7:30 Report: R18 Rating for Videogames.

Serial_Fool · 14-03-2010, 03:20 PM

Hi,

Giving everyone a heads up about the 7:30 Report doing a story on the issue of an R18+ rating for Video Games in Australia next week. I just saw the advert on ABC1 so expect it to happen on Monday.

Watch it OBVIOUSLY at 7:30, and be ready to send some feedback to the ABC on the way the issue is portrayed if it interests you at all.

It you would like to state your opinions about this issue, go straight ahead.

**cs123** · 14-03-2010, 03:30 PM

I'm not a gamer but understand that the current system requires a unanimous agreement by state AGs and the South Australian AG is a bit of a problem.

Serial_Fool · 14-03-2010, 03:40 PM

Yeah, that's pretty much the extent of the issue. The Federal government released a discussion paper about this issue last year IIRC.

Some gamers are running against that particular South Australian AG in the upcoming SA elections.

The problem as it stands is that the OFLC is unreliable in its classification of graphic material. Below are a few examples video games that have been exclusively rated the equivalent of R18 in other countries but have passed the OFLC under the MA15+ rating in Australia.

I'd like to warn you these scenes may be graphic in nature...

Fallout 3: MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC (UK). M by ESRB (USA). Z (18) by CERO (Japan).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZSplyUxIpA

Modern Warfare 2: MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC. M by ESRB. R18 by OFLC (New Zealand)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVtU15NTmO0

Left 4 Dead. MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC. M by ESRB. 18+ by PEGI (Europe)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjnEoEpRxxY

Riksta · 14-03-2010, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs123

the South Australian AG is a bit of a problem.

A "bit" of a problem? Understatement of the century. Hopefully with the election next weekend things will change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

Below are a few examples video games that have been exclusively rated the equivalent of R18 in other countries but have passed the OFLC under the MA15+ rating in Australia.

I'd like to warn you these scenes may be graphic in nature...

Fallout 3: MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC (UK). M by ESRB (USA). Z (18) by CERO (Japan).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZSplyUxIpA

Modern Warfare 2: MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC. M by ESRB. R18 by OFLC (New Zealand)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVtU15NTmO0

Left 4 Dead. MA15+ by OFLC. 18 by BBFC. M by ESRB. 18+ by PEGI (Europe)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjnEoEpRxxY

And as far as I know, each and every one of them had to be modified in some way to ensure they managed to make the MA15+ rating.

aussie muscle · 16-03-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs123

the South Australian AG is a bit of a problem.

only because he's still of the mentality that games are exclusively for kids.

schnoods · 16-03-2010, 10:30 PM

I reckon there should be a few games with an R rating, but i strongly believe there are games that should never be allowed to be released in all honesty.

Games like Postal 2 amd Manhunt 2 should never be considered fit for release.

By the same token, look at pornography (no pun), there is restrictions everywhere but it is readily available for the the people who want it, even minors.

Riksta · 17-03-2010, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schnoods

Games like Postal 2 amd Manhunt 2 should never be considered fit for release.

Postal 2 was fun for a while, then it got a bit old. I can see why it got banned, but it should be ok with an R rating. Some of the humour and actions in it are a bit off, but just because I've played it doesn't mean I'm gonna go round urinating on civilians and cops "just because I saw it in a game".

yift · 14-03-2010, 05:12 PM

i hope we do get an R rating for video games here, i hate having to get banned or modified games from overseas so i can enjoy the full experience of the game.

LTDHO · 15-03-2010, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yift

i hope we do get an R rating for video games here, i hate having to get banned or modified games from overseas so i can enjoy the full experience of the game.

I had to get my GTAIV inported as I didn't want the edited Aussie one.

CFOUR · 14-03-2010, 05:19 PM

about damn time.

uranium_death · 14-03-2010, 05:30 PM

I started gaming in 1990 when I was 7. There will be people with more years XP, but I was a child who grew up with gaming when most other people would not have had access to games like Leisure Suit Larry, Police Quest, Wolfenstein 3D etc. like I did...

Over time we have seen violence in games absolutely overplayed in some people going out and causing trouble.

However, due to our nanny-country mentality, I do not see why I should lose out on full content on games intended for adults because children have access to the same games. If our games were not altered for our market, we would not even be having this discussion.

Games are a different medium of expression, much like cinema, music or literature. Gaming is one of the biggest markets in the world and is continuing to grow.

It deserves an 18+ rating just to satisfy the bureaucrats. Pity those same clowns that are against exposing children to any form of violence also oppose the 18+ rating, often due to the view that games are for kids...

Bah...

XR Martin · 14-03-2010, 11:48 PM

Modern Warfare 2 wasnt changed.
Left For Dead 2 was massively modified, and made a good game into a terrible one.
Fallout 3 only had minor changes from memory.

Riksta · 15-03-2010, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Modern Warfare 2 wasnt changed.
Left For Dead 2 was massively modified, and made a good game into a terrible one.
Fallout 3 only had minor changes from memory.

I thought I heard they had to modify one of the missions where you play undercover as a terrorist and were able to kill civilians? I heard there was uproar about it and thought they had to change it, but since I haven't played it myself I wasn't 100% sure hence the "as far as I know" at the beginning of my post.

