Fallout 3 Banned in Australia!

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Jintor

Jintor

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http://pc.ign.com/articles/887/887729p1.html

We've transcribed several key points, taken from the OFLC's report into Fallout 3:

The game contains the option to take a variety of drugs known as "chems" using a device which is connected to the character's arm. Upon selection of the device a menu selection screen is displayed. Upon this screen is a list of "chems" that the player can take, by means of selection.

These "chems" have positive effects and some negitave effects (lowering of intelligence, or the character may become addicted to the "chem"). The positive effects include increase in strength, stamina, resistance to damage, agility and hit points.

Corresponding with the list of various "chems" are small visual representation of the drugs, these include syringes, tablets, pill bottles, a crack-type pipe and blister packs. In the Board's view these realistic visual representations of drugs and their delivery method bring the "science-fiction" drugs in line with "real-world" drugs.


Essentially, games that represent drug use as having inherently positive effects or perceived gain (regardless of any negative effects, apparently) can, under current legislation, be banned outright.
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Well, **** you, OFLC. **** you good.

It's not so much banned as 'refused classification', but what this means is that it can't be sold in Australia. Importation status is currently unknown.

I didn't even know of it was going to be good or not, but this is so ****ing retarded.
 
avatar36212_8.gif
 
Yeah, I heard about this a couple days ago. Makes me wonder how Bioshock made it through.
 
Laser Pointers because pilots were getting lasers shot in their eyes as they came in to land at Sydney Airport.

Not sure about the nerf guns. Think they're banned though.
 
What the hell? I thought the land down under was supposed to be hardcore. What is all this pussy shit?
 
_Z_Ryuken said:
What the hell? I thought the land down under was supposed to be hardcore. What is all this pussy shit?
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All the croc wrestlers are too busy wrestling crocs to wrestle beauracracy.
 
Leave the OFLC out of this they're doing their job. ****.

If you want something done YOU MUST WRITE A LETTER and or Email The Attorney General Michael Atkinson. HE HAS TO REPLY TO YOUR LETTER it might take a few weeks generally any where between 3-6 for a reply if he only gets 10 letters there is no reason from him to think its an issue. IMO it would take in the region of 100-500 letters over 1-2 weeks for him to start thinking hrmm maybe this is an issue so said letter writing should be coordinated;)

Make sure your letters are well written no abusive dribble stuff or it will go straight in the bin and it seriously takes 5 minutes to do, go through the correct channel and you will be supirised that you can get results.! Give a reason why you are against the no R18+ not just your silly change this I want to play games, tell them you are over 18 and a voter.

Email- [email protected]

Letters to - AG's office
GPO Box 464
Adelaide SA 5001

Its better to write a letter and spend 50c to post it, if not email is ok but less likely to get the attention a letter would get. ALL letters will have to come past the Mick Atkinson which he will sign off on most of the time ( im told he signs everything )

Atkinson is the sole reason we don't have an RA-18+ rating in Australia which would have easily allowed F3 into the country for sale.

DEATHMASTER said:
So they banned Bioshock too?
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No Bioshock used fictional drugs. Apparently shoving a rusty needle attached to a big bottle into your arm is a-ok.
 
Kyorisu said:
Atkinson is the sole reason we don't have an RA-18+ rating in Australia which would have easily allowed F3 into the country for sale.
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Give me a quick summary of this scurrilous demon's actions!

Even with an R18+ rating I wouldn't be able to play it (being 16) but lol whatever, this ist a gut idea.

I wonder what the PCPowerPlay forums are saying?
 
Your convict ancestors are turning in their graves.
 
I reckon 80% of gamers will be pirating it now.

According to customs, Federal Legislation takes precedent over State legislation... meaning that Games thare refused classification cannot be legitimately imported into the country.

Wat.
 
Jintor said:
I reckon 80% of gamers will be pirating it now.
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Way to respond. I'd say a better approach would be to follow Kyorisus' suggested course of action. Plus if you make enough noise at Beths forum and their publishers I'm sure they might appeal against the decision.
 
Kadayi said:
Way to respond. I'd say a better approach would be to follow Kyorisus' suggested course of action. Plus if you make enough noise at Beths forum and their publishers I'm sure they might appeal against the decision.
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It's not my choice on method to respond, it's just what people will do. I know gamers, I know people, I know how they think.

I also agree with Kyorisus's decision, it will be difficult but it would be much more effective if we could get it off the ground. There's no way to centrally coordinate it but the larger gaming mags and the like are a good start - PCPowerPlay forums are organizing a campaign, I'm going to go see what's happening thar.
 
Jintor said:
It's not my choice on method to respond, it's just what people will do. I know gamers, I know people, I know how they think.

I also agree with Kyorisus's decision, it will be difficult but it would be much more effective if we could get it off the ground. There's no way to centrally coordinate it but the larger gaming mags and the like are a good start - PCPowerPlay forums are organizing a campaign, I'm going to go see what's happening thar.
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It's probably not a bad thing to point to the fact that Australia is the exception rather than the rule in regards to refusing Fallout 3 a rating and failure to grant one will encourage piracy, plus use the examples of other games such as Bioshock that have been granted ratings but do show drug consumption, and that in Fallout 3 the negatives of drug use are illustrated in the game. There is no glorification, nor is there a necessity beyond healing packs and medical supplies to use the drugs. If that doesn't work then you might also consider holding up the lens to a few childrens games that have gotten through, but revolve around the consumption of 'magic pills' and the light. You might also point out that Fallout 1 & 2 contained the same elements and all that has changed in Fallout 3 is the visual viewpoint. That should be enough to go on.

