Fallout 3 refused classification

[Bloody Tears]

There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of shit in this day and age. Again, this is not a third world country, nor are we under dictatorship, but it’s easy to see why many would suggest as much.

First off, giving a single man the power (one who, lets face it, is about as bright as green turd, and just as appealing) to dictate what media over 20 million people are allowed to have in their homes is so ridiculously wrong it’s difficult to comprehend. What ever happened to majority wins? You know, there’s a reason everyone else voted “Yes” for the R rating...

I don’t think they should go to the trouble of releasing it here if it’s going to be neutered. It would be a complete waste of time, and I applaud the developers for not taking this route. The more this kind of thing happens, the more press it’ll get, resulting in an overhaul of the stone-age system currently in place. At least that’s what I like to think...

[franky573]

[Benza]

[TheAnswer]

[franky573]

[Fetidchimp]

[Winter]

Theres an interview with one of the devs over at IGN. It states the use of drugs and drug addiction as a "key gameplay device." - I'm guessing that’s the problem. If it is, I'm not sure Bethesda can just call the drug 'happy happy life juice' and re-submit for classification to side step the issue.

Its stupid though, I dunno how BF:Bad Company got through unscathed - I mean you're shooting up morphine every 30 secs in that game lol... even in Bioshock you're walking around with a syringe in one hand ready to give yerself a shot. Even Pacman is an elicit drug user, pops a pill then turns into a psycho.

Ugh. I'll wait to see how this pans out, but I think I'll be canceling my preorder and importing a UK copy. I've had no trouble getting my last 3 GTA games this way.

[Itachi]

[Skiller]

Drug use can't be the issue, the fallout collection is available as MA15+ and that had heaps of durg use and promotion of drug use... then again as people mentioned the OFLC is hardly likely to be consistant.

[Fetidchimp]

Probably because of the graphical limitations, which to me makes it even stupider, because i imagine what they are doing in my head then, making it far more personal than if it just goes past your eyes as a graphical representation.
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kill, kill, kill.....the white man. Kill the white man, kill

[eckymosis]

I think the potential metal and psychological damage/anguish from Australian gamers from hearing and the reaction of the news of Fallout 3 being banned by the OFLC will be greater than the metal/psychological effects from the violence, drug use etc. if the game was actually released. OFLC you say you’re trying to protect the Australian public? I think you’ve just doomed a few souls with this ridiculous decision.
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[RichieT23]

This is an absolute joke. When is something going to be done about our antiquated ratings system?

[Jonno100]

I cannot believe it, the one game i thought the Australian Government would let through without being touched has now been BANNED??? Thats a big word. "Banned". In case they dont know, Banned means noone in Australia will be able to buy it, without going to online means of purchase. This is crap, and has got to stop.

MAKE THE CATAGORIE R 18+ AVAILABLE
STOP RUINING IT FOR US. THINK IT THROUGH.

.:Jonno:.
P.S, Same story with GTA IV. Starting to see a pattern?

[lapzod]

[Benc82]

Well I am going to play this game no matter what as its my most anticipated this year, sad that this means I most liekly wont be playing it on day one.

Wouldnt surprise me if they edit it though, as they will be missing out on a fair bit of cash if Australia dont get it. I know we are a lot smaller than US, Europe etc, but its still money they could be making for a game that took years to make.
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XBL/PSN/Steam: BenC82

[lapzod]

[Benza]

Honestly yeah, I've gotta feel bad for the OFLC in this. They don't make the laws only enforce them.
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[Gamesta]

I read that it was RC because the main character uses Morphine as a stimulant.
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Welcome to the internet. Where any joke can turn into WWIII.

[JP2daMC]

I think you're right on the money lapzod. Blaming the OFLC or the Government is not the point.

As for the graffiti debate, someone has already said it, but the difference between the Mark Echo and GTA 3:SA was that the Mark Echo game featured real illegal graf artists and basically gave players a manual on how to do illegal graffiti.

Also, someone mentioned Carmageddon, but wasn't that game banned in Australia for wahile?

Back on the drugs thing - I think it's more about the context that the actual drug. Someone mentioned a point where there is bong smoking in GTA. That's not relevant because that scene was in context and doesn't particularly glamorise drug taking. Nor do the missions about stealing drugs. It's more about whether the player can see the injection of drugs and whether those drugs have side effects on the player, or just improve their performance. I haven't played Bioshock, so I don't know the context of drug taking in that.

On the issue of limb severing - people have raised the issue of inconsistency. From what I can tell, it's down to torture and impact and whether the enemies are human. For example, in Dark Sector, removing the limb of a human sees them scream in agony and clutch at their bleeding stump for a couple of seconds before they die, which is much more impactful than a headshot where the head explodes. Even limb severing in Gears of War is just violent rather than enemies being in pain and being tortured. In Dark Sector, you can also get a close up of the violence in slow-mo if you use a certain weapon.

So yes, I'm defending the OFLC because they only work within the rules they have and can't change them. They also always give a reason for their decisions, so they are really doing all they can while ther eisn't an R rating.
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“Committed to gaming mediocrity and no platinum trophies.”

[Skiller]

The reason revealed:
http://www.australiangamer.com/news/1161_fallout_3_-_oflc_documents.html

[JP2daMC]

Gamesta - that is what I heard also. So if the player had no side effects from constant morphine use (which is a very addictive drug) the OFLC probabaly suggests it glamorises drug taking.

I think it should be pretty easy for the developer to censor the game so the morphine becomes penicillin or something. If that is all the game needs to pass, I think it's a pretty minor change.
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“Committed to gaming mediocrity and no platinum trophies.”

[JP2daMC]

Thanks Skiller - well we havn't even touched on sexual violence. I remember in GTA they cut the part where you could visit a prostitute and then kill her and get your money back. Which I thought was fair enough.

If this game features any rewards for sexual violence, I have no sympathy for it. Surely none of us wants to see a game where you can abuse a woman (or man) sexually and get rewarded for it without consequences? I think that's a point I'd hate to see crossed in games.
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“Committed to gaming mediocrity and no platinum trophies.”

[Fetidchimp]

^ you can do that in gta iv, you are rewarded for it also. I have doubts that bethesda would have actual sexual abuse in it. Have you actually played any of these games or did you read about it ??

And sorry i totally blame the oflc in this instance for total inconsistency, and i have said it once i will say it again, i am a 34 year old fucking man, i don't need them to tuck me into my fucking jammies at nigh nigh time.

Also the people you shoot in GTA IV, once again, writhe in pain, beg you not to shoot them and tell you they have a wife and kids. So stop giving me this crap about writhing enemies.

Bollocks.

I realise the people at the OFLC are slighlty sane, but they are still gloriously incosistent.
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kill, kill, kill.....the white man. Kill the white man, kill

[Benza]

[cmdwedge]