Fallout 3 - OFLC documents
News from Yug - Thursday, 10 July 2008 @ 9:26am
An anonymous source sent me through the documentation the OFLC has provided which explains why Fallout 3 was refused classification in Australia. What I find most interesting in these documents is how they have refused classification for this game because 'Material that contains drugs use and sexual violence related to incentives and rewards is Refused Classification' and 'Material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use is Refused Classification'.
What is amazing to me, is that the reasons they have refused this game classification are comparable to soooooooo many other video games out there. How many levels in GTA IV rewarded you for a drug related mission? Is alcohol not considered a drug? What are the syringes in BioShock filled with - magic fairy dust? Hit 'view full' to read the full report.
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That's like saying "Dont blame the Judges for the sentences that are too short, they just apply the rules they're given." It's not 100% correct. They work within the guidelines set down by the Act, sure, but they also have a lot of leeway for the Board's own majority opinion to occur. The examples brought up within this thread about the games that have made it through and had supposedly 'worse' content is a perfect example.
But I will conceed the point and admit that until the classification Act is updated to reflect reality and not the scare-mongering "PROTECT THE KIDS AT ALL COST, AND DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT LETTING PARENTS DO IT!?" yelling from the idiotic groups who claim to have a vital perspective on the whole deal, we're probably going to have to take it. *shrug*
I can't say I was surprised to discover Fallout 3 got the RC rating, especially after the episode we had with GTA earlier this year. I've been cruising through the OFLC guidelines as well as Michael Atkinson's departmental site (my xbox is in the post to microsoft for RROD), and now feel compelled to contribute. Though it's been mentioned that it isn't fault of the OFLC to dismiss Fallout according to their guidelines, it has to be and has been noted that the system is redundant, hypocritical, inconsistent and backward.
Gotta say, Australian gamers are getting robbed with price mark ups on video games and hardware that's sold for a fraction of the price overseas. This classification nonsense means to me that we pay excess of the overseas price for a reduced experience. In Victoria this isn't a problem that seems to be widely recognised and that could have something to do with the fact that it continues.
Liked the part in SA Attorney Michael Atkinson's site that said he enjoyed attending the races. So if a game comes out any time soon with cruel treatment of horses we should be able to see the full version in stores.
all i have to say is that I, for one, support our new bethesda overlords. edit: also fallout 3 survival kit (amazon.com ship to usa only) comes with a pipboy. I am so get.
For those who havn't seen it yet:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36201.html
New Fallout Trailer, theres also some Gameplay footage on the same site.
All I have to say is: 'And they banned it for drug use?!?!?'
Don't sweat it Wiggett.
Family First are a sneaky bunch of fuckers who managed to score a senate seat with 2% of the primary vote at the election before the last one. They ran an extremely deceptive campaign and never once mentioned in any of their speeches or literature that they are the political wing of the Australian evangelic Christian movement (Can't be that proud of their roots if they never talk about 'em).
On top of that they managed to stitch up all sorts of preference deals which allowed them to translate that 2% into a 6 year senate seat. Which as of 1 July allows them to share the balance of power with the Greens (, that will be a shit fight, Bob Brown and Steven Fielding hate each other).
