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Anonymous Source Posts: 6 Joined: 7 Mar 2008 | |
Beat Writer  Posts: 191 Joined: 14 May 2008     |
While that's technically true, no real publisher will ever bother to release a game with an AO (adults Only) rating from the ESRB. Rockstar toned down Manhunt 2 to get it down to a "mature" rating and get it onto store shelves. The retailers responsible for 99.9% of american game sales refuse to carry Adults Only titles, so the voluntary rating system becomes a de facto ban as far as content is concerned. On this issue, America has just decided to draw the arbitrary line in the sand a few feet left of Australia. And if the American govt. is more liberal than your country on any issue, you should be concerned. |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 1785 Joined: 10 Apr 2007    |
We are, we're just puritans with particularly permissive freedom of speech laws for anything that doesn't appeal to a prurient interest: in other words, if it's not wank material, it's probably legal. Other western democracies like Australia are less puritan, but more enthusiastic about using the government to enforce speech restrictions for the Greater Good. So you wind up with the wacky situation where state after state in the U.S. has banned gay marriage and the Federal government refuses to recognize it while Canada it was legal in almost every province before their Federal government went and recognized it, yet pro-sex feminist pornography that you can buy in America can't make it past the border to small independent sex shops operating in gayborhoods because the anti-porn feminists think the pro-sex feminists are operating under a false consciousness. And that's part of the wacky story of Free Speech in our modern western democracies and why America is sometimes more 'liberal' on these issues; the question is to what degree is America more liberal about speech, as opposed to being more *libertarian* which aren't necessarily the same thing even if they lead to the same result. |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008     |
And bring a Canadian flag, in case we need to get past security. |
Beat Writer  Posts: 149 Joined: 2 Jan 2008  | Yet another reason to import games from play-asia and the like for half the price. As for the chaser stunt, I'll bring the flag. A Canadian flag ALWAYS gets you past security checkpoints in Australia. Honestly, I'd be up for a protest at parliament house if Canberra wasn't the most bloody boring (and cold) place in Australia right now. Hell, I think that's the idea of having our capital in the middle of nowhere. But at least fireworks and drugs are easy to come by. Hell, i was there at the start of the year, and while I saw allot of people who could have MP-5's under their coats, I didn't see a single copper... |
Copy Clerk Posts: 60 Joined: 23 Jan 2008 | So how on earth did Bioshock get passed??? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 |
When did Bioshock use real world drugs? If the things fake, its okay - thats why the Nectar in HAZE was allowed |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007   | This artile on IGN explains why the game has been banned, turns out it has "chems" that increase player stats, the OFLC board sees this as promoting drug use and hence we have a banned game. http://au.xbox360.ign.com/articles/887/887728p1.html It also warns against importing for the PS3. You may run into legal issues and I'm sure many import websites will not import it because of this. I think, as gamers not neccesarily Australian, we need to be done to give Australia an R18+ rating for games. |
Anonymous Source Posts: 9 Joined: 22 Mar 2008 | HOLD ON! If Fallout 3 was banned because of the positive effects given by taking drugs, then how did Haze get in here? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007 |
Haze does not promote Drug use, it constantly sends the message that drugs are bad, it also does not let you take drugs all the way through the game. It also shows the drugs in a less realistic way to Fallout 3, in both delivery method and side effects. Bethesda could simply change the way the dugs are used to get the game allowed into Australia. |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 3952 Joined: 2 Dec 2007    |
HOLD ON! If Fallout 3 was banned because of the positive effects given by taking drugs, then how did Fallout 1 and 2 get in here? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007 |
I'm guessing the OFLC overlooked these games due to the lower quality graphics and because at the time no one really cared about games. Looking at my Fallout collection box however it only says "M moderate Violence". I'm surprised they didn't even say the game has drugs in 1998. Where the children in 1998 much more mature than those in 2008? It wouldn't surprise me. |
Paperboy  Posts: 35 Joined: 28 Apr 2008 | Make me happy to live in the U.S., they CAN'T ban games here. They can force retailers to put a black cover on it or hide it in the back room, but they can't BAN it. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3952 Joined: 2 Dec 2007 |
1998, the gloabl children shortage. The only children on Earth had to man up or die. They played violent video games, with drugs and sexual references! |
Muckraker  Posts: 230 Joined: 23 Apr 2008 | Poor Ausies, they seem to have a hard time down there. First the price increase and content downgrade of GTA4, now this? |
Paperboy Posts: 49 Joined: 6 May 2008 | Good thing there is a Game Traders Robina in Burwood (Right above the EB games as well.) But I can't be stuffed walking to the second closest mall to my house (Despite both being in walking distance) |
Beat Writer Posts: 142 Joined: 5 Jul 2008 | It's unfair, and worthy of petitions and protests, but I really think that it's a relatively small issue that can and will be addressed. Bethesda just has to take the drugs out/change the game, the Australian government could have a change of heart, or all you Aussie gamers could just get copies from other countries. If anything, getting the game from another country would let you play it earlier anyway, than if the game was released in the time-stilled badlands that are Australia. Seriously, you guys get games like 3 months after everybody else, it must suck. |
