# Fallout 3 Banned in Australia



## LordWibble (Jul 9, 2008)

Well, it's official. The OFLC are 'tards. Fallout 3 has been refused classification, which means Australia is either not getting the game, or one with content removed. LONG LIVE IMPORTING!!!

For more information about the ban, click here.


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## JAK3ST3RB (Jul 10, 2008)

that retarded


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## Wolf_Fox_Guy (Jul 10, 2008)

NOES!!!!...this is horrible, how could they.....why do I care I dont live there.....thought I hope they change their minds. what would be so objectionable about it?


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## Tudd (Jul 10, 2008)

Japan's been censoring games for a while now... Resistance, The Darkness... Both censored for gore.


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## Werevixen (Jul 10, 2008)

It's the high road to pussification to be honest, outlawing violence...


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## ZeeDog (Jul 10, 2008)

Like all stupidity, this is based on faulty philosophy. It doesn't matter how much violence you consume, weapons you know how to use, etc, it's about the principles that guide you, and the integrity to follow them through. Instead of banning violent materials, they should be teaching their kids real values, and not some mushy feel good crap.


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## Lukar (Jul 11, 2008)

Tudd said:


> Japan's been censoring games for a while now... Resistance, The Darkness... Both censored for gore.



Japan? Censoring _gore_ of all things? That's kinda retarded, since they have PS2 games where the enemies are women with breasts that are three times the size of their heads.

Seriously, they have a game like that. Just look through old episodes of X-Play, and you'll eventually find it.

Anyways, Fallout 3 getting banned is dumb. I don't like racing games (much), but I'd still get pissed if I lived in Australia.


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## LordWibble (Jul 11, 2008)

Believe it or not, they would have happily released the game featuring that level of violence under a 15+ rating (the highest possible rating in Australia), it was the drugs. The little icons showing a pipe, pill, syringe etc. coupled with morphine use were deemed to be 'too realistic'. Apparently the fact it shows withdrawal symptoms and addiction are worse than if you were to take the drugs with no ill effect. Our censors suck. Incidentally, the first two games were released here under an M rating (our equivalent to an American T).


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## Giles_F_Ahrun (Jul 12, 2008)

At least you don't live in Brazil where they bans Counter Strike, Blood, Duke Nukem 3D and Bully (believe or not)... -.-

Baning Bully... now this is epic retarded....


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## TheGreatCrusader (Jul 12, 2008)

Giles_F_Ahrun said:


> At least you don't live in Brazil where they bans Counter Strike, Blood, Duke Nukem 3D and Bully (believe or not)... -.-
> 
> Baning Bully... now this is epic retarded....


Jack Thompson tried to ban it in the US using 'content' that he claims was in the game but never existed.


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## Giles_F_Ahrun (Jul 12, 2008)

Here they banned because of the portrayal of the teachers in this game among other things...


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## TheGreatCrusader (Jul 12, 2008)

Giles_F_Ahrun said:


> Here they banned because of the portrayal of the teachers in this game among other things...


What a bunch of pussies...

Seriously, I feel bad for you gamers down under. You get EVERY game last, you have to pay more for games, many games are banned for you...


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## PROSTSHOCKERERER (Jul 12, 2008)

Fallout3 should bring back the ability to kill children

ouh hoh hoh


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## Eevee (Jul 12, 2008)

wow australia is pretty fucking stupid

also I fail to see how "drugs make you dumb and can slowly kill you if you don't keep taking them" is encouraging anything


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## Samoya_Wulf (Jul 14, 2008)

LordWibble said:


> Well, it's official. The OFLC are 'tards. Fallout 3 has been refused classification, which means Australia is either not getting the game, or one with content removed. LONG LIVE IMPORTING!!!
> 
> For more information about the ban, click here.


Wow that does suck Fallout is a awesome game nothing should be left out of it


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## TheGreatCrusader (Jul 14, 2008)

Now I REALLY feel bad after seeing the gameplay footage that was shown at E3. You guys are FUCKED.


