The Curvature of the Earth is Overwhelmed by Local Noise Nomic

Archive of Game One

The Game was first proposed in this weblog entry.

It was officially announced on 2000/01/29, with the following initial Rules:

Rule 1  Any person (or other apparently sentient entity) in the universe may take part in this game by sending a Valid Move to the Scribe.

Rule 2  A Valid Move consists of an email message or something typed into one of those little input-boxes on the Scribe's website, clearly marked as a move, and containing all of: a suggested change to these Rules expressed clearly and unambiguously (the Proposal), an integer (the Integer), and a name or other set of symbols sufficient to more or less clearly identify a particular person or other apparently sentient entity (the Name).

Rule 3  Once a week, or whenever he or she feels like it, the Scribe shall select one of the Valid Moves that have been sent and not yet applied, and apply it. Applying a Valid Move consists of: changing the rules as specified in the Proposal, and writing down the Integer and the Name on the Sacred Piece of Paper. Not very long after Applying a Valid Move, the Scribe shall make available on his or her website a copy of the Move, and the new state of the Rules.

Rule 4  When a Valid Move is Applied, the person (or other apparently sentient entity) named by the Name in the Move shall receive five Points.

Rule 5  Whenever there are two Integers recorded on the Scared Piece of Paper which have the same Name, the Integer/Name pair with the smaller Integer shall be erased from the Paper (if the Integers are equal, one shall be erased at random).

Rule 6  Whenever there are three Integers recorded on the Scared Piece of Paper which have different Names, the entity picked out by the Name associated with the second-highest Integer shall receive ten Points (or, if two or more of the Integers on the Paper are equal, the entities picked out by each of the Integers in the set of equal Integers shall receive twenty Points), and the three Integers and Names shall be erased.

Rule 7  The entity which has the most Points at any given instant is the current Champion of the Game, and has the right to brag.

Rule 8  The Scribe is David M. Chess.

Rule 9  The name of this Nomic game is "The Curvature of the Earth is Overwhelmed by Local Noise Nomic".

On February 7, 2000, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = The Grand Poobah rule: The current champion of the game at any time shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poobah'.
name = Bovine
integer = 14

and the entity "Bovine" was momentarily Champion of the Game, and The Grand Poobah.

Shortly afterward, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = Add a new rule after all the other rules, reading "the King is a fink!"
integer = 768
name = Hillary Clinton

There being a tie for most points, the Scribe declared that according to his reading of Rule 7, there was as of that Applying no Champion (nor Grand Poobah) anymore. And the first two Names and Integers were recorded on the Sacred Piece of Paper.

On February 10, 2000, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = Ammendment to rule 10: When 2 entities are tied for the championship, the first entity shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poobah', whereas the second entity shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poo-Poo'. If there is a third entity with the same score, they shall be referred to as 'The Grand Pee-Pee'.
integer = 129
name = Bovine

and the entity "Bovine" was again Champion and Grand Poobah.

Shortly thereafter, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = The game ends when one Name achieves exactly 100 Points.
integer = 50
name = Alamut

Causing a chain of events ending with a new Rule having been created, Alamut receiving 5 points, Bovine 10, and the Sacred Piece of Paper empty.

On February 13, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in this order:

proposal = Change rule 11 to state that: The King, or any other ruling body within the society to which the current Poobah resides, is a fink.
name = Gerph
integer = 2

proposal = I Propose an additional rule: "If after any update the Sacred Piece of Paper contains three Prime Integers, the Names Inscribed shall each gain points according to how large their Prime: 1 for the lowest, 2 for the middle, and 3 for the highest."
name = D Fitch
integer = 48

proposal = The integer submitted with a valid move will become the number of the rule if the scribe decides to apply the move. For example, if a valid move is submitted with an accomponying integer of 17 and the scribe applies the move, the resulting rule will be rule number 17.
name = Bovine
integer = 96

proposal = Use of Black Cats, Broken Mirrors, Dead Chickens, Voodoo Dolls or any other fate changing devices and/or methodologies is strictly prohibited.
name = Magister
integer = 759834

proposal = All valid moves must contain the letter "g".
name = Bovine
integer = 86

Modifying Rule 11, and adding Rules 13, 14, 759834, and 86. Bovine still Champion.