*takes of legal hat and enjoys the rest of Sunday :dozey:
 
I think someone on the SA forums actually emailed that guy Kyro mentioned and the reply pretty much summed up to "Lol you gamers are retarted or something this 15+ rating is fine and there is absolutely no reason for an 18+ rating. think about the children"
 
Jintor said:
Give me a quick summary of this scurrilous demon's actions!

Even with an R18+ rating I wouldn't be able to play it (being 16) but lol whatever, this ist a gut idea.

I wonder what the PCPowerPlay forums are saying?
Click to expand...

For there to be a 18 rating for video games there has to be a unanimous vote to allow it and Atkinson is the only guy who voted no.

Adrik_Senturu said:
I think someone on the SA forums actually emailed that guy Kyro mentioned and the reply pretty much summed up to "Lol you gamers are retarted or something this 15+ rating is fine and there is absolutely no reason for an 18+ rating. think about the children"
Click to expand...

That's the point though isn't it? Adult gamers are thinking about the children. He's a dick head really and I hope he dies in a fire. Sadly so long as a unanimous decision is required and so long as Atkinson remains one of the deciders, I doubt we'll have an 18+ rating.
 
Oh well, at least the pirated copies aren't banned.

Wait...
 
Kyorisu said:
For there to be a 18 rating for video games there has to be a unanimous vote to allow it and Atkinson is the only guy who voted no.
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Then badger the other parties involved, and get them to demand a full and detailed public justification as to his refusal. There should be a clear rationale behind any decision, that takes account of all factors. Ultimately if someone fails to provide a clear rationale it's not unheard of for someone to be relieved of their position, in a board situation through a vote of no confidence. You might also consider contacting the general press. Public pressure esp with the backing of the media always wins out in the end. :dozey:
 
Yeah I take that back turns out this place is more retarded than I thought.

Customs

Under the terms of an administrative agreement, the Australian Customs Service can ask the Classification Board for advice on an item that they are assessing under Regulation 4A of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations.

Using the criteria outlined in these Regulations, the Classification Board issues advice as to whether the importation or exportation of an item should be prohibited or released. The criteria of these Regulations are very similar to those in the National Classification Code. The Classification Board may advise that importation or exportation of items should not be allowed if they:

* describe, depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be imported; or
* describe or depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or who appears to be, a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not); or
* in relation to a computer game – are unsuitable for a person under 18 to see or play; or
* promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence; or
* promote or incite the misuse of a drug specified in Schedule 4.

For further information and questions about what items may be imported visit the Australian Customs Service website.

http://www.classification.gov.au/special.html?n=253&p=78
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Only the bolded part is specific to computer games, the rest equally applies to books and movies.

As for the customs side of things:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5549

No mention of any penalties, just that said goods may be detained or seized.

I've imported quite a few PC games and I'm yet to have one seized. Just don't import bulk quantities and you should be sweet, customs can't be bothered searching single disc packages unless the X-ray/drug sniffer shows something out of the ordinary.
 
So... um... what did they do when the first two Fallout games were released?
 
F3 is more life like which is bad because the kiddies cannot tell the difference between reality and video games. Come now standard procedure for the censors.
 
I'm guessing Bethesda will send another edited version for review? No?
 
Typically when you ban something it gets more media attention which at the end of the day means more sales. I'd imagine there will be an Australian version of the game just as there are German versions of games.
 
Owned.
Serves you right for living on an island.
 
NZ tends to base their ratings board of the OFLC, but they do have an R18+ restricted catagory, so your only problems will be import.

Of course I reckon import will be easy - it may be illegal, but customs will be focusing on the drugs and shite anyway. The thing is I'd rather that an R18+ category be created so that shit like this doesn't happen again, rather than a quick-fix oh now i have my game.
 
Now, even though I live in the Hole in the Sky Through Which Things Can Fly, and therefore, live in a separate country from Australia, my government looks toward Australia to dictate our own laws, therefore, Fallout 3 has been banned in the Hole in the Sky Through Which Things Can Fly.

The thing that bothers me most about this is not the fact that the game itself was banned(still angers me something fierce, however), but the blind ignorance on the part of whomever prevents it from coming through: they've obviously never heard of online distribution.

Before continuing, I'll admit that one other thing angers me, after bannage, so this next part will make some sense: All other forms of media, besides books and music( which don't have a rating here, or so I believe) have a R-18 rating(alright, so only movies), why the hell not video games?

The person arguing against videogames having a R rating in Australia, is essentailly the Australian Jack Thompson(admittedly they do have a Jack Thompson already, but he's a half decent actor, so he's Okay). An ignorant, <insert prfanity of your choice here>, who refuses to accept that videogames deserve to be rated as all other forms of art(okay, only film) are. That, and that only, is the reason he refuses to give them an R rating.

Not because he is worried for the children, but because he is scared. Scared that something will replace film as a dominant artform. Scared that the new generations will know different from what has been set down as the Word. That Buddism, Muslim, and all other religons will be accepted by all.

That people will think that Jack Thompson(you know the one I mean), is not God.
 
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