Fallout 3 Banned in Australia

[stompy]

Show of hands, how many people have already sent a letter to Mr. Rudd about this?

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.

 

[PurpleRain]

Good thing there is a Game Traders Robina in Burwood (Right above the EB games as well.)

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.

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.

Manhunt was only removed off the shelves. It was never originaly banned. But, yeah, you'll only be hit with a hefty fine.

 

[nightfish]

What the fuck, yet again? How is using Morphine as a pain reliever misuse? Is there some other use of it? Are we supposed to use it as a fucking seasoning?

Most people who use morphine for pain relief are addicted to it

 

[Kevin7557]

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.

 

[Doug]

What is it about Australia and its overeager ban-hammer?

 

[Fire Daemon]

I'm glad that everyone feels sooooooo sorry for Yahtzee because he wont be able to play Fallout and review it for us all.

 

[nightfish]

What the fuck, yet again? How is using Morphine as a pain reliever misuse? Is there some other use of it? Are we supposed to use it as a fucking seasoning?

Most people who use morphine for pain relief are addicted to it

Hospital patients are addicted to it?

Yep.

Terminal patients can't live without it, those who are on it temporarily have to be weened off it or go cold turkey.

Plus I'll add that morphine isn't too far away from heroin (diamorphine); the latter is broken down into former once it crosses the blood / brain barrier. When you consider the social ramifications of heroin abuse, the reason for an element of the ban may seem clearer. Thats not saying that Australians are going to become addicts, I'm sure you can make a conscious choice but it is admirable they are taking preventative measures to reduce the damage.

 

[nightfish]

I agree, the ban is shall we say...harsh.

I know in the previous Fallout you could have a perk / trait that allowed you to be more or less resistant to drugs. I'm sure if you chose 'more resistant' then that in a sense brings out an anti-drug message.

 

[stompy]

I agree, the ban is shall we say...harsh.

More like hypocritical and unfair. This really does piss me off, and the worst thing is, since all the big-wigs think gamers are still the 12-year old social reject or basement dwelling virgin, they don't really care. It's an uphill battle... steep uphill.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

Australia bans anything even semi offensive. That's the only reason that I never want to live there.

 

[Eyclonus]

Australia is unusual for a democracy in that we don't have the right to free speech and all that other wank that Jerry Bruckheimer and those other jingoists go on about.
All our civil rights are implied rights...

Having met several members of the OFLC I can tell you their all a bunch of pretentious old farts with a delusion of moral superiority. Most of the various panels that review material are staffed by jerks, usually in their 50s.
Actually a few sound like Reverend Lovejoy's wife; "Think of the children." repeated on and on for 3 hours.

Its funny that sex usually gets through the censors without becoming tabloid television but guns and drugs are evil!

Any way it really doesn't matter much with piracy laws, take Underbelly for example, that was banned in the state of Victoria due to the ongoing trials, but subsequently became so popular in the underground that the first five episodes alone on a disc were selling at $80 during the series run. The cops were making weekly busts on pirates and were shocked that Underbelly was appearing in such HUGE numbers.
In Oz if you can't buy it legally, you go to that shifty looking wog/asian/fuckwit bogan and get the most popular version from the torrents.

 

[TheLoneOne]

well, I don't know about the 360, but at least you can pick up an import of the PS3 version, since no region lock damn the man!

 

[Andy Chalk]

Update, for clarification: The presentation of drugs, both real and imagined, is the reason for the classification refusal. According to official guidelines, "Material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use is refused classification."

From the expanded decision: "In the Board's view these realistic visual representation of drugs and their delivery method bring the 'science-fiction' drugs in line with 'real world' drugs."

"In the Board's view the drug use, in particular the use of a proscribed drug, via means of selection from a menu, is related to incentives and rewards as the incentive to take the drug is to progress through the game more easily and the reward is an increase in the character abilities and as such is Refused Classification."

A scan of the full decision is available at australiangamer.com [http://www.australiangamer.com/news/1161_fallout_3_-_oflc_documents.html].

 

[AceDiamond]

I might be entirely wrong here but I could have sworn that taking drugs in the game could have negative effects on your character in some cases. Again I'm just trying to recall what I can from what I've read about the game so far and might be completely off base.

 

[GothmogII]

I might be entirely wrong here but I could have sworn that taking drugs in the game could have negative effects on your character in some cases. Again I'm just trying to recall what I can from what I've read about the game so far and might be completely off base.

Yup, I never took drugs the whole way through the original, and only splurged on Mentats at the end so I could talk my way to the finish. Messed my char up though ^^'