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polisplay.md

Polis Play

By Christopher Allen @ChristopherA
(c)2023 by Dyvers Hands Productions LLC
Licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0)

Polis Play is a game that blends the art of governance with the dynamics of play. At its core, it's about the ever-evolving landscape of rules and strategies, where players engage in crafting, discussing, and amending rules to shape the game's progression.

This game is inspired by Peter Suber's Nomic and a quote from a science-fiction book:

"And things did calm down at the Grove when Limon retreated back to Earth--but he left three men to manage a twenty-four hour computer bulletin board game called Consensus that held the full set of lunar colony laws, plus rules for updating those laws. To change them you had to be a very good player. It was a game of skill. Nobody understood the purpose of the game even if they liked to play; whatever changes you might manage to make in the laws with the help of other players weren't legally binding. And yet... within a year, by consensus, there were no other lunar laws. No one even minded that eight year olds were allowed to play. If you had the skill to win, you had a "vote".

The Moon Goddess and the Son (1986) - by Donald Kingsbury, from the Epilogue.

Polis Play is designed to accommodate 3-9 players, and offers two distinct versions - Competitive and Cooperative - each providing a unique experience.

In the Competitive version, players focus on individual strategy, earning points for successful rule changes and votes, with the game concluding once a player reaches 15 points. In contrast, the Cooperative version emphasizes teamwork and consensus, where players unite towards a common goal, navigating through challenges and rule changes that require collective agreement. Whether competitive or cooperative, Polis Play is a testament to the fluidity and creativity inherent in games of governance, offering a platform for players to explore the nuances of rule-making and collaborative decision-making.

Basic Setup

Polis Play begins with an initial set of rules divided into four categories, each focusing on a different aspect of gameplay: "Game, Play & Fun", "Players and Turns", "Rule Changes", and "Objective and Conclusion". The game encourages strategic rule proposing, vibrant discussions, and (depending on the version) either voting or unanimous decision-making.

Initial Rules (Competitive Version)

In this Competitive version, gameplay involves strategic rule proposing, lively discussion, and voting, with players aiming to earn points for successful rule changes and garnering support through votes. The game reaches its climax when a player attains 15 points. The journey there is filled with unexpected twists and turns, demanding constant alertness and adaptability from the players.

Series 000 Rules: Game, Play & Fun

  • 001: Polis Play is only a game, a "playful journey to success".
  • 002: If the game ceases to be playful or fun, exit gracefully. You are not losing the game if you exit gracefully.
  • 003: All players should strive to treat each other with dignity and respect.

Series 100 Rules: Players and Turns

  • 101: A round consists of each player taking one turn in a predetermined order.
  • 102: During their turn, each player proposes a rule change and initiates a vote.

Series 200 Rules: Rule Changes

  • 201: Players may propose to add, amend, or repeal one rule.
  • 202: Proposals are limited to two sentences for clarity and conciseness.
  • 203: A maximum of 20 active rules is allowed. If this limit is reached, proposing a new rule necessitates repealing an existing one.
  • 204: Rule changes pass with a simple majority vote, defined as more votes for than against.

Series 300 Rules: Objective and Conclusion

  • 301: The game ends immediately when a player reaches 15 points.
  • 302: Scoring is as follows: 2 points are awarded to a player whose rule change is passed, plus 1 point for each player who voted in favor.
  • 303: Every player's current scores is public.

Initial Rules (Cooperative Version)

The Cooperative version of Polis Play centers around collaborative rule creation, in-depth discussion, and unanimous decision-making. Players work together toward a shared objective, with the game evolving as they collectively navigate and shape the ruleset to support their common goal. The game concludes successfully when the shared objective is achieved within a set number of turns, fostering a spirit of cooperation, strategic thinking, and adaptability among players. However, the dynamic nature of rule changes in this version can also introduce unforeseen challenges, necessitating continuous collaboration and strategy refinement.

Series 000 Rules: Game, Play & Fun

  • 001: Polis Play is only a game, a "playful journey to success".
  • 002: If the game ceases to be playful or fun, exit gracefully. You are not losing the game if you exit gracefully.
  • 003: All players should strive to treat each other with dignity and respect.

Series 100 Rules: Players and Turns

  • 101: A round consists of each player taking one turn in a predetermined order.
  • 102: On their turn, a player proposes a rule change that aims to facilitate the collective goal of the game and initiates a discussion.

Series 200 Rules: Rule Changes

  • 201: Players may propose to add, amend, or repeal one rule.
  • 202: Proposals are limited to two sentences for clarity and conciseness.
  • 203: A maximum of 20 active rules is allowed. If this limit is reached, proposing a new rule necessitates repealing an existing one.
  • 204: A rule change is adopted if and only if it receives unanimous approval from all players (abstentions are allowed).

Series 300 Rules: Objective and Conclusion

  • 301: The object of the game is to achieve the collective goal, decided at the start by unanimous agreement, within a set number of turns (e.g., 50 turns).
  • 302: All players succeed if the objective is achieved; all players fail if the objective is not achieved within the set number of turns.
  • 303: Amendments to the collective goal can be proposed but require unanimous approval to be adopted.

Examples of Collective Goals (Cooperative Version)

Simple Goals

  • Have Fun: The players win if, after the last player's turn, they have uniform consensus (all players, no abstaining allowed) that the game was engaging and fun.
  • Update a Wikipedia Page: Plan, research, and update a Wikipedia page. The game is successful if Wikipedia editors do not remove the page for at least one month.
  • Design a Board Game: The goal is to design a simple board game using the rules together. Each rule contributes to the game mechanics, objectives, or design, aiming for a playable board game prototype by the end.
  • Organize a Virtual Art Exhibit: Plan and curate a virtual art exhibit (e.g. Spiral Rhapsody). Players use rules to decide on themes, styles, and types of art to include to create a cohesive and engaging exhibit.
  • Update This Initial Polis Play Document: Using the Polis Play rules, propose an improved set of initial Polis Play Rules, and a rationale for those changes. The players win if the suggested rule changes are accepted by the host, @ChristopherA.

