Possible Shock for Australian HL2 fans - HL2 maybe banned

[Spugmaster]

I just hope that some of those clowns who work for the OLFC have kids just a keen to play this game as I am. Not that I'm a kid - I'm 29, but I would think that they need a diverse demographic of staff to be able to review the material that comes across their desks.

They should have people broken into deparments eg movies , music, games, tv etc..

If not, there is no way some lame-ass chick who only reviews movies would even know how quintisential this release is to the PC FPS gaming community.

I am happy in the knowledge that the OLFC, like most instutions of it's type, are generally easy to sweet-talk to look the other way with a little padding of certain bank accounts. Lets call them philanthopic donations that benefit everyone

Like previos posters have said, if they ban this but have allowed some of the other stuff through there will be an uproar. All we want is consistency.

 

[deltree]

I saw Manhunt on sale the other day in my local Harvey Norman (Aus computer game outlet) so it is definetely not banned here my good man.

it definitely IS banned here.

OFLC recently revised their MA15+ rating for Manhunt to RC, "refused classification" ie banned. Harvey Norman are supposed to remove all copies from the shelves.

of course if they have any business sense they'll jack the price up and leave them there, and plead ignorance if caught.

but anyway, as has been pointed out several times, the ban only affects sale within Australia. you can still legally import it, and downloading from Steam is classed as an import.

 

[Logic]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Steam sale require you to enter credit card details, including a billing address.

Since steam sales aren't going through a store, and they are being bought online, restrictions don't apply. Games (or movies) don't even need to be rated to be bought online, so steam sales won't be moderated in any way even if there were a ban.

 

[urseus]

What they need is an over18s rating.

Its not going to stop people under 18 getting the game, their parents will just buy it for them anyway, or most stores wouldnt give a shit.

However it will statisfy the censors and allow all the good gory sexy games to get here.

 

[iamaelephant]

you can still legally import it, and downloading from Steam is classed as an import.

From the news article about Leisure Suit Larry being banned in Australia-

It is now illegal to import, rent, or sell the game in Australia.

If HL2 is banned in Australia, Steam sales will also be illegal. Hopefully the OFLC will come to it's senses.

 

[Edcrab]

Well, it's interesting- in the UK it's said that HL2 will be classified as an 18, and the same happened to Doom 3. But if the OFLC allowed Doom 3 (with satanic themes and disemboweled corpses aplenty), I can't believe they'd deny Australia's gaming populace HL2.

I don't think the OFLC needs to come to its senses, it's too late for that- I think their personnel need to throw aside the dice and the look-up results chart and actually start to play and view what they're certifying.

 

[Sheps]

From the news article about Leisure Suit Larry being banned in Australia-



If HL2 is banned in Australia, Steam sales will also be illegal. Hopefully the OFLC will come to it's senses.

I don't think Steam sales count as imports, because there's nothing physically coming into the country. I think it's more like you got on a plane, bought it in a store over there, and carried it back in your luggage.

Otherwise anything downloaded from a non-australian site would count as an import.

 

[Logic]

If HL2 is banned in Australia, Steam sales will also be illegal.

That's quite insane... unrated DVDs can be imported, not to mention R rated (and higher) DVDs. Utterly ridiculous that the same wouldn't be true for games. There is definately some reform needed.

 

[Edcrab]

Point open to universal debate, really: what does the Internet count as so far as international distribution regulations go?

'Course, even if it was illegal, I wouldn't be too surprised to see Valve allowing Aussie users access anyway :naughty:

 

[Kazuki_Fuse]

They're not gonna ban it, they don't ban games very often before they come out. I got my copy of Manhunt before it was banned, it was on the shelves for ages before it got banned. I dunno what's happening here, all of a sudden we used to have a laid back system, just 'cause some kid that killed someone a was thought to have played Manhunt a lot they think it's the reason why he killed.

Anyway, if they were even thinking of banning Hl2 then Doom3 would've never made it out here.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Steam


that is all

 

[Dr. Freeman]

the OFLC will not ban it, it falls perfectly into the guidelines.
Aus. does not ban games on the basis of violence alone, there are only banned games when violence is connected with sex (eg GTA3)

an R18+ for pan is different, Aus has no r18, and so it gets pushed into ma15+.

Their R18+ is equivalent to our MA15+

EDIT: also, games only get banned in Aus for sale _in_ aus, so you could still use steam.

hopefully what u say comes true because even if pple in Aussie Land could use Steam, it would still hurt sales from the stand point that the general population does not know what Steam is to begin with.

anyway im crossing my fingers for u guys.

 

[Warlock]

Well, as so many people have said, if Doom 3 can get through without a fuss, I somehow doubt Half Life 2 will have a problem. Trust me, it'll get through. No need to worry about all this.

 

[johnnypoopoopant]

o wow...that sucks


but how are they gonna stop people that bought half life thu steam??

 

[rammstein]

o wow...that sucks


but how are they gonna stop people that bought half life thu steam??

I would imagine they would refund anyone with a HL2 package...



for that matter what about if the person owns an ATI voucher?

And I don't think that Australian laws can actually stop the sale over steam - does not seem likely

 

[DarkGhost86]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Abdi]

ok ok now people, it wont get banned lets all calm down....

OOOMMMGGG!!!!!! :'(

 

[Logic]

Don't worry guys, Doom 3 got released, there's no reason why HL2 won't.

If they do ban it, though, I'll lead the protests. And I'm absolutely serious.

