INITIAL SET OF RULES OF NOMIC

I. Immutable Rules.

(All Rules in Effect)

101. All players must always abide by all the rules then in effect, in the form in which they are then in effect. Only 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).

(Mutablity)

102. Initially, rules in the 100's are immutable and rules in the 200's are mutable. Rules subsequently enacted or transmuted (i.e., 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 Changes)

103. 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, or (3) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a mutable rule, 1or 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 Immutable rules, as long as they are immutable, may not be amended or repealed. No rule is absolutely immune to change.)

(All rules to be voted ON)

104. All rules 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.

(All Eligible voters)

105. Every player is an eligible voter.

(All rules emailed out )

106. Any proposed rule change or official notifications from the proponent regarding a rule change must be emailed to all players before it is voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the form in which it was voted on.

(NO Retroactive Rules)

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 order)

108. Each proposed rule change shall be given a rank-order number (ordinal 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If a rule is repealed and then re-enacted, it receives the ordinal number of the proposal to re-enact it. If a rule is amended or transmuted, it receives the ordinal 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 If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule of which it is a part receives the ordinal number of the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.

(Unanimous transmutations)

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.

(Immutable over Mutable)

110. Mutable rules that are inconsistent in any way with some immutable rule (except by proposing to transmute it) are wholly void and without effect. They do not implicitly transmute immutable rules into mutable rules and at the same time amend them. Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules will be effective if and only if they explicitly state their transmuting effect.

(Debate)

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, the other players may suggest amendments or argue against the proposal before the end of the voting period. The proponent decides the final form in which the proposal is to be voted on before the beginning of the voting period or it is considered a NULL proposal and has no effect on play (i.e., if the proponent does not specify a final form of the proposal then their turn is forfeit). The only cure for a bad proposal is prevention: a negative vote.

(Winning)

112. The state of affairs that constitutes winning may not be changed from achieving n points to any other state of affairs. However, 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.

(Quiting)

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.

(One mutable Rule)

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

(Rules that affect other Rules)

115. Rules 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.

(Almost Everything goes)

116. Whatever is not explicitly 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.

117. Any player who does not participate in two consecutive turns (either in discussion or in voting) will be dropped from the player list.

118. At no time may there be more than twelve players.

119. Any person who wishes to join the game must do so by being sponsored by a current player. The sponsor must submit the name of the interested person to the rest of the players. A vote will then take place and the person may join the game if a majority of players either vote to accept them or abstain. The vote may not take longer than 1 week (7 days) from the submission of the presumptive-player's name by the sponsor. Former players may rejoin at any time without sponsorship merely by emailing to the current players their intent to join.

II. Mutable Rules.

(Player order)

201. Players turns shall be determined by proceeding down a list of player's names maintained in alphabetical order based on email account names, taking one whole turn apiece. Turns may not be passed or skipped and parts of turns may not be omitted. All players begin with zero points.

(Turns)

202. A turn shall consist of a two-day (24-hr) period during which the player whose turn it is may choose to submit a rule-change proposal. If they DO NOT choose to submit a proposal, a NULL-proposal (with the appropriate ordinal number) is defined to have been submitted and FAILED TO PASS with all that that implies. If they DO choose to submit a proposal:

  1. the turn is extended until the proposal is passed or failed;
  2. the proponent shall receive points added to their score equal to the last digit of the {Message-ID} (before the @ symbol) of the first message containing the proposal (if there are no digits before the @ symbol, then the proponent shall receive points equal to the last digit of the {Message-ID} (before the @ symbol) of the first vote submitted on the Proposal which has such a number attached -- the proponent must copy the message, including vote and {Message-ID}, to all players before the proponent can receive his/her points) ;
  3. votes will be accepted up to 3 days following the proponent's specification of the final form of the proposal, after which voting will be closed and any non-submitted votes shall become ABSTAINS. (Abstaining voters will not be counted towards or against the passing of the proposal.)

Results of a vote or notification of a NULL-proposal should be emailed to all players immediately following the close of a voting period or "submission" of a NULL-proposal. After the proposal has been passed or failed and the results have been emailed to all players the turn shall pass to the next player.

(All changes unanimous)

203. A rule change is adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among the eligible voters.

(10 points for voting against)

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

(Rule Scope)

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

(-10 For losing Rule)

206. When a proposed rule change is defeated, the player who proposed it loses 10 points.

(1 Player 1 Vote)

207. Each player always has exactly one vote per Rule Change or Judgement, and votes may not be changed.

(100 Point Winner)

208. The winner is the first player to achieve 100 (positive) points.

(Only 25 Mutable Rules)

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

(No Conspiring)

210. Players may not conspire or consult on the making of future rule changes unless they are teammates.

(Rules Conflict)

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 procedence [sic].

If two or more rules claim to take precedence over one another or to defer to one another, then the numerical method must again govern.

(Judgements)

212. If players disagree about the legality of a move or the interpretation of a rule, then the player preceding the one whose turn it is is to be the Judge and to decide the question. Disagreement, for the purposes of this rule, may be created by the insistence of any player. Such a process is called _invoking judgment_.

When judgment has been invoked, the clock is stopped and thus the next player may not begin his or her turn without the consent of a majority of the other players, taken before the next turn is begun. If a Judge's judgment is overruled, 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 that of a teammate (and must be passed over in those cases).

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's only guides shall be common morality, common logic, and the spirit of the game.

(No further Play)

213. If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the legality of a move is impossible to determine with finality, or if by the Judge's best reasoning, not overruled, a move appears equally legal and illegal, then the first player who is unable to complete a turn is the winner.

This rule takes precedence over every other rule determining the winner.

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OFFICIAL SUGGESTION SET (for email play)

These are guidelines to facilitate play. They are to be treated ONLY as suggestions and ARE NOT RULES. Thus, they have no ordinal number. These SUGGESTIONS have been derived from the previous games.

If you choose to treat them as Rules, go ahead, but don't blame me, and don't cite them in your arguments. If you choose to ignore them entirely, go ahead, but don't expect much good to come of it.

(Communication)

OOA. Any communication involving the play of the game MUST be emailed to all players.

OOB. Any email should be no more than one screen long if you expect it it to be read. Don't argue about what one screen or one line is.

OOC. Any email that MUST be longer should be bulleted or otherwise broken up into readable segments (even separate emails!)

OOD. Be CONCISE. If you can't make your point simply, I suggest rethinking your point!

(Spirit of the Game)

OOE. The "Spirit of the Game" is to make lots of neat Rules and see how we can hedge each other around with them in the making of new Rules. It is NOT to argue a point that even the person who originally brought up the point has dropped. It is NOT to try to lawyer something past. Spirit of the Game implies a fairly fast pace (as limited by email) and requires all of us to consider what is FAIR as well as what may be (marginally) legal!

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