Australia is Tired of Being a "Laughingstock"

[Zenode]

Finally seeing the federal government basically telling the Attorney Generals to get their shit together.

Although we only have a few games "banned" per year (1-2 at most) its still stupid that kids can get a hold of an MA15+ game which should CLEARLY be an R18+

[HEADING=2][a href"http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Aussie-Escapists"]Shameless plug for Australian Escapist Group[/a][/HEADING]

CAPTCHA: suidersu VMS (wtf?)

 

[Dys]

We're still waiting for the US to have a proper 18+ rating, though.

"AO" doesn't count, since it effectively means that the game is banned from being released.

There are federal laws against having, buying or importing banned games in Australia, and these laws tend to be enforced at customs and border security.....Trust me, it's a completely different situation (not that stores refusing to stock AO rated games isn't ridiculous).

Note that some of us live in areas other than the US... and yes we have a different rating system in Canada too. Imagine that!

What? This is news to me. Unless you mean Quebec or something I wouldn't know, but the ratings are pretty much exactly the same as they are in the states.

OT: I wouldn't exactly call them the laughing stock, and as Eico mentioned, they actually do have a rating for "mature" games (to be fair, I didn't actually know that either which is probably the result of always hearing about they don't have one over and over again). Hopefully they can get things back on track.

It's insanely stupid how people think we receive games.

We receive every single game (barring a few fringe cases - one or two in history) that the U.S receives.

Know why all this started? 'Cause that idiot Atkinson stuck his nose into the L4d2 issue. We have the game. The game has all its blood. The game is the EXACT same. I was playing it not three days ago.

It's all nonsense.

Mate relax. It's too hot and the kangaroos are too loud for people to be getting worked up. Anyway I'm pretty sure the version of L4D2 you're meant to be playing has reduced blood and corpses that disappear. What you've got there is either an import or a cracked copy, the point is that those older than 18 year shouldn't even have to try and circumvent the system to get at the uncensored versions of games like L4D2 (doesn't matter how easy that may be to do).

Of course I haven't touched my copy of L4D2 in aaaaaages so something may have changed. It's true that we get almost all the games America does in unedited states, however the fact that we miss out on some games is silly.

It's a problem. But not in the way people make out it out to be.

People, especially people from the U.S, think because we don't have an R rating for video games, we don't get the games they get. That pisses me off. They seem to think we are some backwards nation that censors everything and it simply is nothing like that. Hell, their M rating is for people over 17. Ours is for people over 15.

Yes, one or two games in history have been changed slightly. But we are not some Christian nightmare state that cries out 'the children!' at every violent game. It just doesn't happen. And the only people who think we do, are people not living here. It's become our stereotype, just like Americans being obese and loud and French people being smelly and pompous.

Last I checked, the United States and it's religious zealots are far, far worse than a few games in Australia having less blood.

You seem a little misinformed, so just to clarify, the version of left 4 dead you play here is not the same as the one overseas. Corpses disappear, gore is toned down and some of the special infected have slight changes. Not a huge deal, but it is not the same game and the cost of changing pointless shit was absorbed by valve. Many company's won't be willing to absorb such costs for such a small market and it's absurd that we expect them too.

As for the number of games banned here, you're right, it is relatively small, but only games that apply to be sold can be banned. That is, if a game is not classified, and does not apply for classification (as is that case with many adult oriented games) it is unclassified and not considered banned material. If a game applies for classification (allowing it to be sold retail) and it is refused, it is effectively banned and there are relatively heavy penalties if you're caught importing it (which is serious, as the current trend of buying things online is increasing, and it means that people who import for $60au rather than buying retail for $100au+ can get slammed without even knowing they've done something illegal).

The illegal status of pornography is more of a worry, imo. Any game (including interactive DVDs) that features explicit sex is illegal.

The whole rage is mostly due to the wtf factor, not because these laws affect us.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

You're full of it.

With an opening like that, the rest of your response doesn't deserve a reply.

Forum rules - read them.

OK. dude: we need to talk.

quit being rude, quit trying to make yourself look better than everyone else, and please for the love of god, lighten the hell up.

Its really jarring to be browsing a forum full of calm people who, for all the stupid things they may or may not say, are at least not just outright trolling one-another.

you are acting like your a famous king towards a bunch of strangers who couldn't care less, and Heres what kills me: refusing accept the other person might have a point. grow up.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

I remember there being talk of teaching creationism in Australian schools.

That debate was going on in the United States of White Christians long, long, long before it came here.

also, wow-wee, this post of yours is pointless! your a troll! why bother coming here, dude?

 

[Lnz]

Well it's a democracy isn't it? Then use that freedom to create a serious public discussion. Many countries around the World aren't able to create a discussion about issues.

Moaning on video game websites won't do anything. If you want a change get out and do something about it.

I'm pretty sure the civil right's movement/Suffragettes didn't just sit about moaning, they got out onto the streets and made the people in power aware of the issue.

Not to imply that a public protest is the wrong thing to do, however I remeber quite a few times where i've read about public protests, where it can sometimes be negative.

