Latest Rules

[Thomas David Baker]

Rules up to date as of end of Proposal 320.

Initial Rules:

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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If a rule is repealed and reenacted, it receives the number of the proposal to reenact it.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 If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule of which it is a part receives the number of the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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Mutable Rules
201. 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.

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202. One turn consists of one part in this order: (1) proposing one rule-change and having it voted on, and (2) throwing one die once and adding the number of points on its face to one's score.

In mail and computer games, instead of throwing a die, players subtract 291 from the ordinal number of their proposal and multiply the result by the fraction of favorable votes it received, rounded to the nearest integer. (This yields a number between 0 and 10 for the first player, with the upper limit increasing by one each turn; more points are awarded for more popular proposals.)

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203. 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.  A rule change is adopted through a simple majority.

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

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

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

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207. Each player always has exactly one vote.

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

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210. 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.


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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.

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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.

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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.

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302. Any player who votes in favour of another player's rule suggestion receives 1 point if that rule change is adopted.

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303. Any player who votes on another player's suggestion within 24 hours of it's proposal receives one (1) point once voting on that suggestion is complete, regardless of whether it is adopted.

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304. 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.)

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305. Any player responsible for the extinction of an endangered species shall be awarded a bonus 15 points provided the terms 'species', 'endangered' and 'extinction' have all been defined and agreed upon.

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306. A player shall be considered to have voted in favour of a proposed rules change, regardless of whether or not that player has posted a vote on the rules change, if the rules change in question is a) the oldest currently proposed rules change which has not been voted on by every player, and b) one of the following criteria are met:

i) The player has made the other players aware, by commenting on the main group board, that they will not be able to vote for a certain period of time. The player is considered to vote in favour of any rules changes proposed in this period as soon as the rules change becomes the oldest currently proposed rules change which has not been voted on by every player;

ii) The player has neither voted, nor commented, on a proposed rules change within 24 hours of the proposed rule change becoming the oldest currently proposed rule change which has not been voted on by every player. The player is considered to vote in favour of the rules change as soon as the 24 hours have passed, unless the rule has been modified or a judgement requested on the change. Once the rule has been modified or a judgement decided upon, a new 24 hour period will be considered to have begun;

iii) The player has not voted on the proposed rules change within 24 hours of posting any comment on the rules change that does not include a vote.

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314

A player may attempt to conceal the names of any card in the history of Magic The Gathering in a proposal.  Once all players have voted on the proposal, the proposing player may announce the concealed cards and receive one bonus point for each.  If a player notices a concealed card, they may announce it ONLY at the same time that they cast their vote and receive one bonus point.  Note it is entirely possible that a proposing player may name a card without realising it, these are also valid for points.

If a player successfully conceals the card 'cheatyface' (http://magiccards.info/uh/en/30.html) into a proposal, they receive 10 bonus points.  Note there are no bonus points for other players spotting this card.

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317

The winner is the first player to achieve 1000 (positive) points.

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318

Upon proposing a rule change any player may challenge another to a hunting trip.

The proposing player selects an endangered species as defined below.  The two hunters both draw and post a picture of a dead animal from that species within 72 hours. The other players then have 24 hours to vote on the best picture.  The player with the most votes wins and has most efficiently eradicated their species.  

The successful player will earn 15 points as stated in rule 305. 

List of endangered species: http://www.iucnredlist.org/

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319

During any players turn in addition to making a proposal they may choose to gamble any number thier points against any number of other players. 

All players involved choose a number between 1 and 100 and email it in private to Tom. Tom will then use a random number generator and post the results.

The player who guessed closest wins all the points gambled. If the player making the challange wins they also receive a 15 point bonus.

Players may not gamble more points than they or any opponent have.

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320.

Until midnight of the fourteenth day after the adoption of this rule, a "Rules Blitzkrieg" shall be performed. During this period, the rules modifications outined below are in effect. This does not create permanent changes to the
rules of the game - upon the 14 day period expiring this rule is immediately
repealed and the game returns to normal.

A. Rule 201 is suspended. There is no turn order, and players do not take turns. Players may post rules whenever they wish, with the exception that any player may only have
one proposal being voted on by the other players at any one time. (This is the only important change - the rest are just to help this one work properly).

B. Rule 209 is suspended. When the fortnight is due to finish, if rule 209 has not been amended and there are currently over 25 mutable rules, rule 209 is repealed. (This rule is here to encourage people tomake as many proposals as possible during this period).

C. Players cannot score points as a result of rules that provide points for making or voting on proposals. Other methods of point scoring are still in effect. (This rule is here to lessen the amount of points bookkeeping that allowing scoring from proposals would entail).

D. Rule 306 is suspended. Instead, once 24 hours have passed since a proposal was made, if more than one other player has voted on any given proposal, that proposal is passed
or not passed based on what the majority of voters on that proposal have
decided. If there is no majority either way, the proposal is defeated. (This rule is here to stop people from refusing to vote on proposals - something which would stop that player from participating further in the rules blitzkrieg).

E. Rule 314 is modified. A player may claim a maximum of one point for successfully hiding or spotting card names in each proposal. Players may still attempt to hide as many names as they wish, but will only receive one point regardless of how many are unspotted. This does not affect the bonus points awarded for concealing Cheatyface. (This rule is here to stop people taking advantage of the confusion by sneaking in multiple card names and hoping nobody votes in time).

F. Rules 318 and 319 are modified. A player who does not currently have an open challenge to a hunting trip may challenge another player to a hunting trip at any time. However, the player challenged in this way has the right to refuse the trip. If they do, then no hunting trip takes place and the challenge is closed. If they accept the challenge, the trip occurs as normal. The same applies to gambling proposals under rule 319. All hunting trip challenges will be posted on a “huntng trip challenge” thread, and gambling challenges on a “gambling challenge”
thread. These threads will be created upon the adoption of this rule. (This rule is here to make it easier to carry on with these rules while the blitzkrieg is in effect, and to stop people from repeatedly spamming hunting trips and gambling challenges).

323.

Any player causing "global environmental meltdown" shall be awarded a bonus 100 points.

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.

328.

Heads or Tails

Any player may play another player at heads or tails at the games club. If the initiating player wins 5 flips in a row they may declare themselves the winner of this game of nomic. If they lose, they lose 30 points.

Player may not initiate this challange with 0 points.

330.

The current date is January 1887.  Every proposal moves the date on a month.

[Thomas David Baker]

Removed 208, added 317 as a result of proposal 317.

[Thomas David Baker]

Added Rule 320 as a result of proposal 320.