Section 1 - 5 with hypothetical cases, explanations, clarifications, and exceptions noted.
Section 2.1 includes a new handicap rule for competitive play.
Section 5 covers validation/invalidation of a count for the group and the individual, but does not cover all cases.
These are only "semi"-official, but will come into effect soon.
I doubt this covers everything, but anything more added alter will probably server to further reduce or eliminate any disagreements on what can and can't, should or shouldn't be done.
Let me know if I've missed anything or if anything is confusing or doesn't make sense.
"Count to 100" is a community effort to flawlessly count from 1 to 100 by ones. It is an exercise in communication and teamwork to reach a common goal. Counters from the same team need to work together in order to accomplish this task, as it is not easy. Approximately 1 count succeeds every 500 pages. That is a 2% success rate.* Remember that this is just a game and counters should have fun, but not at the expense of others (except for the mods because we're evil).
* This is not entirely accurate. The success rate is much lower. However, there is approximately a 2% chance of landing on a page containing part of a successful count.
Count to 100
1.0 "Count to 100" is a counting game played by two teams, Team User and Team Mod, under the discretion of the Commissioner of the Count.
1.0.1 Team User consists of Knights and Users (and developers and Wardens)
1.0.2 Team Mod consists of Administrators and Moderators
1.0.3 Commissioner is the user or moderator tasked with interpreting the rules according to the "spirit of the game" as "Count to 100" has been understood for years, regardless of logical inconsistencies in its rules, under the ideals of Fun and Community.
1.1 The objective of the game is to reach a count of 100 in accordance to the rules below.
1.2 A count is determined to be successful if a team reaches the objective. The active participants from that team from that count will be rewarded with 1 "Count to 100" quest and 1 merit if that participant does not already have the quest.
Core Game Rules
2.0 The core game rules must be followed for a count to be deemed successful. Should any rule conflict, the "spirit of the game" will be invoked by the Commissioner.
2.1 A count must start from 1 and increase by ones up to 100 for 100 consecutive posts, save for exceptions noted below.
Exception: Handicap rule. The challenging team, i.e. the team without the current win, may count up to 100 divided by wins by the incumbent team, i.e. the team with the current win, since the last win of the challenging team rounded up or to 100, whichever is lower.
If Team User wins once, Team Mod counts to 100. (100/1 = 100)
If Team User wins two in a row, Team Mod counts to 50. (100/2 = 50)
If Team User wins three in a row, Team Mod counts to 34. (100/3 = 33.333... ~34).
and vice versa.
Handicaps will be noted on the scoreboard if a team scores on a handicap.
2.2 No counter may count two consecutive numbers.
Case 1. Okay: P1 P2
Case 2. Okay: P1 restart P1
Case 3. Not Okay: P1 P1
2.3 No two counters may alternate for more than three consecutive numbers.
Explanation: This is derived from the original moderator interpretation of the back-to-back posting rule. In this way, no two users can complete the count without a third. This increases the challenge of reaching 100 and promotes the use of teamwork and communication. It also discourages use of the thread as conversation between two counters.
Case 1. Okay: P1 P2 P1 P3
Case 2. Okay: P1 P2 restart P1 P2
Case 3. Not Okay: P1 P2 P1 P2
Case 4. Not Okay: P1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 19 10...
2.4 No counter may post only the number or gibberish with the number.
Case 1. Not Okay: 1.
Case 2. Not Okay: 1. sdiovpadac asdooi
2.5 No counter may post without a counting number or make a post without bolding that counting number if that number is not at the start of the post.
Case 1. Not Okay: We have to start back at the beginning.
Case 2. Okay: Uno. We have to start back at the beginning.
Case 3. Not Okay: We have to start back at 1.
Case 4. Okay: We have to start back at 1.
Case 5. Okay: Why are there no new posts here?
Clarification: "Wacky" non-Arabic numeral (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) counting is not prohibited, but it is not recommended, as it might confuse other counters.
Exception: Stopping posts (see 4.0.1), celebratory posts, posts from the Commissioner acting in the capacity of the Commissioner, and posts from moderators and administrators are exempt from this rule.