On February 22, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in this order:

proposal = The Link Rule: The Grand Poobah shall have the right to specify a link to be associated with his or her Name on the home page.
name = Garrett
integer = 50

proposal = Change rule 17: Rule 17 does not exist.
name = Gerph
integer = 17

If the entity who submits a valid move is the devil, and his move is added to the list of rules by the scribe, an extra 10 points will be added to his score. If an entity claims to be the devil, and it is found later in the game that he is in fact NOT the devil, 20 points will be deduced from his score.
name = Bovine
integer = 666

Adding rules 50, 17, and 666 (although note that rule 17 does not exist), giving five points to Garrett and Gerph, and 15 to Bovine, whose good fortune continues.

On March 1, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in this order:

proposal = Add rule: When a Valid Move is made, the Integer is considered. Any entity with score of which the integer is a factor has their score reduced by half. For example, if Bovine had 30 and a Valid move with associated integer 5 were given, Bovine's score would reduce to 15. Said entities are also removed from the sacred piece of paper.
Name = gerph
Integer = 5

The Scribe interpreted the rules such that, after applying this rule, there are now two Rule 5's; and further assumed that the "For example..." sentence was intended as a gloss for the Scribe, not a part of the Rule proper.

proposal = Use of Black Cats, Broken Mirrors, Dead Chickens, Voodoo Dolls or any other fate changing devices and/or methodologies earns a Special Creative Technique Bonus of 15 points for any entity who can demonstrably prove the efficacy of the device or methodology.
name = Dither
integer = 759834

Interpreted, again, as a new rule 759834. This triggered another Rule 6 event, which again benefitted the "Bovine" entity.

proposal = The integer accomponying a valid move must be an odd number, but not a prime.
name = bovine
integer = 99

On March 7, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in this order:

proposal = The sacred piece of paper shall be renamed the scared piece of paper to substantiate the brilliant foresight exhibited in rules 5 and 6.
name = judith
integer = 21

(Interpreted so as to cause a blanket change to existing rules and gamestate, rather than creating a new rule.)

proposal = Change Rule 14 to read "The integer submitted with a valid move which creates exactly one rule will become the number of the rule if the scribe decides to apply the move. For example, if a valid move is submitted with an accompanying integer of 17 and the scribe applies the move, and the move creates exactly one rule, the resulting rule will be rule number 17. When a rule comes into being in any other way, the Scribe will assign it the lowest positive integer that is not currently assigned to any existing Rule."
name = Hillary Clinton
integer = 99

(The first firing of the parenthetical phrase in Rule 6; Hillary Clinton and Bovine each receive twenty points.)

proposal = Amend rule 1 to state : Any person (or other apparently sentient entity, including the scribe) in the universe may take part in this game by sending a Valid Move to the Scribe (or their being the scribe, telling themself).
name = gerph
integer = 1

(All scores are reduced by half, due to the second Rule 5, and the Scared Piece of Paper is emptied.)

proposal = The scores shall be listed in numerical order, starting with the highest score at the top.
name = Bovine
integer = 123

On March 13, 2000, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = Amend rule 666 to say 'deducted' rather than 'deduced' which makes a little more sense. "Ah, ha, David my old mate, from that I deduce you have 20 points"
name = gerph
integer = 789

On March 22, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in the following order (consult the Log entry for some details of interpretation):

proposal = All entities participating in the current Nomic, regardless of the level of participation, shall be encouraged to brush and floss every morning and night. The minimum amount of encouragement to be given to the above mentioned entities is this rule itself.
name = Bovine
integer = 333

proposal = Rule 22: All scores shall be rounded to the nearest integer. If any person's rounded integer is equal to the Integer accompanying his/her valid move, that person's score doubles.
name = judith
integer = 15

proposal = Contradictory rules are deemed null and void. Both rules, whether being applied, or previously applied shall be removed. eg, rule 759834 (1) precludes the use of 759834 (2) and both should be removed.
name = gerph
integer = 12345

