Nomic is a game that can be played in person or over the Internet in which the rules of the game are subject to change based on player's actions. Usually, at least initially, the rules are changed by democratic voting. "Nomic" actually refers to a large number of games based on the initial ruleset laid out by Peter Suber in his book The Paradox of Self-Amendment. (The ruleset was actually first published in Douglas Hofstadter's column Metamagical Themas in Scientific American in 1982, which discussed Suber's upcoming book, which wasn't actually published until years later.) The game is in some ways modeled on modern government systems, and demonstrates that any rule-changing system can get into a situation in which the laws are contradictory or insufficient to determine what is legal.

While the victory condition in Suber's initial ruleset is the accumulation of 100 points by the roll of a die, players can change the rules to such a degree that points can become irrelevant in favor of a true currency, or make victory an unimportant concern. Any rule in the game, including the rules specifying the criteria for winning and even the rule that rules must be obeyed, can be changed. Any loophole in the ruleset, however, may allow the first player to discover it the chance to pull a "scam" and modify the rules to win the game. Complicating this process is the fact that Suber's initial ruleset allows for the appointment of Judges to preside over issues of rule interpretation.

Gameplay

Initially, gameplay occurs in clockwise order, with each player taking a turn. In that turn, they propose a change in rules that all the other players vote on, and then roll a die to determine the number of points they add to their score. If this rule change is passed, it comes into effect at the end of their round. Any rule can be changed with varying degrees of difficulty, including the core rules of the game itself. As such, the gameplay as mentioned in this section may quickly change.

Rules are divided up into two types: mutable and immutable. The main difference between these is that immutable rules must be changed into mutable rules (called transmuting) before they can be modified or removed. Immutable rules also take precedence over mutable ones. A rule change may be the addition of a new mutable rule, the repealing of an old mutable rule, an amendment to a mutable rule, or the previously mentioned transmutation of a rule from mutable to immutable or vice versa.

Alternative rules exist for Internet and mail games, wherein gameplay occurs in alphabetical order by surname, and points added to the score are based on the success of a proposed rule changed rather than random dice rolls.

Variants

Not only can almost every aspect of the rules be altered in some way over the course of a game of Nomic, but myriad variants also exist: some that have themes, begin with a single rule, or begin with a dictator instead of a democratic process to validate rules. Others combine Nomic with an existing game (such as Monopoly, Chess, or in one possibly self-contradictory attempt, Mornington Crescent). There is even a version in which the players are games of Nomic themselves. Even more unusual variants include a ruleset in which the rules are hidden from players' view, and a game which, instead of allowing voting on rules, splits into two sub-games, one with the rule, and one without it.

One offshoot of a now-defunct Nomic (Nomic World) is the Fantasy Rules Committee (http://www.sir-toby.com/archives/FRC/), which adds every legal rule submitted by a player to the ruleset until no more rules are possible. Then, all the "fantasy rules" are repealed and the game begins again.

Notes

Internet Nomic games in English sometimes use Spivak pronouns, so that the rules can refer to indefinite players easily without using "he or she".

Games of Nomic sometimes last for a very long time - Agora has been going on continuously ever since 1993. According to [1] (http://www.dfw.net/~ccarroll/agora/), "Agora itself was started following the collapse of another Nomic, Nomic World, which was the first known MUD-based Nomic."

The longevity of Nomic games can pose a serious problem: after a certain point, the sets of rules by which Nomics operate can grow so complex that current players do not fully understand them and prospective players are deterred from joining. One currently-active game, BlogNomic (http://blognomic.blogspot.com/) gets around this problem by dividing the game into "dynasties;" every time someone wins, a new dynasty begins, and all the rules except a privileged few are repealed. This keeps the game relatively simple and accessible.

Another facet of Nomic games is the way in which the implementation of the rules affects the way the game of Nomic itself works. ThermoNomic, for example, has a ruleset in which rule changes are carefully considered before implementation, and rules are rarely introduced which provide loopholes for the players to exploit. B Nomic (http://www.nomic.net/~g6/), by contrast, was once described by one of its players as "The equivalent of throwing logical hand grenades".

This is essentially part of the differentiation between Procedural games, where the aim (acknowledged or otherwise) is to tie the entire ruleset into a paradoxical condition, and Substantive games, which try to avoid paradox and reward winning by achieving certain goals, such as attaining so many points.

Initial rules

Note that these rules have been summarised and paraphrased for clarity.