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## Xaerun (Jul 15, 2008)

Plain and simple: Fuck that shit. Hello, eBay.


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## LordWibble (Jul 16, 2008)

eBay? eBay? This. Is. *PLAYASIA*!!!!!


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## Alex Saab (Jul 16, 2008)

Lukar, I don't think Fallout 3 is a racing game.

But that could be a misinterpretation of what you said.

In other news: Sucks to be you, Aussies. Your women have hot accents.
That is all.


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## Lobar (Jul 16, 2008)

PROSTSHOCKERERER said:


> Fallout3 should bring back the ability to kill children
> 
> ouh hoh hoh



1. Set timer on plastic explosives
2. Use "Steal" to plant them in _their_ inventory
3. ???
4. PROFIT.


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## LordWibble (Sep 12, 2008)

Epic bump time! Well, you can thank our ratings board for the fact that the game will now be censored everywhere. That's right, thanks to the stupid, outdated ratings board of a crappy country, the entire world gets a censored game. Go us?

Link town:
http://www.edge-online.com/news/censors-force-fallout-3-changes
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54651
http://ps3.qj.net/Bethesda-Everybody-will-get-the-same-exact-version-of-Fallout-3/pg/49/aid/123817
http://au.ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/fallout-3/908946p1.html


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## kitetsu (Sep 12, 2008)

Well, what can you do with draconian game censorship these days, anyway? Just hope that the gameplay would make people forget about censorship of a small game detail.


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 12, 2008)

I don't know whether to cry or laugh. People, are you in some way mentally retarded or what?

A *single* item name was changed, from Morphine to Med-X. A minor, inconsequential change of a _single_ text string. Jeez, grow the fuck up.

Besides, Fallout FPS is a spin-off, not a proper sequel, so nothing of value was lost.


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## LordWibble (Sep 12, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> A *single* item name was changed, from Morphine to Med-X. A minor, inconsequential change of a _single_ text string. Jeez, grow the fuck up.



Wanna bet? According to the OFLC, that wasn't the only thing they took issue with. There were also interface features and animations they disagreed with. In addition, the edited version has "reward and incentive for drug use" removed. Sound like just a name change to you?


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## Ashkihyena (Sep 13, 2008)

Even if it was a small name change, that's still censoring, and honestly, this is just BS IMO.  Its a game, nothing more, and yet, countries go crazy about them.


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## Seratuhl (Sep 13, 2008)

Tudd said:


> Japan's been censoring games for a while now... Resistance, The Darkness... Both censored for gore.



No, they censored it because it was too _western grimdark_ for their stupid animu loving culture.


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## Eevee (Sep 13, 2008)

um _what_

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserk_(manga)


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## Seratuhl (Sep 13, 2008)

Eevee said:


> um _what_
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserk_(manga)



Only if it's animu or has striking resemblances ( aesthetically or not ) to some animu , they won't ban it. The Japanese are overtly nationalistic over their media items...


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 13, 2008)

LordWibble said:


> Wanna bet? According to the OFLC, that wasn't the only thing they took issue with. There were also interface features and animations they disagreed with. In addition, the edited version has "reward and incentive for drug use" removed. Sound like just a name change to you?



I'm gonna take the developer's world over the word of others. 

The only thing the Australian board was against (or rather, one fundie member of it) was the drug. It was changed. So what?


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 13, 2008)

[ Double post, stupid connection problems ]


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## LordWibble (Sep 13, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> I'm gonna take the developer's world over the word of others.
> 
> The only thing the Australian board was against (or rather, one fundie member of it) was the drug. It was changed. So what?



Morphine, drug icons, accompanying animations and reward and incentive for drug use. There were multiple issues raised, and I think the developer's just saying that's all they changed since that's just a cosmetic difference.


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 13, 2008)

LordWibble said:


> Morphine, drug icons, accompanying animations and reward and incentive for drug use. There were multiple issues raised, and I think the developer's just saying that's all they changed since that's just a cosmetic difference.