proposal = In Rule 12, change "100" to "37"
name = Hillary Clinton
integer = 201

On March 31, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in the following order:

proposal = Rules shall be listed, and applied, in ascending numerical order.
name = Gerph
integer = 24681

proposal = Amend Rule 15 such that the rounding always goes down. ie: "All scores shall be rounded down to the nearest integer."
name = D Fitch
integer = 30

proposal = Entities providing proposed moves only when the Scribe reminds them that the Nomic will be updated 'tomorrow' are to be deemed forgetful.
name = Gerph
integer = 789575

proposal = Any entity making deals with the devil to further their position in the Nomic shall have their soul claimed by me.
name = The Devil
integer = 123505

It's noteworthy that at this point the entities "Bovine", "Hillary Clinton" and "Gerph" all had 30 points, and (having acheived those scores in that order) were therefore "Grand Poobah", "Grand Poo-Poo", and "Grand Pee-Pee", respectively, per Rule 10. Isn't that embarassing?

On April 11, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in the following order:

proposal = Any Proposal that is not deemed a Valid Move shall be deemed a Silly and Useless Suggestion.
name = judith
integer = 501

proposal = The scribe shall not intentionally try to elevate the status of other such that they get the amusing name of 'Grand Pee-Pee' <grin>
integer = 9
name = Gerph

with the Historic Result that someone other than Bovine became Champion and Grand Poo-Bah.

On April 19, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in the following order:

proposal = Rule 35: The name of the nomic game is : The Curvature of my Spine is Overwhelmed by Local Aneasthetic Nomic.
name = wetlog
integer = 35

(which the Scribe interpreted as conflicting with, and thus mutually annihilating, the Rule 9 that gave the game a different name)

proposal = Create the three following rules: 1. the Official Domain consists of the integers between zero and fifteen (inclusive); the Official Range consists of the integers zero and one; the Official Mapping consists of a mapping from the Official Domain to the Official Range. Initially, the Official Mapping maps each element of the Official Domain into zero. 2. In addition to the valid moves provided for in other rules, a Mapping Change Suggestion is also a valid move. A Mapping Change suggestion differs from the normal rule-changing kind of valid move only in that rather than suggesting a change to these rules it suggests a change to the Official Mapping, by specifying one or two elements of the Official Domain and for each the element of the Official Range to which that element should now be mapped. Mapping Change Suggestions are applied as, and otherwise function exactly as, normal rule-changing moves. 3. the Official Tableau is a 2-dimensional visual representation of the Official Mapping; the Scribe shall display the Official Tableau along with the Rules in all places in which he is required to display the Rules.
name = Hillary Clinton
integer = 437

proposal = Entities deemed forgetful shall have the word 'forgetful' next to their names in the scores section.
name = Bovine
integer = 771

proposal = Amendment to rule 501; 'Silly and useless suggestions' may be published for the general amusement of the cosmos.
integer = 99999
name = gerph

Which, when all the dust had settled, left Hillary Clinton Grand Poobah, left the game without an official name, and created the Tableau.

On May 5, 2000, the following Moves were Applied, in the following order:

proposal = Entities giving changes to the official tableau will score 5 points, in addition to any points scored by other rules. (currently this makes applying a mapping change rule score 10 points)
name = Gerph
integer = 775

proposal = Rule 91: Names shall be ascribed colours. The name of the colour must have the same number of letters as the name of the Name.
name = wetlog
integer = 23

proposal = Rule 24680 : Rules shall be listed, and applied, in descending numerical order.
name = wetlog
integer = 35

(This created a new Rule 35, which contradicted Rule 24681, and by Rule 12345 they mutually annihilated.)