Immutable rules

101

All players must obey all the rules that are in effect. The initial rules (101-116 and 201-213) are in effect from the beginning of the game.

102

Rules in the 100s are immutable and rules in the 200s are mutable. Subsequent additions or transmutations may be either. Rules may be transmuted regardless of their numbers.

103

A rule change is any of:

1. The enactment, repeal or amendment of a mutable rule,
2. The enactment, repeal or amendment of an amendment to a mutable rule, or
3. Transmutation of a mutable rule to an immutable rule or vice versa.

104

All properly proposed rule changes will be voted on and adopted if they receive the required votes.

105

Every player is an eligible voter, and every eligible voter must participate in rule-change votes.

106

All proposed rule-changes must be written down before being voted on. If accepted, they are enacted in the form they were voted on.

107

No rule change may take effect earlier than completion of the vote enacting it, even when explicitly stated otherwise. No rule change may apply retroactively.

108

Each proposed rule will be assigned a reference number starting at 301 and progressing by increments of 1, whether or not the proposal is accepted. Any modified rule receives the number of its last relevant rule change.

109

Transmutation may only occur if voted for unanimously, and only if stated explicitly.

110

In conflicts between mutable and immutable rules, immutable rules take precedence. Transmutation does not constitute a conflict.

111

If a rule change is of questionable value, other players may suggest amendments within a reasonable time. The proposer decides the final form of the rule change, and unless a Judge has been asked to intervene, also decides the length of debate and vote times.

112

The condition of winning may not be changed, although its magnitude and rules for selecting a winner when play cannot continue may be added and modified.

113

A player may forfeit rather than incurring a penalty. No penalty may be imposed that is worse than losing, in the eyes of the player incurring it.

114

There must always be at least one mutable rule. Rule changes may never become completely impermissible.

115

Rule changes affecting rules required for rule changing, or even affecting themselves are permissible.

116

Anything not prohibited or regulated by a rule is implicitly allowed and unregulated, with the exception of changing the rules.

Mutable rules

201

Play moves in a clockwise order (or alphabetical order by surname in computer/mail games), with one turn per player. These turns may not be skipped and may not be partially omitted. All players begin with zero points.

202

A turn consists of, in order:

1. Proposing a rule and having it voted on, and
2. Throwing a die once and adding its value to one's score.

In mail and computer games, 291 is subtracted from the number of the proposal, and it is multiplied by the number of positive votes it received. This value is added to the player's score rather than a die roll.

203

A rule change is only adopted if it receives unanimous support. This rule automatically changes to only require a simple majority at the end of the second cycle of turns, if not already amended.

204

A rule adopted without unanimous support gives 10 points to every player to vote against it.

205

An adopted rule change takes effect as soon as the vote finishes.

206

When a proposed rule change is defeated, its proposer loses 10 points.

207

Each player has exactly one vote.

208

The winner is the first player to reach positive 100 votes (200 in computer/mail games).

209

There may never be more than 25 mutable rules.

210

Players may not consult about future rule changes unless they are teammates. This does not apply to computer/mail games.

211

If two immutable or two mutable rules conflict, the one with the lowest number takes precedence. This does not apply if either rule explicitly says that it defers to or gives precedence to another rule or class of rule. If two rules claim to have precedence over or to defer to one another, the lowest number again takes precedence.

212

If there is a disagreement about the legality of a move, or the interpretation or application of a rule, the player before the one currently playing may be called as a judge by any player. Play may not continue without the consent of a majority of other players.

A judge settles all questions until the next turn begins, unless overruled unanimously by other players. In this case, the player before the judge becomes the next judge, and so on, with the exception that a player may not be a judge on his or her turn.

213

If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible or so that the legality of a move cannot be decided, or appears equally legal or illegal, then the first player unable to make a move is the winner. This rule takes precedence over other rules determining the winner.

External links

• A Nomic thesis on the "Mousetrap" (http://www.nomic.net/~nomicwiki/index.php/MousetrapThesis), published by a player of Agora demonstrates the complicated legal, cultural, and psychological elements of Nomic.
• The Nomic page of Peter Suber (http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/nomic.htm), among other things, contains a very long list of Nomic games past and present.
• nomic.net (http://www.nomic.net/) contains a Nomic Wiki, the Nomic FAQ, a Nomic Bulletin Board, and a variety of other resources.
• Nomic card game "Dvorak" (http://www.dvorakgame.co.uk), a simple blank-card game where creating and amending the cards is a part of the game.