"Nomic" is a game which Peter Suber invented in 1982.(http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/nomic.htm)
The interesting point of that game is that the rule of the game can change during the game.
The first purpose of the game is to make and change rules among players and to get points.
But this purpose can change during the game.

There are too many initial rules, 29 rules, to play at home.
I can not say at ease like the poker.

Masa : 'Hey!! Let's play Nomic!!'
Jimmy: 'What's the Nomic? I don't know it.'
Masa : 'Here these are the rules of Nomic.'
Jimmy: 'Oh, No. It's too complicated. It's better to play a poker.'

So, I think of what the essence of Nomic is. Can I change it into more simple?
I just choose the essence rules from the original initial set of rules.
How about these initial rule set as follows? There are only 9 rules. I call it 'Minimum Nomic'.

(There is a similar idea to mine, Minic(http://www.nomic.net/deadgames/minic/nomic.html), 
 but it is too different format from the original Nomic, I think.
 (http://www.nomic.net/deadgames/minic/minic0_i.txt))

<<Initial Set of Rules>>(all mutable rules)

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 101-109.

102
A rule-change is following: the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a rule. 

103
Players shall alternate in clockwise order, taking one whole turn apiece.

104
Player proposes one rule-change and has it voted on in her/his turn.  

105
A rule-change is adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among the players.

106
An adopted rule-change takes full effect at the movement of the completion of the vote that adopted it.
Each new rule adopted shall be given a number. The numbers shall begin with 201.
If a rule is repealed, the number is never used.

107
Each player always has exactly one vote.

108
If two or more rules conflict with one another, then the rule with the lowest ordinal number takes precedence.

109
If players disagree about the legality of a move or the interpretation or application of a rule, 
then the player preceding the one moving is to be the Judge and decide the question. 
Disagreement for the purposes of this rule may be created by the insistence of any player. 
This process is called invoking Judgment.

The next player become a Judge, and the Judge gives a decision.
The Judge's Judgment is overruled only by a unanimous vote of the other players taken before the next turn is begun.
If a Judge's Judgment is overruled, the next player to Judge become a new Judge and gives a decision, 
and do as same as above until Judgement is not overruled.



<<Comments>>

The interesting and strange point of this 'Minimum Nomic' is that there is no purpose at the initial stage.
Players must make a purpose of the game shared among the players, it means how to win the game, through the game.
It might not be a 'Game', but it can be a 'Game'. It is difficult to difine what 'Game' is, though.
It is open for and depends on players.

From my experieces of plays, there is no fun until a common purpose or a goal which is shared among players emerge, 
in orther words, the players do not understand why they play the minimumnomic. Nevertheless, they are forced to 
play it at the initial stage. This situlation might make you stressful. In most of the cases, without no purpose 
of attending the play, it would become a boring task, and they might never think that they would play the minimumnomic 
again. However, ...

I think it is like 'Life'. I mean the purpose of life might be dicided in the living process.
Or, cell itself might be dicided through many reaction processes at the first stage of the origin of life like 'Autopiesis'.
We have to decide ourselves from the environment in order to exist and recognize ourselves in the world.
It is the recursive and self-referencial process and open-ended. 
I wonder what the 'Minimum rule set' for emerging life is, etc., etc...
Is the rule set to a stable state? or not? How will be the rule dynamics?

What do you think?

Anyway, anyhow,
Try to play and enjoy 'Minimum Nomic'!!
You might find something new.
You might not find anything, but it depends on YOU...

23 Jan. 2009 Masa from Zurich