proposal = The official mapping shall be changed by mapping elements (2,3) and (3,2) to the value 1.
name = Pine Cone
integer = 15

proposal = Mapping Change Suggestion: 3 (in the Official Domain) shall be mapped to 1 (in the Official Range) Also, 7 shall still be mapped to 0, dammit!
name = The Grand Pa-Pa
integer = 59

proposal = The first member of the first row of the Official Tableau, having the coordinates of (0,0), shall at all times contain the value of one. g.
name = bovine
integer = 317

proposal = If an official move is applied in which is stated that the name of the current Nomic be changed, the scribe shall make haste in changing the name of the Nomic to that specified in the aforementioned official move.
name = bovine
integer = 473

proposal = Those tasks delegated by the official scribe to whosoever shall be appointed to see to the execution of said tasks shall be properly documented and organized under an official code specified, or not, by the scribe, or by an assigned committee of associates as appointed either by the scribe himself or by the subjects of the current Nomic.
name = bovine
integer = 771

Rule 12 looms large! Bovine is again Champion and Poobah.

On May 17, 2000, the following Move was Applied:

proposal = Every rule resulting from the posting by the scribe of a valid move shall have one exception. The one exception to the rule associated with this valid move is itself, as it has no exception. g.
name = bovine
integer = 531

This created a new Rule 531, and gave bovine an additional five points. bovine's score now being 37, the game (by Rule 12) ended!

The final status of Game One was therefore:

The Rules:

Rule 1  Any person (or other apparently sentient entity, including the scribe) in the universe may take part in this game by sending a Valid Move to the Scribe (or their being the scribe, telling themself).

Rule 2  A Valid Move consists of an email message or something typed into one of those little input-boxes on the Scribe's website, clearly marked as a move, and containing all of: a suggested change to these Rules expressed clearly and unambiguously (the Proposal), an integer (the Integer), and a name or other set of symbols sufficient to more or less clearly identify a particular person or other apparently sentient entity (the Name).

Rule 3  Once a week, or whenever he or she feels like it, the Scribe shall select one of the Valid Moves that have been sent and not yet applied, and apply it. Applying a Valid Move consists of: changing the rules as specified in the Proposal, and writing down the Integer and the Name on the Scared Piece of Paper. Not very long after Applying a Valid Move, the Scribe shall make available on his or her website a copy of the Move, and the new state of the Rules.

Rule 4  When a Valid Move is Applied, the person (or other apparently sentient entity) named by the Name in the Move shall receive five Points.

Rule 5  Whenever there are two Integers recorded on the Scared Piece of Paper which have the same Name, the Integer/Name pair with the smaller Integer shall be erased from the Paper (if the Integers are equal, one shall be erased at random).

Rule 5  When a Valid Move is made, the Integer is considered. Any entity with score of which the integer is a factor has their score reduced by half. Said entities are also removed from the scared piece of paper.

Rule 6  Whenever there are three Integers recorded on the Scared Piece of Paper which have different Names, the entity picked out by the Name associated with the second-highest Integer shall receive ten Points (or, if two or more of the Integers on the Paper are equal, the entities picked out by each of the Integers in the set of equal Integers shall receive twenty Points), and the three Integers and Names shall be erased.

Rule 7  The entity which has the most Points at any given instant is the current Champion of the Game, and has the right to brag.

Rule 8  The Scribe is David M. Chess.

Rule 9  The scribe shall not intentionally try to elevate the status of other such that they get the amusing name of 'Grand Pee-Pee'.

Rule 10  The current champion of the game at any time shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poobah'. When 2 entities are tied for the championship, the first entity shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poobah', whereas the second entity shall be referred to as 'The Grand Poo-Poo'. If there is a third entity with the same score, they shall be referred to as 'The Grand Pee-Pee'.

Rule 11  The King, or any other ruling body within the society to which the current Poobah resides, is a fink.

Rule 12  The game ends when one Name achieves exactly 37 Points.

Rule 13  the Official Domain consists of the integers between zero and fifteen (inclusive); the Official Range consists of the integers zero and one; the Official Mapping consists of a mapping from the Official Domain to the Official Range. Initially, the Official Mapping maps each element of the Official Domain into zero.

