IRCNomic Initial Ruleset
from The Paradox of Self-Amendment by Peter Suber
adapted by Kyevan
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 Rules 201-213 (mutable).
102. Initially rules in the 100s are immutable and rules in the 200s 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.
103. A rule-change is any of the following: (1) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule; (2) the enactment, repeal, or ammendment of an ammentment of a mutable rule; or (3) the transmutation of an immutable to 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 Immutable rules, as long as they are immutable, may not be amended or repealed; mutable rules, as long as they are mutable, may be amended or repealed; any rule of any status may be transmutedl no rule is absolutely immutable to change.]
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.
105. Every player is an elegible voter.
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.
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 applictation.
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If a rule is repealed and reenacted, it receives the number of the proposal to reenact it. If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule of which it is a part receives the number of the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.
109. Rule-changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules may be adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among all voters who voted on that rule-change, and at least 5 players voted.
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.
111. If a rule-change as proposed is unclear, ambiguous, paradoxal, oor destructive of play, or if it arguably consits 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.
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 poinst 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.
113. A player always has the option fo forfeit the game rather than continue to play or incur a game penalty. no penalty worse than losing, in the judgement of the player to incur it, may be imposed.
114. There must always be at least one mutable rule. The adoption of rule-changes must never become completely impermissible.
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 imperissible soley on the account of self-ferference or self-application of a rule.
116. Whatever is not prohibited or regulated by a rule is permitted and unregulated, with the sole exception of changing the rules, which is permited only when a rule or set of rules explicitly or implicitly permits it.
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201. All players begin with zero points.
202. Nop
203. A rule-change is adopted if and only if a simple majority of eligible voters who voted on that rule-change voted for that rule-change, and at least 5 people voted on that rule-change.
204. The players who vote against winning proposals shall each recieve ten points each.
205. An adopted rule-change takes full effect at the moment of completion of the vote that adopted it.
206. When a proposed rule-change is defeated, the player who proposed it loses 10 points.
207. Each player always has exactly one vote.
208. The winner is the first player to achieve 200 (positive) points.
209. At no time may there be more than 25 mutable rules.
210. Nop
211. If two or more mutable rules are in 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 the 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.
212. If players disagree about the legality of a move or the interpretation or application of a rule, then the next active player in the sequence of active players, sorted alphabeticly by nickname, from the player whos action caused the disagreement, is to be the Judge and decide the question. Disagreement for the purposes of this rule may be created by the insistance of any player. This process is called invoking Judgement.
When Judgement has been invoked, no new proposals may be made without the consent of the majority of the other players.
The Judge's Judgement may be overruled only by a unanimous vote of the other players taken before the next proposal has been made. If a Judge's Judgement is overuled, then the next player in the alphabetical list becomes the new Judge for the question, and so on, except that no player is to be Judge when the disagreement on eir own action.
Unless a Judge is overuled, one Judge settles all questions arising from the game until the next proposal is made, including questions as to eir 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 action for which Judgement 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.
213. If the rules are changed so that further play is impossible, or if the legality of a move cannot be deterimined with finality, or if by the Judge's best reasoning, not overruled, a move appears to be 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.