spoon-discuss: Re: spoon-business: Proposal: Insta-Rules

[Wonko <dplepage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Quoth Glotmorf,

> {{ _The Other End of the Entropy Axis_
> 
> [[
> 
> There he was.  Just standing there.
> 
> Wonko had been looking for him since that orbital-insertion tackle he'd made.
> Wonko had recovered the ball, but still Glotmorf was on the short list.
> 
> And as Wonko hefted Rocky bt the ankle, he reckoned the list was about to get
> shorter.
> 
> He twirled the gremlin over his head.  With a dopplering "owowowowow" coming
> from above, he used his free hand to draw a bead on Glotmorf, who was still
> standing there, watching him now, grinning like an idiot.
> 
> Wonko drew back to throw and --
> 
> *TWEET*
> 
> Wha...?
> 
> There was a referee working his hand signals for the spectators. "Invalid
> Target.  Wonko.  No throw."
> 
> "Invalid target?  What, Glotmorf?  Since when?"
> 
> "IR1: It is illegal to throw gremlins at Glotmorf."
> 
> "Huh?  Where'd that rule come from?"
> 
> "I made it," called Glotmorf, looking smug.
> 
> "Whaddaya mean, you made it?  You can't just...OW!"  Yes, that sizzling sound
> had been the palm of Wonko's hand.  He dropped Rocky and waved the hand
> frantically as he yelled, "You can't make your own rules!"
> 
> "You can now," Glotmorf sneered.  "Guess you didn't see the update."  He
> pulled out his PDA and called something up.
> 
> Wonko heard his Palm beep.  He gingerly drew it out and saw Glotmorf had
> forwarded him the text of a new rule:
> 
> ]]
> 
> {{ _Insta-Rules_
> 
> An Insta-Rule is a rule that is created as a game action rather than through a
> proposal.  An Insta-Rule must conform to the following format:
> 
> { It is { legal | illegal } to { { { throw at | give to | take from } {
> players | grid locations | <specific player> | <specific grid location> } {
> gremlins | beer cans | <specific MO> } } | { { enter | remain in | enter or
> remain in } <specific grid location> [ without bouncing Elbonia-style ] } } }.
> 
> where { and } delimit a set from which one item must be chosen, or a member of
> a set; [ and ] delimit optional text; and < and > delimit a category of
> information to be filled in.
> 
> Insta-Rules are identified as such, and must be unique from other
> currently-existing Insta-Rules.  Insta-Rules take precedence over other
> Insta-Rules created before them.
> 
> Each Player has an attribute called Insta-Ruler, with an initial value of 0.
> At the beginning of each nweek, if a Player's Insta-Ruler is greater than 0,
> it is decreased by 1.
> 
> Once per nweek, if a Player's Insta-Ruler is 5 or less, e can declare an
> Insta-Ruling, which consists of one of the following:
> 
> 1. the enactment of an Insta-Rule
> 2. the repeal of an existing Insta-Rule
> 
> Insta-Rulings are implemented at the end of the nweek; at that time, the
> Insta-Ruler of the Player who made the Insta-Ruling is increased by 2.
> 
> }}
> 
> [[
> 
> Wonko stared at the text in disbelief. "Who the hell came up with this?"
> 
> "Dunno.  Some scientist, I hear."
> 
> "And you made it illegal to throw gremlins at you?"
> 
> Glotmorf grinned. "Yep."
> 
> Wonko looked up slowly. "And I can make rules too?"
> 
> The grid weakened a little. "Well...yeah..."
> 
> Ignoring the other players winding up with gremlins, Wonko entered some text
> into his Palm, then looked up at Glotmorf with grim satisfaction.  Glotmorf
> looked worried...
> 
> ...And then he was gone, sailing high over the grid, the place where he'd
> stood occupied by a huge spring slowly retracting into the ground.  Wonko
> watched the trajectory with a tight smile.
> 
> He was still smiling after he'd been pummeled senseless by flung gremlins.
> 
> ]]
> 
> }}
> 
> 

Ow. That hurts.


--Wonko

If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?