And Fallout 3 was modified because of the "drug use". From memory, they had to change the drug that gives you more health from "morphine" to something else.

Serial_Fool · 15-03-2010, 07:26 AM

Modern Warfare 2 was released UNCUT.

Fallout 3 had a label of "morphine" for one of the in game items that you use. This was then changed to "med x" for every copy of the game released in the world. Nothing else changed.

3vXT · 15-03-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

Modern Warfare 2 was released UNCUT.

It has everything the OS copies has but i thought the 'no russian' mission was made optional unlike the rest of the missions. Remember the 'there is a mission that may offend some people, do you want to skip it? yes/no' question when the game first loads up?

Serial_Fool · 15-03-2010, 07:55 AM

On another note of censorship:

http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/339...ter_fortnight/

Fev · 15-03-2010, 09:19 AM

Yep thats what happened to it, and fair enough, that mission was pretty messed up, massacreing dozens of people in an airport terminal with M60's....

3vXT · 15-03-2010, 09:33 AM

I'm too nice, i just walked around shooting holes in the roof until the cops turned up.

Serial_Fool · 15-03-2010, 10:01 AM

The "no russian" mission was made optional in all copies of the games, not just Australia.

Serial_Fool · 15-03-2010, 08:37 PM

Wasn't on tonight, expect it sometime this week. Hopefully tomorrow.

uranium_death · 17-03-2010, 10:13 AM

On Postal 2, I love it when you have gonorrhoea. Whenever you urinated on somebody, they vomited.

Just a nice little gimmick...killing Gary Coleman was also fun.

BUT the game does get old quickly.

XR6_661 · 17-03-2010, 10:30 AM

I regards to that COD2 mission, 'No russian'

Could you imagine the uproar if it was an airport full of black/asian/middle eastern people? The game would never get released.

But it's fine to depict terrorists killing a whole bunch of caucasians?

Things like that really....*refrains from going on a Michael Richards rant*.....I feel strongly about.

Fev · 22-03-2010, 01:34 PM

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!!!

Quote:

Michael Atkinson resigns from front bench

R18+ video games are a step closer to being allowed in Australia following the resignation of South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson.

Mr Atkinson's decision to leave the front bench means he will no longer be in a position to vote on changes to the country's classification system, including the introduction of an R18+ rating for games.

The decision came after voters gave the Rann Government a kicking in last weekend's state election. Mr Atkinson won his seat of Croydon comfortably but still suffered a 14.3 per cent swing against him, according to ABC reports.

Mr Atkinson said he was stepping down so there could be "renewal" in the Government's leadership and so he could spend more time with his family, including his son Johnno.

"He was supposed to play his first (soccer) game last night at 7pm and like so many times in my time in Parliament I wasn't there," Mr Atkinson said yesterday.

"I am pretty disappointed about that.

"So I resolved that every time Johnno walks on the pitch this year his dad is going to be there even if it embarrasses the hell out of him."

Mr Atkinson has been Australia's most vocal opponent of introducing an R18+ rating for games and earlier this year claimed his family was more at risk from angry gamers than bikie gangs. (ok wtf?)

Gamers4Croydon candidate and R18+ games campaigner Kat Nicholson, who ran against Mr Atkinson, secured 3.7 per cent of the votes, ABC said.

Changes to Australia's classification system require the approval of all state and federal attorneys-general. Their next meeting is in late April.

Earlier this year the Federal Government asked for public input on the issue and received around 60,000 submissions.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Conner said the response was "staggering". A report is being prepared for the attorneys-general meeting.

Mr Atkinson, who was first elected to Parliament in 1989, said he would stay in his seat until the next state election in 2014.

Score one for us! Bring on the new discussions without this close minded moron!

Spudz27 · 22-03-2010, 05:00 PM

In regards to "no russian" I happily mowed them down, i even swapped to the pistol to put the injured ones out of their misery. Does that mean I am a sick twisted individual? I do not think so, after all I know the difference between game and reality. I will admit I felt a little guilty, but it was still fun.

As for Michael Atkinson quitting the front bench. Could be really good for us wantning an R18+, however who is to say he is not replaced by the same sort of .single minded moronic person. I will always say let adults make their own decisions, and be responsible for what your own kids do, don't leave it to everyone else. I myself only play violent games when my daughter is in bed or out of the house.

**cs123** · 22-03-2010, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDfutura25

As for Michael Atkinson quitting the front bench. Could be really good for us wantning an R18+, however who is to say he is not replaced by the same sort of .single minded moronic person.

I think the SA govt might be a little more attuned to not annoying interest groups from here on in.

XR6_661 · 22-03-2010, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDfutura25

In regards to "no russian" I happily mowed them down, i even swapped to the pistol to put the injured ones out of their misery. Does that mean I am a sick twisted individual? I do not think so, after all I know the difference between game and reality. I will admit I felt a little guilty, but it was still fun.

Haha nice work!

It means you played the level the way it was intended to be played!

Fev · 22-03-2010, 05:52 PM

Here's hoping. Never give them the benefit of the doubt though