Rule 14  The integer submitted with a valid move which creates exactly one rule will become the number of the rule if the scribe decides to apply the move. For example, if a valid move is submitted with an accompanying integer of 17 and the scribe applies the move, and the move creates exactly one rule, the resulting rule will be rule number 17. When a rule comes into being in any other way, the Scribe will assign it the lowest positive integer that is not currently assigned to any existing Rule.

Rule 15  All scores shall be rounded down to the nearest integer. If any person's rounded integer is equal to the Integer accompanying his/her valid move, that person's score doubles.

Rule 16  In addition to the valid moves provided for in other rules, a Mapping Change Suggestion is also a valid move. A Mapping Change suggestion differs from the normal rule-changing kind of valid move only in that rather than suggesting a change to these rules it suggests a change to the Official Mapping, by specifying one or two elements of the Official Domain and for each the element of the Official Range to which that element should now be mapped. Mapping Change Suggestions are applied as, and otherwise function exactly as, normal rule-changing moves.

Rule 17  the Official Tableau is a 2-dimensional visual representation of the Official Mapping; the Scribe shall display the Official Tableau along with the Rules in all places in which he is required to display the Rules.

Rule 23  Names shall be ascribed colours. The name of the colour must have the same number of letters as the name of the Name.

Rule 50  The Link Rule: The Grand Poobah shall have the right to specify a link to be associated with his or her Name on the home page.

Rule 86  All valid moves must contain the letter "g".

Rule 317  The first member of the first row of the Official Tableau, having the coordinates of (0,0), shall at all times contain the value of one.

Rule 333  All entities participating in the current Nomic, regardless of the level of participation, shall be encouraged to brush and floss every morning and night. The minimum amount of encouragement to be given to the above mentioned entities is this rule itself.

Rule 473  If an official move is applied in which is stated that the name of the current Nomic be changed, the scribe shall make haste in changing the name of the Nomic to that specified in the aforementioned official move.

Rule 501  Any Proposal that is not deemed a Valid Move shall be deemed a Silly and Useless Suggestion. 'Silly and useless suggestions' may be published for the general amusement of the cosmos.

Rule 531  Every rule resulting from the posting by the scribe of a valid move shall have one exception. The one exception to the rule associated with this valid move is itself, as it has no exception.

Rule 666  If the entity who submits a valid move is the devil, and his move is added to the list of rules by the scribe, an extra 10 points will be added to his score. If an entity claims to be the devil, and it is found later in the game that he is in fact NOT the devil, 20 points will be deducted from his score.

Rule 771  Entities deemed forgetful shall have the word 'forgetful' next to their names in the scores section.

Rule 771  Those tasks delegated by the official scribe to whosoever shall be appointed to see to the execution of said tasks shall be properly documented and organized under an official code specified, or not, by the scribe, or by an assigned committee of associates as appointed either by the scribe himself or by the subjects of the current Nomic.

Rule 775  Entities giving changes to the official tableau will score 5 points, in addition to any points scored by other rules.

Rule 12345  Contradictory rules are deemed null and void. Both rules, whether being applied, or previously applied shall be removed. eg, rule 759834 (1) precludes the use of 759834 (2) and both should be removed.

Rule 123505  Any entity making deals with the devil to further their position in the Nomic shall have their soul claimed by me.

Rule 789575  Entities providing proposed moves only when the Scribe reminds them that the Nomic will be updated 'tomorrow' are to be deemed forgetful.

The Scared Piece of Paper:

The Grand Pa-Pa59
Bovine771
--------

Scores:

Bovine (forgetful)37
Gerph (forgetful)27
Hillary Clinton22
wetlog20
D Fitch12
judith12
Pine Cone10
The Grand Pa-Pa10
The Devil7
Alamut2
Magister2
Garrett2
Dither2

Champion/Grand Poobah:

Bovine

Grand Poo-Poo:

none

Grand Pee-Pee:

none

Official Tableau: (cheesy ASCII-art version)

    * - - * - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - * - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - * - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(The first row represents (0,0) to (0,15), and so on in the obvious way. A dash represents a zero, an asterisk represents a one.)

Official Tableau: (GIF version)

(Locations mapped as above. The lighter color represents zero, the darker color represents one.)


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May 17, 2000