For example when gamers end up sending death threats, or marching in cosplay it just stops becoming a normal view from the majority of the community, and becoming this weird subset of people who are a shunned minority.

Pettitions(online or not) are actually a normal way of protesting an issue, and allow gamers to be portrayed as the normal public, instead of a 30year old man in a pickachu costume in front of parliment shouting that he wants more violence. A fictional example but you get my point.

 

[Codeknight]

Having an M rating for games does make sense. Could you imagine what the film industry would be like if the most real it could get was PG13? I shutter to think of the atrocities that would be committed!

Not to imply that a public protest is the wrong thing to do, however I remeber quite a few times where i've read about public protests, where it can sometimes be negative.

For example when gamers end up sending death threats, or marching in cosplay it just stops becoming a normal view from the majority of the community, and becoming this weird subset of people who are a shunned minority.

Pettitions(online or not) are actually a normal way of protesting an issue, and allow gamers to be portrayed as the normal public, instead of a 30year old man in a pickachu costume in front of parliment shouting that he wants more violence. A fictional example but you get my point.

I don't know if I'd consider death threats to be a form of public protest. The cosplay marchers does sound hilarious though (of course coming from someone who does not). But yeah, I agree. If a public protest was to be used it would have to move out of the realm of anime/manga and game fanatics and into a more respectable tone.

just a side note: To me "fan" and "fanatic" are two completely different things. While a fan genuinely enjoys something and may spend most of their free time involving it in some way, a fanatic goes to the extremes. Sorry if anyone took offence.

 

[Alexnader]

snip

Mate relax. It's too hot and the kangaroos are too loud for people to be getting worked up. Anyway I'm pretty sure the version of L4D2 you're meant to be playing has reduced blood and corpses that disappear. What you've got there is either an import or a cracked copy, the point is that those older than 18 year shouldn't even have to try and circumvent the system to get at the uncensored versions of games like L4D2 (doesn't matter how easy that may be to do).

Of course I haven't touched my copy of L4D2 in aaaaaages so something may have changed. It's true that we get almost all the games America does in unedited states, however the fact that we miss out on some games is silly.

It's a problem. But not in the way people make out it out to be.

People, especially people from the U.S, think because we don't have an R rating for video games, we don't get the games they get. That pisses me off. They seem to think we are some backwards nation that censors everything and it simply is nothing like that. Hell, their M rating is for people over 17. Ours is for people over 15.

Yes, one or two games in history have been changed slightly. But we are not some Christian nightmare state that cries out 'the children!' at every violent game. It just doesn't happen. And the only people who think we do, are people not living here. It's become our stereotype, just like Americans being obese and loud and French people being smelly and pompous.

Last I checked, the United States and it's religious zealots are far, far worse than a few games in Australia having less blood.

It's good to see some true blue patriotism on this forum, as far as I'm concerned we're still the slightly lucky country godamn it!

I have noticed a few posts on various Australia R18 news articles that say things like "Thank god I don't live there lol, I'd hate not to be allowed to play CoD or L4D2". Yes those posts are extremely annoying. Yes it's even more annoying when they think our politics are fired by more religious zeal than even theirs when the reality is the opposite... in fact that's all I have to say. No "buts".

Damn you Americans you don't understand us!!!! Although I'm sure we misunderstand you too but shut up.

 

[snowpuppy]

Not having an 18 rating for videogames doesn't make you guys a laughingstock. It's that hilarious accents that prevents me from taking you guys seriously

fuck you mate. wait... GODDAMN IT!!

 

[Denomoses]

Not having an 18 rating for videogames doesn't make you guys a laughingstock. It's that hilarious accents that prevents me from taking you guys seriously

Its funny you say when and you're American...

 

[thethingthatlurks]

Not having an 18 rating for videogames doesn't make you guys a laughingstock. It's that hilarious accents that prevents me from taking you guys seriously

Its funny you say when and you're American...

Oh, I'm no american, I just live here. I've got an awesome accent of my own, though truth be told it's merely for show..

 

[Denomoses]

Not having an 18 rating for videogames doesn't make you guys a laughingstock. It's that hilarious accents that prevents me from taking you guys seriously

Its funny you say when and you're American...

Oh, I'm no american, I just live here. I've got an awesome accent of my own, though truth be told it's merely for show..

Alright then. But i still defend the aussie accent

 

[Grond Strong]

So I'm a tad confused here. Australia does hav a 15+ game limit right. So the gap inside which were talking about is really only the kids from the ages of fifteen to eighteen Correct? Honesy is this worth the Fuss? I could see if extremely young kids were getting their hands on outrageously violent games. But I think that if teens wanted to play a game then a rating really won't stop them from getting their hands on one. It doesn't over here, which is why we have six year olds screaming into the game mics during online play for a,mature videogame. I think that if people want a more accurate rating system to judge a game then that's great. But do I think its going to make a real Difference? Nope.

 

[Larsirius]

Am I the only one drawing parallels to a certain fictional dictatorship with that poster? "[...] and secure society!"