Err, no. Obviously, you don't know anything about the game if you quote those "issues". 

Bethesda changed only the name. That's all. Icons remain unchanged (they are stylised and based on those from Fallout, which are entirely fictional), there are absolutely no animations accompanying drug ingestion, since it happens on inventory-level, just like in TES, not to mention that the system is so primitive it's hard to dumb it down even further.

Funnily, nobody got worked up over Fallout 1, which shown drug use realistically, including addictions, withdrawals and abuse effects.

Here's what Bethesda stated:



			
				Pete Hines said:
			
		

> *An issue was raised concerning references to real world, proscribed drugs in the game*, and we subsequently removed those references and replaced them with fictional names. To avoid confusion among people in different territories, we decided to make those substitutions in all versions of the game, in all territories. [...] Hines stated, â€œI didn't want people continuing to assume the version in Australia was some altered version when it's not. [...] There are no references to real world drugs in any version of Fallout 3.


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## LordWibble (Sep 13, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> Bethesda changed only the name. That's all.



Bethesda _allege_ that's all they change. It may well be PR bullshit.

From the OFLC report (via Kotaku) : 





> According to the OFLC, the incentives and rewards for their use have been "removed".



So either the OFLC's talking out of their arse or Bethesda are.


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 13, 2008)

OFLC. Do you honestly believe any of them actually played the game?


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## Armaetus (Sep 13, 2008)

Politicians are a bunch of pussies, enough said.


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## LordWibble (Sep 14, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> OFLC. Do you honestly believe any of them actually played the game?



They don't play the games. It's up to the developer to provide all the information necessary for them to make a choice. So based on the demonstration that Bethesda provided them, the OFLC made the decision that there were numerous issues that went beyond a 15+ rating.


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## Dyluck (Sep 14, 2008)

Fallout is far too gritty and real for those Aussie puss bags. Everyone knows Australians are softies.


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 14, 2008)

Meh, Fallout 3 is a dumbed-down, console-friendly version of the original Fallout. Don't expect even remotely the same level of maturity as in the originals.



> They don't play the games. It's up to the developer to provide all the information necessary for them to make a choice. So based on the demonstration that Bethesda provided them, the OFLC made the decision that there were numerous issues that went beyond a 15+ rating.



Which were fixed with the change of a single string and the presentation of the game itself. The issue was with *existing, prescribed* drugs, not the fictional ones.


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## Armaetus (Sep 14, 2008)

David M. Awesome said:


> Fallout is far too gritty and real for those Aussie puss bags. Everyone knows Australians are softies.



So are Germans! Makes me disgraced to be of German descent and they pull shit censoring shit there when they have corporophila/phagia porn there.


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## Eevee (Sep 14, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> Meh, Fallout 3 is a dumbed-down, console-friendly version of the original Fallout. Don't expect even remotely the same level of maturity as in the originals.


we shall see

so far I am at least impressed enough to be willing to buy it



Mikael Grizzly said:


> Which were fixed with the change of a single string and the presentation of the game itself. The issue was with *existing, prescribed* drugs, not the fictional ones.


cool but I am still fairly pissed that a censoring board over in bumfuck nowhere is dicking up *my game* here

I understand the rationale of keeping it consistent but uh

_fuck australia_


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## Bokracroc (Sep 15, 2008)

Eevee said:


> cool but I am still fairly pissed that a censoring board over in bumfuck nowhere is dicking up *my game* here
> 
> I understand the rationale of keeping it consistent but uh
> 
> _fuck australia_



No. Fuck Michael Atkinson.
One man.

One man caused all of this.


A few months ago he was the only man to not allow a R18+ rating on Games. To pass it, it needed everyone to agree.

One old man living in his own 'happy land'. One man.