2.6 No counter may edit their post. If an edit tag shows in a count, the attempt is forfeit.
Supplementary Game Rules
3.0 Supplementary game rules may not affect the count, but they do affect the game, the spirit of the game, and the community.
3.1 No spoiling. Spoiling is the act of disrupting the count for counters of the same team. Spoiling includes, but is not limited to:
3.1.1 restarting the count for reasons not listed in Section 4.0.
3.1.2 intentionally posting the incorrect number.
3.1.3 intentionally breaking a core game rule.
Comment: Spoiling should be ignored and reported. Such behavior is disruptive to the community and will not be tolerated.
3.2 No cheating. Cheating is acting in a manner that does not align with the "spirit of the game". This includes breaking site rules, using deceit, or using underhanded tactics in order to reach a count of 100.
3.2.1 Team Mod is not allowed to modify the thread or the posts therein by locking, deleting, moving, the thread or posts or using Moderator or Administrator actions not in the capacity of enforcing the site's rules to reach a count of 100.
Clarification: The thread title may be edited, but not to the effect that users cannot find the thread at all by the title.
3.3 No spilping. Spilping is posting without fully reading the simplified rules in the first post of the "Count to 100" thread. While this may be disruptive, it will not reset the count except in the manner outlined in section 4.0. Users new to the count shall post "I'm new and here to count to 100."
Explanation: This rule is to make sure new users have read the rules, even if they might not necessarily understand all of them. Not reading the rules will very likely result in Case 1 of Section 2.4, which will restart the count.
3.4 No raging. Raging is posting in an extremely angry manner that may include flaming, badgering, and excessive swearing.
Restarting the Count
4.0 The count shall be restarted from 1 if:
4.0.1 a counter from the opposing team posts. The opposing team shall make a stopping post to interrupt the count for the counting team. A stopping post is not required to include a number.
4.0.2 a mistake is made in the count. A mistake consists of one of the following errors:
4.0.2.1 Double-counting. Counting the same number twice is a mistake, except in the case of counting 1 twice. If 1 is counted twice, normal counting will resume with 2.
4.0.2.2 Skip-counting. Counting a number that is not consecutive, except in the case of a restart.
4.0.2.3 Back-counting. Counting a number that was skipped.
4.0.3 an edit is made in the count. Any edit after thirty seconds from posting, except in the case of a moderator editing a user's post of site-rule-breaking content, will reset the count, regardless of what was edited.
4.0.4 back-to-back counting, defined in Section 2.3, occurs.
4.0.5 a spam post, defined Section 2.4, is made.
4.0.6 cheating occurs.
4.0.7 the count has reached 100. Once the count has reached 100, the next count will restart from 1.
4.1 The count shall NOT be restarted from 1 if:
4.1.1 a post without a number is made, except in the case of a stopping post.
4.1.2 spoiling occurs.
Validating the Count
5.0 The count shall be validated by the Commissioner upon reaching 100.
5.1 A count deemed valid will confer the "Count to 100" quest and a merit for reach active participant in that successful count if that participant does not already have the "Count to 100" quest.
5.2 The count may be invalidated for the group for:
5.2.1 breaking core game rules listed in Section 2.0 to reach the goal.
5.2.2 spamming to reach the goal. Spamming is different from a spam post. Multiple short consecutive or semi-consecutive posts may not count for the purposes of reaching the goal.
5.2.3 cheating to reach the goal.
5.2.4 ignoring a non-spoil count.
5.3 The count may be invalidated for the individual for:
5.3.1 non-count posts in counting position.
Explanation: Non-count posts in a counting position should not be made. They are in a position where they should contain a number but don't to avoid being ninja'd or breaking a core rule. In this case, the non-count post in a counting position will noted as either (a) non-participation if such a post would not violate a core game rule if it was numbered, except for the case of being ninja'd or (b) violation if such a post would cause a violation a core game rule if it was numbered. The counter will not be scored.
5.3.2 spoiling.
5.3.3 cheating.