Gone Gonzo  Posts: 2609 Joined: 21 Jan 2008 |
Wait, when I read it, it seems that no one can bring in a copy, since the law the OFLC is referring to is refers to every platform. Maybe someone could shed some light on this? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007 |
The PS3 and the Wii are the only consoles that have no region coding, meaning that it are the only consoles that can play imported games. I'm not sure about the PC, I think that it can play foreign games but I'm not sure. |
BANNED  Posts: 34 Joined: 26 Mar 2008 | old news, Destructoid bloggers brought this to my attention weeks ago, you fail How very constructive of you - mod User was banned for: Zero Punctuation: Alone in the Dark. (Permanent) |
Press Junketeer  Posts: 355 Joined: 27 Mar 2008 | So is it illegal if i buy fallout 3 from ebay or playAsia and get it here to play on my ps3 or will it go through no problem and i will have my game? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007 |
Illegal apparently, sorry friend. |
Anonymous Source  Posts: 10 Joined: 24 Apr 2008 | NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Give me my post-apocalyptic goodness mmmm morphine on screen, must buy morphine lol what about smoking or alcoholism then? like damn you still see that in nearly every movie these days. Or should I keep my mouth shut in case I give them more ideas on absurd abuses of power? I'm getting so tired of living in a nanny state. Whats wrong with the general community making responsible well informed decisions of their own bat about what they choose to purchase or do?, I'm sooo disapointed only gaming tool I have now is xbox 360 and only game I've been waiting for is fallout. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2609 Joined: 21 Jan 2008 |
Right... of course I'm not gonna import it... **shifty eyes** |
Muckraker  Posts: 302 Joined: 15 May 2008    |
Then he'll take it to his FRIEND, GUY'S HOUSE! -Rad. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 |
Actually, if I understand it right, the OFLC has only been classifying games since 2000. I'm probably wrong, but thats what the site says. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 |
And then he'll be INCARCERATED WITH A BIKER! And spend some time getting to know his feminine side. Before you start, I know subjugating these laws won't land you jail time, but the fine is rather sever. I doubt he's admit to playing it. He did Manhunt back when he thought noone payed any attention to him. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 | Show of hands, how many people have already sent a letter to Mr. Rudd about this? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2609 Joined: 21 Jan 2008 |
Bah, he doesn't care about gamers. He axed the fibre-optics network he promised for starters. No, I propose more drastic measures... how about we organise a petition, or get a mob and 'talk' to Hon. Michael Atkinson, Attorney General for South Australia and the man solely responsible for making sure Australia can't get an R18+ rating for video games. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3952 Joined: 2 Dec 2007 |
Then wouldn't it be called Gametraders Burwood? I don't know how people seem to forget Robina is a place not the name of the store.
Manhunt was only removed off the shelves. It was never originaly banned. But, yeah, you'll only be hit with a hefty fine. |
Press Junketeer  Posts: 377 Joined: 7 Nov 2007   |
Most people who use morphine for pain relief are addicted to it |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4947 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 |
Hospital patients are addicted to it? |
Anonymous Source Posts: 8 Joined: 31 May 2008 | poor Yahtzee. He is going to have to import it at this rate. Cause we all know a review on that game is going to be hilarious. THis is crap. People in the usa try to pull this crap but fail all the time, but they never give up. It really is a double standerd for videogames. Movies are having more graphic sex scenes and worst killings with more gore (i like the horror movies and please note i am not an activist against this) and yet that seems to be fine, but if a video game shows a bit of boobie they freeking freak out. Wow great way to show example to your kids. Graphic killing and sexual nature in movies fine but if it is in a game that your kid shouldn't even be playing cause if wasn't meant for their age then it is a problem. THis is just crap. Rant over have a nice day. |
Muckraker  Posts: 240 Joined: 23 Apr 2008 | What is it about Australia and its overeager ban-hammer? |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2449 Joined: 18 Dec 2007 | I'm glad that everyone feels sooooooo sorry for Yahtzee because he wont be able to play Fallout and review it for us all. |
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Yep, we can order it fine from overseas. In fact, it works out much cheaper to order games from the US, than it does to buy it from inside Australia. You can't order PS3 games via Amazon. I think Sony have asked them to block international shipping. It doesn't stop other game stores, or buying from EBay though.
That's interesting. I never realised that about classifications in the US.
As for Australia, ratings are determined by the State Attorney-Generals, or by the Federal Government. All the State Attorney-Generals would actually like an R-rating for games, except for the one in South Australia. His name is Michael Atkinson. Unfortunately, there has to be a unanimous decision by all AGs, to alter the rating system. So Michael is the only one blocking the introduction.
It's an unfortunate system, that one person can block what the majority decide is needed. He is doing it, of course, to "protect the children". He just doesn't seem to realise that the best way to protect children, is to allow the parents to do so. Some people are just too set in their ways, to see the error of them.