Github-based game of Nomic, a game where the only move is to change the rules of the game.
Nomic is a game in which changing the rules is a move. In that respect it differs from almost every other game. The primary activity of Nomic is proposing changes in the rules, debating the wisdom of changing them in that way, voting on the changes, deciding what can and cannot be done afterwards, and doing it. Even this core of the game, of course, can be changed.
— Peter Suber, The Paradox of Self-Amendment
The goal of nomic is to win, but how you win can change with each move. Each action you do in this game changes the very rules that govern it. In order to win you must be cunning, crafty, and above all, diplomatic.
To participate all you need is a github account and a basic understanding of Markdown. Rules will always be recorded in the Rules.md and all information about players and resources will be recorded in the Players.md.
- Click
rules.md, then click the pencil icon to edit the file. - Write your proposed change in Markdown. Give a short title to your change and then a more in-depth reasoning behind it.
- Click "Propose file change" then "Create Pull Request".
- This will create a "Pull request". Players now will vote and comment on it, and if it becomes approved given the current state of the rules, a mod will merge it.
protip: If you need some inspiration for a rule name, check out this
- Click the 'Pull requests' along the top.
- Click on the amendment (read: pull request) you wish to vote or comment on.
- Write your comment or vote. For voting, use the reactions on the top comment to vote. 👍 to vote for it and 👎 to vote against.
- Only mods can merge in approved pull requests. Once a pull request is approved following the current rules, add a message to the pull request using
@modnameto notify the mod it's ready to be merged. They will then double check it and merge it.
Refer the Invitation.md for instructions on how to join.
There are some aspects of the game that will not be listed as a changable rule, but still will take effect. Most of these will be obvious, but we'll list them here for reference.
- Players will obey the rules at all times.
- Players are considered playing the game unless explicitly stated.
- 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.
- If ever there is a disagreement over the intepretation of the rules that can not be resolved by the players, the arbiter may be called upon to cast judgment on the intepretation.
- Amendments are to be merged in chronoloigcal order of when they are accepted.
- Resources may not be changed, gained, lost, or transferred except as explicitly stated in the rules.
Sometimes two pull requests may both be modifying the same part of the rules. If one is merged in before the other, the outstanding pull request may become conflicted. Github will display a grey message on the pull request indicating this. The proposer will have to close the conflicted pull request, create a new one that is not conflicting, and begin the voting process again.
Each moderator will be set as a collaborator on the github repo, all other players will be contributors. Their job is to review and merge in approved amendments. There should be a minimum of two moderators.
The arbiter is an impartial non-player who, if need be, can be used for determining ambiguous rules, producing random numbers/results, etc. The arbiter is listed in the Players.md. Each game should have at least one.
If you'd like to start your own version of this game, you'll need to duplicate this repo into a new one. Click the "plus arrow" in the navbar on the right and select "Import Repository". Use the url of this repo and call your new repo whatever you like, I suggest using the month-year or a unique name, incase you want to play mutliple times, eg. nomic-aug2016 or nomic-emeraldfury.
After you've created your duplicate, feel free to modify the starting rules (or anything else for that matter). Your new repo is completely separate from this one. Send out invites by sending the Invitation.md url to them.