Fallout 3 Banned in Australia

[stompy]

I seriously doubt that people will be arrested and charged with this [bringing in copies of the game] and if so, it will be a media circus and all you would need is to ask for a high profile QC like Geofrery Robinson who is in favour of civil liberties to come on and defend you pro bono. It'd be just like th infamous Oz trials and the governemt office of cliassification, and the current government, will be made into a complete laughingstock because of their head up their arse attitude.

This ban is like the ban on the book, "Lady Chatterleys Lover". It's utterly pointless and I for one am willing to take a stand on this. Since the game will not be released till October 7 in the US [according to Amazon.com], that gives us plenty of time to organise a protest movement and to find other examples in other games which have gained a classification which depict beneficial drug taking.

Hmm, while people won't be arrested (maybe for distribution) but still, parents... I'll help, but I'd rather not incur the wrath of the government. That being said, I will assist you if I can.

Good luck if you do decide to do it.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Well I bet they must have put the option to slaughter children and groin shots back into the game.

Hey Aussie's, is it cheaper to import games or more expensive? If I lived down there I probably wouldn't be able to tolerate the ridiculousness down there, I mean, ya got less GTA IV and got stuck having to pay more money for it. Maybe it's time to go to "OFLC" and give them lots of gifts and be nice to them, and when they ask why we just say "I have no idea, video games must have made me do it, I felt a huge compulsion to give the OFLC lots of awesome stuff when I got my first million in GTA."

 

[Aries_Split]

Whoa, time out, you can't get Dark Sector?

Wow....my soul just died a bit. I feel so sorry for you, man.

dark sector was shit, where have you been? It's fracking whack a mole.

 

[Xhumed]

Can't you import the games from Britain? Do they have the same PAL region stuff on their consoles as Australia?

We can... its just not the same............ sigh

wait, why not?
As a PC gamer (yeah, i dont own a console, other than an old mega drive, which is back in the UK anyway), an import copy would still work yes? Might have to pick up a copy while im back in the UK at some point.

 

[stompy]

Well I bet they must have put the option to slaughter children and groin shots back into the game.

Hey Aussie's, is it cheaper to import games or more expensive? If I lived down there I probably wouldn't be able to tolerate the ridiculousness down there, I mean, ya got less GTA IV and got stuck having to pay more money for it. Maybe it's time to go to "OFLC" and give them lots of gifts and be nice to them, and when they ask why we just say "I have no idea, video games must have made me do it, I felt a huge compulsion to give the OFLC lots of awesome stuff when I got my first million in GTA."

... No one does read my posts... **hangs head**

I've been trying to tell people, and it seems Evil Genius listens, but we can't import. It would be cheaper, and most likely, we'll end up paying less for a non-censored version.

Australian gamers can't import Fallout 3. According to Australian law, if something is banned from being sold because it promotes drug use, then it's also illegal to import the product, even for personal use. Fallout 3 was banned because the OFLC believes it'll turn all who play it into druggies, so it unfortunately falls under the clause.

Even those who wish to stick it to the law will have a hard time getting the game, since most big online retailers will most likely refuse to sell to Australian addresses.

... Aussie gamers have got to get ready. A storm's brewing...

Edit: No one's gonna read this, eh? Seems everyone is gonna continually ask about importation...

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Sorry Stompy, I like to read threads before I post but 3 pages and 101 posts of angry aussie's didn't appeal to me, sorry to draw your ire, BUT, thank you for answering my question .

Still, that's crazy that they would keep a product out like that, you think that it would have been region encoding that would stop it but this was far worse than I thought.

Remember guys, if 4chan can create an organized movement against scientology then I'm sure with the power of the internet and mass media a whole Nation of angry gamers can do something too.

 

[bluemarsman]

Wow, that is just depressing.

 

[Girlysprite]

Hell if you really want it, but can't order it through legal ways, try to organize a little group here, maybe on this forum. Connect to a few brits, and set up a deal where theyll send you a copy and you pay em back. Hell, if you really have to go into paranoia mode, the disk can even be sent in a masked case, with another front.

Yeah, its a lot more hoops to jump through, and it's fucked up that you can't get it through legal ways, but there are enough illegal options, luckily.

 

[Fire Daemon]

Edit: No one's gonna read this, eh? Seems everyone is gonna continually ask about importation...

Don't worry stompy, I read your posts and I feel your pain. No one listened to me either.

I'm beginning to wish that I had a PS3, if I had one then I would be able to play a foreign copy. But if I was prepared to smuggle than I suppose I would be prepared to buy a Ps3 to play those smuggled goods...meh.

 

[stompy]

I'm beginning to wish that I had a PS3, if I had one then I would be able to play a foreign copy. But if I was prepared to smuggle than I suppose I would be prepared to buy a Ps3 to play those smuggled goods...meh.

