Whats a nomic?

The first thing you we ever told when playing a game is that you must follow the rules. And, like any game, this remains true for nomic. What doesn't remain true is the nature of those rules. Unlike most games, where the rules stay rigid all the time, a nomic is a game where the rules are allowed to fluctuate based on the circumstances related to the current game. There are many different kinds of Nomics, use the links above to learn about the different kinds, or read more below to learn about nomics in general.

  • What are nomics?
    • Unlike most games, that come with a pre-determined ruleset, the rules of a nomic change as the game advances. For example, in Nomic players vote on proposals which affect the game rules.
    • Likewise, in Mao or Bartok, rules are added by players as they succeed during the course of the game.
  • Why are they called nomics?
    • "Nomic" was first coined by Peter Suber, in refference to his game(Nomic) as well as a whole series of similar games based on the same structure. It word origins come from the greek word "nomos", meaning "law".
  • What is the point of nomics?
    • Nomic's can be played like any other game--to win or to have fun. When you play to win, the fun of nomics can be secretly adjusting the rules to favor your position and help in victory. When played for fun, the joy of nomics can be found in creating interesting rules that keep the game fun, interesting and different each time you play.
  • Where can I learn more about nomics?
    • This site has alot of information on Nomics(be it here, on our Nomic Wiki, or our Forums), but so does Google and the rest of the internet, so have fun searching! For starters, our Lists of Nomics page might be of help. Also our Links to Nomics page.