And all he needs is to be at the top of one good set of stairs >.>


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## Eevee (Sep 15, 2008)

no, fuck australia for having a legally-backed ratings system capable of automatically banning games in the first place

australia is full of this backwoods braindead sort of censorship as far as I can tell, which makes it a pervasive problem rather than one dude abusing power; the power should not exist in that form in the first place


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 15, 2008)

Why shouldn't it?


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## lilEmber (Sep 15, 2008)

You guys can use PAL or NTSC, depending what console you have just get a North American, or European friend to send it out to ya, Hell I'll do it from Canada if you pay for it, I can't wait for this game ^..^


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## Ashkihyena (Sep 15, 2008)

NewfDraggie said:


> You guys can use PAL or NTSC, depending what console you have just get a North American, or European friend to send it out to ya, Hell I'll do it from Canada if you pay for it, I can't wait for this game ^..^



Actually, the game is getting changed everywhere due to that Atkinson asshole.  He pretty much sounds like the Australian Jack Thompson, though unfortunately, that butthole actually has power, and the rest of the world has to suffer due to it.


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## Mikael Grizzly (Sep 15, 2008)

For fuck's sake.

A _single_ text string people.

Stop crying wolf you pussies.


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## Eevee (Sep 15, 2008)

I don't care that a text string was changed; I care _why_ it was changed

the extent of the ends does not justify the means


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## Ashkihyena (Sep 15, 2008)

Mikael Grizzly said:


> For fuck's sake.
> 
> A _single_ text string people.
> 
> Stop crying wolf you pussies.



Stop supporting censoring then.


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## LordWibble (Sep 16, 2008)

IF IT WAS A SINGLE TEXT STRING THEN WHY DID THE OFLC SPOKESPERSON SAY THAT REWARD AND INCENTIVE FOR DRUG USE (not just use of a proscribed drug) WAS REMOVED?

Besides, if Beth tell us that they only changed a single text string, there's no way that anyone can prove them wrong now. I see a mod changing Med-X back to morphine being put on the internet mere days post-release, so the PC version at least is going to be more or less immune to this bullshit.


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## Bokracroc (Sep 16, 2008)

Eevee said:


> no, fuck australia for having a legally-backed ratings system capable of automatically banning games in the first place
> 
> australia is full of this backwoods braindead sort of censorship as far as I can tell, which makes it a pervasive problem rather than one dude abusing power; the power should not exist in that form in the first place


Books and film are interfered very little compared to games.
The whole 'Gaming and the OFLC board' is dumb and inconsistent. Mark Echo was banned for it's graffiti but Jet Set Radio (and Future) passed through no problems.
Wait what?


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## Kyra (Sep 16, 2008)

tactically blowing peoples limbs off is gonna be great


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## Dyluck (Sep 16, 2008)

I like to go for the groin shot to knock them to the ground, which gives me a 99% accuracy rating for my next shot, which will be aimed straight at their eyes for massive damage.


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## LordWibble (Sep 16, 2008)

I'm more a fan of limbs. Can't hit me if you've got no arm, bitch.


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## Dyluck (Sep 16, 2008)

They also can't hit me if they're writhing on the ground, or if they're blind. Groin shots have the highest success rates aside from torso shots, so they're better to go for from long range or if your accuracy is low.


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## LordWibble (Sep 16, 2008)

Only if you've got piss-poor perception. I'm like level four and I've got 76% chance of hitting a limb form a medium distance.


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## Dyluck (Sep 16, 2008)

Those are pretty shitty odds when your level is still so low that everything can kick your ass. I'd bet you'd get a 90-95% or so for groin shots.


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## LordWibble (Sep 16, 2008)

Not really. I'm playing a diplomacy heavy char, so I'm rarely in fights to begin with, and by the time someone gets in knife distance, I've already had four shots at him. With a 3/4 chance of hitting, that's more or less fight over.


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## Dyluck (Sep 16, 2008)

75% doesn't mean 3/4 for the player in video games. :roll: If you're lucky you'll get a 50/50 chance with those odds.


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## LordWibble (Sep 16, 2008)

Nonetheless, four shots before they even get to move. And I've found that the stats and percentages in Fallout are pretty accurate.

