail11.svr.pol.co.uk(195.92.193.23) by xkey.com via smtp (V1.3)
>       id sma008354; Sun Jul 18 04:39:44 1999
> Received: from modem-75.amitriptyline.dialup.pol.co.uk ([62.136.50.75] helo=default)
>       by mail11.svr.pol.co.uk with smtp (Exim 2.12 #1)
>       id 115oo7-00024X-00
>       for [email-masked]; Sun, 18 Jul 1999 12:08:35 +0100
> Message-ID: <00c101bed10d$bdc46f60$4b32883e@default>
> From: "Gavin Logan" <[email-masked]>
> To: <[email-masked]>
> Subject: Acka: Otzma Card
> Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 09:28:48 +0100
> X-Priority: 3
> X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.5
> X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3
> 
> #p [email-masked]
> #s 12
> #d 1
> #r 1
> #l 1
> #t Acka: Otzma Card
> #c Player: Emperor Ai! Pedrito!
> #c
> #c 1 - Go Fish
> #c Shield (at maximum)
> #c 2 - Map Shard
> #c 3 - Share My Expenses
> #c 4 - Share Your Income
> #c 5 - Swinging Sale
> #c 6 - Tactical Retreat
> #c 7 - Paratroop
> #c Foul Fowl (at maximum)
> #c 8 - Truthseeker
> #c 9 - Skeleton Key
> #c 10 - Arctic Explorer
> #c Founder's Boon (at maximum)
> #c 11 - Roulette Wheel
> #c 12 - Training Regime
> 
> 
> 
> 

------------------------------

From: "Gavin Logan" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Phoebe (Studge)
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 07:11:50 -0400 (EDT)

Studge has found Phoebe's matchbox.

King Felix
(OiCoRT)

------------------------------

From: "Gavin Logan" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: magic potato (Sir Galahad)
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 11:42:04 -0400 (EDT)

Sir Galahad has received the magic potato.
Therefore, IdiotBoy gets the Great Tuba of Ackanomic.

King Felix
(OiCoRT)

------------------------------

From: Gabe Drummond-Cole <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Otzma Card
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 13:15:51 -0400 (EDT)

># Player: Emperor Ai! Pedrito!

># 5 - Swinging Sale

># Founder's Boon (at maximum)

># 12 - Training Regime

these need to be taken off your OC determination, and in fact need to be
replaced.  P4242 saw to that.
-- Emperor Ai! Pedrito!
Butthead * Crazy French-Scotsman * DeeJay * Dungeon Master * Harfmeister *
Really Weird * Rule-Harfer * Weird * Wrangler

------------------------------

From: David Scheidt <[email-masked]>
Subject: acka: trinket, otzma card play
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 16:05:19 -0400 (EDT)

I create a trinket, worht $10, called "AFUNY99 memorial hangover ice pick". 
It is green.

I play my grave robber otzma card, naming Mr cwm as the tarket.

rufus

------------------------------

Subject: Acka: stuff
From: Joseph DeVincentis <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 16:19:25 -0400 (EDT)

2000 BC-4700 AD
 100 AD-3800 AD
4250 AD-1250 AD
1000 AD-4900 AD

or, if you prefer to keep it simple:

4250 AD-1250 AD
1000 AD-4900 AD

/dev/joe

------------------------------

From: Gabe Drummond-Cole <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Proposal 4260
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 18:39:36 -0400 (EDT)

#retract 4260
-- Emperor Ai! Pedrito!
Butthead * Crazy French-Scotsman * DeeJay * Dungeon Master * Harfmeister *
Really Weird * Rule-Harfer * Weird * Wrangler

------------------------------

From: JT <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Runemaker
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:06:32 -0400 (EDT)

I cannot recall if I actually stepped down as Runemaker in the past, but
if I am RuneMaker, I resign as Runemaker.

--JT

-- 
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.                  ]
[ It's hard to seize the day when you must first grapple with the morning ]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

------------------------------

From: JT <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: magic potato (Sir Galahad)
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:11:44 -0400 (EDT)

On Sun, 18 Jul 1999, Gavin Logan wrote:
> Sir Galahad has received the magic potato.
> Therefore, IdiotBoy gets the Great Tuba of Ackanomic.

Isn't this supposed to happen on *monday* at noon?

--JT

-- 
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.                  ]
[ It's hard to seize the day when you must first grapple with the morning ]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

------------------------------

From: JT <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: herald
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:29:29 -0400 (EDT)

I also resign as herald as I've been completely forgetting to track
anything on it since April :(.

When someone takes it over, I will try and help them get caught back up to
current, but will not guarentee that I have the time to do so.

--JT

-- 
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.                  ]
[ It's hard to seize the day when you must first grapple with the morning ]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

------------------------------

From: Gabe Drummond-Cole <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Runemaker
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:44:44 -0400 (EDT)

At 08:06 PM 7/18/99 -0400, you wrote:
>I cannot recall if I actually stepped down as Runemaker in the past, but
>if I am RuneMaker, I resign as Runemaker.
>

You resigned from this office on 6/14/99.  On 6/23, Slakko was elected
runemaker.
-- Emperor Ai! Pedrito!
Butthead * Crazy French-Scotsman * DeeJay * Dungeon Master * Harfmeister *
Really Weird * Rule-Harfer * Weird * Wrangler

------------------------------

From: JT <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Acka: Runemaker
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:57:33 -0400 (EDT)

On Sun, 18 Jul 1999, Gabe Drummond-Cole wrote:
> You resigned from this office on 6/14/99.  On 6/23, Slakko was elected
> runemaker.

Okay.. I'd forgotten.. Thanks :)

--JT

-- 
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.                  ]
[ It's hard to seize the day when you must first grapple with the morning ]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

------------------------------

From: JT <[email-masked]>
Subject: Acka: Treasure harfer page
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 21:00:35 -0400 (EDT)

I have K2's pages from when e was treasure harfer up at
http://www.ackanomic.org/~jt/nomic/acka/treasure.html.

I will be cleaning up the HTML and stuff as I go through them.

If anyone sees any errors or things that shouldn't be there, or things
that are missing, please let me know politely and I'll do my best to fix
it quickly.

--JT

-- 
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.                  ]
[ It's hard to seize the day when you must first grapple with the morning ]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Acka: stuff
From: Joseph DeVincentis <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 22:56:46 -0400 (EDT)

I create a trinket named "it so" worth A$10 with the description:

 4250 AD-1250 AD
 1000 AD-4900 AD

/dev/joe

------------------------------

End of ackanomic Digest V4 #191
*******************************