Fire, Xbox 360 players can still import games. We just need a game from another country with PAL coding, like Britain. If it weren't illegal, I would've just gone to playasia.com, found a copy of Fallout 3 that works on PAL machines, and ordered.

All we need to do is get them to maybe bring in a censored copy of Fallout 3... and then I'll import a copy that isn't censored and is about 1/2 Aus prices, as well as it being legal.

 

[stompy]

Hell if you really want it, but can't order it through legal ways, try to organize a little group here, maybe on this forum. Connect to a few brits, and set up a deal where theyll send you a copy and you pay em back. Hell, if you really have to go into paranoia mode, the disk can even be sent in a masked case, with another front.

Yeah, its a lot more hoops to jump through, and it's fucked up that you can't get it through legal ways, but there are enough illegal options, luckily.

It sounds very appealing, and I've already thought of that option Girlysprite (though, thanks for the suggestion), but I'm hesitant since I'll have to use my parents' post box, and they'll object to this illegal activity. That, and my parents reckon I'm play too much, and I need to knuckle down for my exams...

Of course, everyone else could easily do it. Maybe I could come over...

 

[Fire Daemon]

Fire, Xbox 360 players can still import games. We just need a game from another country with PAL coding, like Britain. If it weren't illegal, I would've just gone to playasia.com, found a copy of Fallout 3 that works on PAL machines, and ordered.

All we need to do is get them to maybe bring in a censored copy of Fallout 3... and then I'll import a copy that isn't censored and is about 1/2 Aus prices, as well as it being legal.

Yes, however the game will come up on my played games and the Achievements will prove that I have played it extensively. Also, Microsoft may stop Fallout 3 working on Australian machines if importation appears to be a major problem, stopping me from playing on another account.

And the "organise a protest" thread got locked and we may risk a ban if we make a new one. Looks like we finally where beaten by The Man

 

[stompy]

Yes, however the game will come up on my played games and the Achievements will prove that I have played it extensively. Also, Microsoft may stop Fallout 3 working on Australian machines if importation appears to be a major problem, stopping me from playing on another account.

And the "organise a protest" thread got locked and we may risk a ban if we make a new one. Looks like we finally where beaten by The Man

For your first point: yeh, I forgot about that. You've got a point, and I'd rather not get the fine.

As for the second point, how about we try and communicate another way... PMing is a bit slow, but will suffice. I'd actually prefer using something along the lines of a messanger program, but then some people might not want to...

Edit: ... and then I brokeded it...

 

[BlueMage]

* shrugs * I believe I mentioned in another thread about Manhunt. Once again, internet is our friend. That said, I'd rather have an R18+ rating than not.

 

[sma_warrior]

Okay... had a quick scan and doesn't seem anyone has focused on this yet:

This game does not get released until OCTOBER!

That gives Bathesda plenty of time to make changes or have it re-evaluated again. All this fussing you would think it is coming out tomorrow. Everyone just needs to calm down and see what Bathesda's reaction to the RC verdict is BEFORE assuming there will be no Fallout 3.

EDIT: And yes I realise there is the argument for creative freedom and all that, but if the real issue behind this is that it's actual morphine in the game with real morphine pros and cons, rather than the drug usage per se (as demonstrated in games like Haze or Bioshock), then I can see what the OFLC is saying.

In that context I cannot see why changing it to something like 'super fun happy juice' or whatever (who cares as long as it's not a 'real' drug) would be such a huge problem to fix and so I will be looking forward to enjoying Fallout 3 this October, barring some ludicrous view on Bathesda's behalf.

 

[Dealin Burgers]

http://www.classification.gov.au/special.html?n=1&p=227

Just file a complaint.

 

[GothmogII]

Not that I'm condoning this in general...but, at least for PC users, they could possibly...download it, and maybe sent a 'donation' the exact same price the game would be to the company as a way to clear their consciences? Just a thought, that way it would save on having to get it imported, and there's less possibilty of it being tracked/blocked in the mail. Though I'm sure there'll be the usual people who download it either way grr.

 

[Fire Daemon]

That gives Bathesda plenty of time to make changes or have it re-evaluated again. All this fussing you would think it is coming out tomorrow. Everyone just needs to calm down and see what Bathesda's reaction to the RC verdict is BEFORE assuming there will be no Fallout 3.

I think most of us are remaining opotmistic about being able to get Fallout 3 but the problem here is that we are not likely to get an R18+ rating and will hence get an edited version. We don't want an edited version with large amounts of gameplay cut out. The problem isn't no Fallout, the problem is a crap Fallout because we have stupid laws.

 

[sma_warrior]

I must admit I think violence gets a lot more leeway than movies when it comes to ratings. I just spent the last week enjoying the splatter of blood and brain matter on staircases and walls through zoomed gun scopes in the MA15+ rated Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (which would receive an R rating in a movie). Not to mention GTA Vice City and the Katana or Soldier of Fortune.... (a good comparison would be Kill Bill Vol.1 - R18+ rating)