On a semi-related note, anyone here played Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura? It's basically the spiritual successor to fallout. And marks the only time I've ever seen the word vasectomy used in a videogame.


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## Eevee (Sep 16, 2008)

Bokracroc said:


> Books and film are interfered very little compared to games.


was thinking of the Internet.  as I understand it, explicit porn may not be hosted in Australia and hosters or ISPs will be told to remove it


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## Ashkihyena (Sep 16, 2008)

Eevee said:


> was thinking of the Internet.  as I understand it, explicit porn may not be hosted in Australia and hosters or ISPs will be told to remove it



Wow, I may not agree with you on this site, but that I will agree with if its true, that's pretty damn bad.


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## psion (Sep 18, 2008)

LordWibble said:


> Besides, if Beth tell us that they only changed a single text string, there's no way that anyone can prove them wrong now. I see a mod changing Med-X back to morphine being put on the internet mere days post-release, so the PC version at least is going to be more or less immune to this bullshit.



Yeah, this may also be the first Fallout that welcomes user created content (take that however you will.)

And Mikael, aren't you also on No Mutants Allowed?


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## Kyra (Sep 18, 2008)

is it already out in america or something
cant wait for this game i'll probably nuke every town i go to if they annoy me in the slightest


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## Bokracroc (Sep 18, 2008)

David M. Awesome said:


> I like to go for the groin shot to knock them to the ground, which gives me a 99% accuracy rating for my next shot, which will be aimed straight at their eyes for massive damage.


I thought Fallout 3 won't have groin shots in it.



Eevee said:


> was thinking of the Internet.  as I understand it, explicit porn may not be hosted in Australia and hosters or ISPs will be told to remove it


Where did you pick this up from? I have no idea if it's true or not either. I know child pornography isn't allowed though.


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## Dyluck (Sep 19, 2008)

Bokracroc said:


> I thought Fallout 3 won't have groin shots in it.



Well fuck.


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## Eevee (Sep 19, 2008)

Bokracroc said:


> Where did you pick this up from? I have no idea if it's true or not either. I know child pornography isn't allowed though.


I vaguely recall hearing it from some Aussie a while back, and Wikipedia's somewhat convoluted explanation can be interpreted to agree.

Hm.  I might be not-quite-right, looking at other articles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Australia#The_Internet
"If it is found that a) the material would be classified R18+ or X18+, and the site does not have an adult verification system, or b) the material would be refused classification: If the site is hosted in Australia, the ACMA is empowered to issue a â€œtakedown noticeâ€ under which the material must be removed from the site."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Australia#Feature_films
"The â€œX18+â€ rating is restricted to people over 18. It can apply to all types of genre, not just depict explicit non-simulated sexual activity, however all activity must involve only adults in terms of the performersâ€™ age and the perceived age of the characters, must not demean any of the participants, and must not involve the depiction of â€œsexual fetishes such as golden shower(s), application of candle wax, spanking, or fistingâ€."





Okay, I see what the problem is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_status_of_Internet_pornography#Australia
"Internet pornography will be prohibited if it falls within the â€˜RCâ€™ or â€˜X18+â€™ classifications or, for content hosted in Australia that is not restricted by an adult verification procedure, if it falls within the â€˜R18+â€™ classification."

There's a comma missing here and it's an awkward sentence anyway.  I parsed it hella wrong.  :V  My bad.


So, better, but still not great.  The former article says that sites aren't generally actively policed.  On the other hand, anything beyond what would be okay in a movie is still legally banned, *and* they are working on _mandatory_ Internet filtering at the source that you would have to opt out of: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm


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## Bokracroc (Sep 20, 2008)

Eevee said:


> *and* they are working on _mandatory_ Internet filtering at the source that you would have to opt out of: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm


They've been trying to pull this type of thing off for god-knows how long. It's never gotten far.


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## ADF (Sep 20, 2008)

[wrong thread]


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