Moderate Goals

  • Complete a Collective Creative Project: The goal is to collectively create a piece of art (like a drawing, story, or poem). Each rule contributes to the project, and the objective is to complete it in a way that reflects the input of all players.
  • Construct a Story: Create a cohesive and complete narrative with a satisfying conclusion using the rules. The objective is to unanimously agree to make the story available publicly with all the players' names listed as co-authors.
  • Donate to Open Source:: Each player contributes $25 to a pool and the group collectively allocates the pool to donate to specific open-source projects. If there is no agreement by the last turn, the players will give all the funds to the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF).
  • Create a Time Capsule: Decide on items (real or virtual) to include in a time capsule. Each rule change contributes an item or message, aiming to complete the capsule by the end of the game.

Harder Goals

  • Raise Funds for a Project: Create a plan to raise funds from the public (e.g. Kickstarter, GoFundMe, etc.) for a meaningful project, execute that plan, with a successful conclusion being that the project is fully funded.
  • Organize a Successful Event: Plan a virtual event (like a festival, conference, workshop, or concert) using the rules. Players must manage aspects like logistics, themes, and activities, aiming for a solid plan by the game's conclusion.
  • Social Media for Social Change: Decide on a particular form of social change the players would like to see (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmnMztfINro), and create persuasive social media content (web page, video, etc.) to advocate for it. Success is some form of objective success for the advocacy, as measured by virality or some objective behavioral change.
  • Launch an Open Source Project: Together, plan, create, test, and release an open source project. The players win if the project gets a source code contribution or the project is forked with improvements from someone uninvolved with the game.

Examples of Possible Rule Changes (both Competitive & Cooperative Versions)

100: Players and Turns

  • Replace Rule 101: A round consists of each player taking one turn in a random order until all have played.
  • Add Rule 103: The current player may not pass from proposing a rule change.
  • Add Rule 104: The current player must initiate a vote during their turn.
  • Replace Rule 104: The current player may choose not to initiate a vote for a proposal after the initial discussion.
  • Add Rule 105: A player may not abstain from voting, they must vote for or against.
  • Add Rule 106: New players may not be added to the game once the game begins.
  • Replace Rule 106: New players may be added to the next round by successfully passing a rule change.
  • Replace Rule 102: At the start of each round, players write down a rule change and add it to a 'pool'. During their turn, a player randomly picks a rule from the pool to either discuss and vote on, or pass.

200: Rule Changes

  • Replace Rule 204: A rule change is adopted if an absolute majority of players vote in favor (no abstentions).
  • Replace Rule 204: A rule change is adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among the players (abstentions are allowed).
  • Add Rule 205: Any changes to rules in the 000, 100 or 200 series require super-majority (two-thirds vote of players in support of the proposal).
  • Add Rule 206: Discussion about a rule change is limited to 3 minutes. A vote must be immediately initiated after.
  • Add Rule 207: In case of conflict between two rules, the lower numbered rule has precedent.

300: Objective and Conclusion

  • Replace Rule 301: The game concludes at the end of a full turn after a player first reaches 15 points, with the highest-scoring player declared the winner.
  • Amend Rule 302: (existing rule)… A player who initiates a vote loses a point if it fails to pass.
  • Replace Rule 302: A player earn 3 points by successfully completing a creative challenge related to the game's current state. Challenges are proposed by the current player and voted on by others for approval.
  • Replace Rule 302: After each vote, the current player rolls a six-sided die, and adds the value to their score total. If that player has one hundred or more points, they immediately win the game.
  • Replace Rule 303: Player scores are private until one player reveals that they have 15 points. All scores are then made public.
  • Add Rule 304: A player may propose to pass a rule without speaking, using gestures or written communication only. A successful silent proposals earn 3 points.
  • Add Rule 305: At the end of each round, the players nominate the most eloquent or creative rule proposal of the round. The player with the most nominations earns 2 points.
  • New Rule 306: Each player is assigned a secret role with specific objectives, (e.g., "Vote for four rules that get passed", "Pass a voting rule change", or "Repeal an existing rule", etc.). Completing an objective awards 2-4 points. Secret roles are reassigned every five rounds.
  • New Rule 307: If a player's proposed rule is successfully passed and remains unamended for five consecutive rounds, they earn 5 points.
  • New Rule 308: To encourage diplomacy and conflict resolution: If a player successfully resolves a dispute or disagreement between two other players regarding a rule or game action, they earn 1 point.
  • New Rule 309: To add a visual and creative aspect to the game: Players may illustrate their rule proposals. Each round the group votes on the best depiction, and the proposer receives an additional 3 points.

About Christopher Allen

I am fascinated by the art and craft of collaboration and have its practice and the study of how and why collaboration works at the center of my professional career as a decentralized trust architect and internet entrepreneur, as well as a creator, designer, producer & publisher of computer and tabletop games.

In 1988, inspired by the sci-fi quote above, I founded Consensus Development with the goal of bringing together social/psychological understanding of human consensus and the emerging technologies for distributed computer consensus. We ultimately shepherded the industry collaboration that resulted my being the co-author of the IETF TLS 1.0, the widest deployed security standard on the internet. I am also co-author of the W3C Decentralized Identifier standard published in 2022. In 2019 I co-authored with Shannon Appelcline Meeples Together: How and Why Cooperative Board Games Work. I have several cooperative tabletop games available through Dyvers Hands Productions.

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