RE: spoon-discuss: initial ruleset

[Jorg Rathlev <joerg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > I think that we should try and start with as simple an initial
> > ruleset as possible, even if a lot of rules will be proposed and
> > adopted within the first two weeks.
> 
> I hear the Voice of the People! I'll roast a bunch of rules soonish,
> then go through what's left to (hopefully) ensure we're reasonably
> free of logical inconsistencies.

I actually wrote a ruleset for a play-by-mail nomic game some time
ago. Unfortunately, I never had the time to actually start a game
myself. The ruleset is very similar to Peter Suber's original nomic
ruleset, modified mostly to allow non-sequential player actions.

It is divided up (like Peter Suber's original set) into a set of rules
I called "fundamental rules" and a set of "normal rules." The
fundamental ones are not immutable, but you need a larger majority to
change them. Also voting happens whenever a proponent decides that
voting should start. I actually prefer the idea of a ballot, but I
wanted to stay close to Peter Suber's rules when I wrote the ruleset.

Scoring is rather boring, every player gets a random number of points
every week. This is deliberate -- players should decide how they want
scoring to happen.

I am not aware of any logical inconsistencies, but as I said I never
actually played with those rules so I guess there are some minor
issues.


Joerg



Here's the ruleset:


Rule 1/0 (fundamental): Abide by the rules

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 1-11 (fundamental rules) and rules 12-29 (non-fundamental
rules).


Rule 2/0 (fundamental): Players

Any person that has become a player in the manner prescribed by the
rules is a player until e decides to forfeit the game.


Rule 3/0 (fundamental): Rule changes

A rule change is any of the following: (1) the enactment, repeal or
amendment of an existing rule; (2) making a non-fundamental rule a
fundamental rule, or vice versa.


Rule 4/0 (fundamental): Voting

All rule-changes proposed in the proper way shall be voted on. They
will be adopted in the exact form in which they were voted on if and
only if the required number of votes are in favor of the proposal.


Rule 5/0 (fundamental): Voters

Every player is an eligible voter. In each vote, each player may cast
exactly one vote.


Rule 6/0 (fundamental): No retroactive application

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 7/0 (fundamental): Numbering

Numbered objects shall be given numbers for reference. The numbers
shall begin with 1, and each new numbered object shall receive the
next successive integer for numbered objects of the respective type.

Additionally, numbered objects that can be changed after creation
shall have a revision number, which shall initially be zero, and shall
be increased by one whenever the object is changed.

Rules are numbered objects.


Rule 8/0 (fundamental): Changing fundamental rules

Rule changes that change a fundamental rule may be adopted if and only
if at least two thirds of all players vote for the rule change.


Rule 9/0 (fundamental): Precedence of fundamental rules

Fundamental rules shall take precedence over other rules. Rules that
are in conflict with a fundamental rule have no effect.


Rule 10/0 (fundamental): Fair play

A player shall always have 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 11/0 (fundamental): Freedom of play

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 12/0: Time

The official game time is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).


Rule 13/0: Becoming a player

Any person may become a player by indicating in an official mailing
list eir desire to do so, and choosing a name e wishes to be known as.


Rule 14/0: Score

The score is the number of points a player has received, minus the
number of points a player has lost. The initial score of each player
is zero.


Rule 15/0: Winning

The winner is the first player to receive a positive score of 100.


Rule 16/0: Administrator

The administrator is the player whose real name is --NAME--.

The administrator is responsible for managing the mailing lists of the
game, receiving and counting votes, and publishing the voting
results. E may have additional responsibilities defined by other
rules.


Rule 17/0: Mailing lists

Mailing lists are the means by which players communicate. A mailing
list may be either official or inofficial. A mailing list is official
if the administrator defines it to be official. All players must
subscribe to all official mailing lists. Messages that must be sent to
all players shall be sent to an official mailing list.

There must at all times be at least one official mailing list.


Rule 18/0: Proposals

Any player may at any time propose a rule change by sending eir
proposal to an official mailing list.

Proposals that propose the creation or a fundamental rule must clearly
indicate this. If a proposal that does not clearly indicate that it
proposes the creation of a fundamental rule is adopted, it will create
a non-fundamental rule.

Proposals are numbered objects.


Rule 19/0: Debating proposals

After a player has made a proposal, e shall allow a reasonable time
for debating the proposal. The proponent decides the final form in
which the proposal is to be voted on and also decides the time to end
debate and vote.


Rule 20/0: Withdrawing proposals

The proponent may withdraw eir proposal at any time during the
debate. Proposals that are withdrawn are not voted on.


Rule 21/0: Voting

The voting period for a proposal starts when the proponent decides to
end the debate and vote. The voting period ends at the end of third
day after it started. During the voting period, each player may send
exactly one vote to the administrator or an official mailing list.


Rule 22/0: Couting votes

At the end of the voting periods, the administrator shall make public
the votes sent to em and calculate and publish the voting result.


Rule 23/0: Adopting proposals

A proposed rule change is adopted if and only if a simple majority of
players voted in favor of the proposal.


Rule 24/0: Effect of rule changes

An adopted rule change takes effect at the exact time at which the
adminstrator published the voting result for the vote on the
respective proposal.


Rule 25/0: Scoring

Once per week, the administrator shall award to each player a number
of points randomly chosen with equal probability from the range of one
to six.


Rule 26/0: Call for Judgement

A Call for Judgement (CFJ) is a statement to be judged. A CFJ can be
made by any player at any time by questioning the legality of a
player's action, or to request a clarification of the rules. The
player making the CFJ shall be known as the plaintiff, the player
whose move the plaintiff claims to be illegal, if any, shall be known
as the defendant.

Calls for Judgement are numbered objects and cannot be modified.


Rule 27/0: Judges

When a Call for Judgement has been made, the administrator shall
randomly select one player among the eligible players to be the
judge. Eligble players for the purpose of this rule are all players
but the defendant and the plaintiff. If that leaves no players
eligible to be the judge, all players are eligible.


Rule 28/0: Judgement

The judge shall, within one week after e was selected as the judge,
judge the statement in question as being either true or false or
reject the CFJ, and provide the other players with a legal analysis
that led to his decision. The judge may reject the CFJ only if the
statement in question is unclear or not related to the game.

A judgement cannot be modified. It shall be given the number given to
the CFJ it refers to.


Rule 29/0: Winning by making further play impossible

If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the
legality of a move cannot be determined with finality, then the player
who took the action in question or proposed the rule change that made
further play impossible shall win the game.

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