 

[Abdi]

dude if they do ban, im definitely protesting. stupid government law

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Don't worry guys, Doom 3 got released, there's no reason why HL2 won't.

If they do ban it, though, I'll lead the protests. And I'm absolutely serious.

I'll bring flares and horns.

We'll also need gas masks and anti-radiation suits incase they try and suppress the people with those new "anti-people" weapons.

 

[merk]

We have to remember that the physics engine of HL2 is much more advanced compared to doom 3s, where you're allowed to do so much more to dead humans.

While i definatly dont want to see anything happen to HL2 for an australian release, I can see that HL2 could possibly be seen as a much more "violent" game over doom3 because of that issue. Pure gore isnt just the only thing they consider.

Steam can also block sales, as Apple do for iTMS. They only allow you to buy it when your billing address is in a country that iTMS is available in. It doesnt stop the dedicated users from getting it done.

All that said, i will be up the front at the protests. HL2 is a game, and many thousands of Australians are waiting for it.

 

[Clavius]

We have to remember that the physics engine of HL2 is much more advanced compared to doom 3s, where you're allowed to do so much more to dead humans.

While i definatly dont want to see anything happen to HL2 for an australian release, I can see that HL2 could possibly be seen as a much more "violent" game over doom3 because of that issue. Pure gore isnt just the only thing they consider.

Steam can also block sales, as Apple do for iTMS. They only allow you to buy it when your billing address is in a country that iTMS is available in. It doesnt stop the dedicated users from getting it done.

All that said, i will be up the front at the protests. HL2 is a game, and many thousands of Australians are waiting for it.

Yeah, I suppose the only entity that is really affected by this, is Valve.
As you said, if there's really no way to buy it in Australia, neither by steam or retail, people will just go warez or something else.

BTW, has anybody noticed that this smiley turns real sad when you highlight it?:

 

[Tiddalick]

Chance of me assisting a troop of Frogs in taking over the world >> The chance of HL2 getting banned here.

:sniper: :frog: :bounce: :frog: :bounce: :frog: :bounce: :frog: :bounce:

 

[MrD]

About this link between violent games and real killings; you have to seriously question the intelligence of those who advocate it. To anyone with any sense (assuming there is some kind of link in the first place) you would most logically expect things to be the other way round. That is; certain people are drawn toward violent video games BECAUSE of their urge/desire to kill.

Democracy really isn't that far in advance of dictatorship when you think about it. With a dictatorship, one rules over the many; whereas with a democracy, many rule over the one. Either way, someone is still being ruled over. And this is a prime example of how shit that can be.

 

[Fuzzy-_-Muff]

i can assure you 100%, completely confident that halflife 2 will not be banned. It is no worse than any other fps on the market. Besides the OFLC usually only ban silly shit thats more like a gimmick, such as bois moi or whatever it was, some hippie french movie with real penetration in the sex scenes. Meh nothing we cant download of the internet hey guys

 

[merk]

For the benefit of people who care about this problem (mainly us aussies ), Here is a significant amount of information relating to ManHunt, a game that was allowed in Australia but then (almost a year later) withdrawn on the 29th of September this year.

http://www.refused-classification.com/Games_Manhunt.htm

There is alot of information in there, and there are a few comments that have been made that make me wonder about HL2.

"Players are required to viciously murder other characters even after they pleaded for their lives," Barnett said.

Dont soldiers do this in HL? (Im rusty )

"Anybody found in possession faces a fine of up to $10,000."

Very disturbing.

 

[Sparta]

i can assure you 100%, completely confident that halflife 2 will not be banned. It is no worse than any other fps on the market. Besides the OFLC usually only ban silly shit thats more like a gimmick, such as bois moi or whatever it was, some hippie french movie with real penetration in the sex scenes. Meh nothing we cant download of the internet hey guys

Yeah they let that into cinema's along with that Anatomy of Hell or whatever movie that featured some very very graphic images of a womans genitalia.

 

[merk]

I do agree that HL2 will be available in Australia, I question the violence.

I dont think vALVE would be willing to go around changing it so you couldnt saw a dead body in half with objects from around you, so how could they dumb it down to get through?

We also have to remember that an R rating in many countries is equivilant of an MA15 here. /me crosses his fingers for the next 20 days.

 

[merk]

If anyone is interested in more reading, http://libertus.net/censor/ has alot of good information about australia and its censorship.

One paragraph that worries me about STEAM's ability to give us the game,

In 2001, the SA and NSW Parliaments considered Internet censorship laws making it a criminal offence to make available online, to adults, material that is deemed unsuitable for minors. The SA law became effective in December 2002, while the NSW law was put on hold for further consideration in 2003 following a public inquiry and resultant NSW Parliamentary Committee recommendation that the law not become effective.

Maybe they should just move the content servers to victoria or queensland

One more thing to note:
Computer Games:

• 2003: 661 (2 banned)
• 2002: 747 (1 banned)
• 2001: 583 (0 banned)

 

[Mikademius]

Don't worry, eræll send you screenshots and maybe some ingame vids...

 

[Fixed]

The way to actually do something about this is to lobby your local member. Yes, this will require some research and unless you're a constituant (IE a member of their electorate who is eligable to vote) don't expect much to happen.

EFA has some great advice which can be found here. Please read first, then actually think before you write.

 

[Yogibbear]

It's not getting banned..... don't be silly.....

:cheers: hm..... i say we stop replying to this thread..... enough is enough.......