dfcentre Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I am writing to you guys and girls in an attempt to raise awareness of an issue that's been bothering Australian gamers for too long. This years election is the best time to try and put pressure on both sides of politics to change what is a waste of taxpayers money. It is also detrimental to the gaming industry in this country, and its image. You may be aware of the videogame ratings in this country, if not please read. The OFLC cannot give R18+ ratings to games and therefore they have to be banned from the country. Now, the first thing to address when it comes to the rating system for interactive entertainment is that studies around the world confirm that there are more gamers OVER the age of 19 than there are gamers UNDER 19. Videogames have grown up. Videogames have the potential to be as influencial as film as a form of art but how can we expect to see this media mature into a valid artform if it isn't recognised that mature games do exist. The US and UK both have an R18 rating for games... and guess what, developers avoid producing R18 games because they simply don't sell well. They avoid R18 like a plague because retailers simply don't like stocking R18 games! The REAL flaw in the Office of Film and Literatures absense of an R18 rating arises when a game like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is slapped with a M15+ in Australia when in the US it recieved a 17+ rating. In the UK it received an R18 rating. Australia is supposed to use the same UK rating but the government wastes resources inadequately RErating these titles. Australians are being duped into believing that we have a very strong system that should ban the sale of R18 games... but in reality kids are even more suseptible because those R18 games are being sold as 15+ games. Adding insult to injury the OFLC didn't even stipulate in its rating that San Andreas contained Drug Use or Sexual References which is strange because in the game you pick up hookers and "drill them" in your car! Until we have a proper rating system these games are going to fly into Australia under the rader and children will have MORE access to these adult games. Do we really want teens playing adult games? The independant Electronic Software Ratings Board are more than competent when it comes to games classifications. Why should an Australian government body undermine the judgment of an organization that is far more rigorous and qualified in the area of video games classifications than they are? Instead of wasting valuable resources REclassifying video games, the OFLC should be trying to make it more difficult for minors to get the mature software. Not by banning or censoring, which are a short-term, knee-jerk "burn the books" reactions, but instead forcing retailers who stock R18+ games to have them on a shelf close to, or directly behind the counter, entitled, "MATURE 18+ TITLES" so that store attendants can ensure that only adults view the content. Television advertising should also be restricted to the appropriate timeslot (ie. after 10pm). Even the industry itself is trying to fix the problem, with tighter rating guidelines for developers and child locks on gaming consoles. Regardless, there has been no concrete evidence that playing violent games makes a child violent at all. Two years ago I sent an emial to the Prime Minister. Philip Ruddock sent me a reply basically saying he wasn't convinced that these games wouldn't be consumed by minors. This is a poor excuse. Why aren't R18+ movies then banned? Such movies could be watched by children too... if there parents are dumb enough to let them. If someone offers their child the opportunity to watch R18 movies or pornography is that not an offense? Why should interactive entertainment be looked at any differently. In October this year the next installment of the highly popular and acclaimed Grand Theft Auto franchise will be released, GTAIV. I fear that such an regulations will ban such an incredibly anticipated story from being told in Australia and this saddens me and I'm sure many others will feel the same way. Games are no longer just for kids and by banning a game due to adult content the OFLC is deluding the Australian public into thinking that they are. The sooner the government adopts an adult rating the sooner gamers and their parents will know exactly what they are buying. It is MORE dangerous and costly to have the OFLC RErating games and Australian consumers should not be restricted from accessing certain titles due to a stigma that "videogames are bad". They are an artform like any other. The sooner we acknoledge that the sooner we can progress as a nation. Thankyou for reading this everyone. I would encourage you to send copies of this to various government figures if you do agree. You don't need to add further to this thread if you do agree. But if you do send some emails to people please list those people and their contact details so others can do the same. Thanks and goodluck. Darunio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strike911 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I did read it and I don't live in Australia, but hell, that would piss me off if I did live there. Good luck in your cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Dog Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 HEY. What the hell man!? He said I shouldn't read it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 What's so difficult about using "A-O" and "M"? I know America isn't the be all-end all for everything, but we do have one of the most concise and descriptive ratings systems for video games. It can't possibly be that hard to understand "E-C", "E", "E 10+", "T", "M" and "A-O" for games. Each one's pretty clearly defined, and each one has a myriad of extra descriptors to add for more info. Why do other countries feel the need to muck this concept up by over-simplifying it to the point of the system not working well anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfcentre Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 ^Exactly, thanks guys for the support. If you like, contact a government rep(s) that might be able to help. Heres a link to a list. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/memlist.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 So which one's Australia using... This one, or this one? I like the "Fear" icon in the second group myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfcentre Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 So which one's Australia using...This one, or this one? I like the "Fear" icon in the second group myself Thanks for that link. The PEGI is much better than the OFLC. At the end of the day though we could easily use the ESRB ratings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tael Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 The original post is a complete mess! The facts: 1. We use the OFLC ratings, because we adapted our movie ratings to suit video games. 2. We use a government-run ratings board simply because it keeps us from having a bunch of angry, moronic parents claiming that industry self-regulation doesn't work. 3. Manhunt is the only game worth playing that has been banned here (the rating was reviewed six months after release due to a media frenzy and the game was banned, but sales of the game were pretty much dead and it was already in the bargain bins). 4. No GTA game has actually suffered for the minor content changes that were made (they only took out the ability to sleep with hookers, the game isn't broken because of that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiremanJoe Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Glad I stopped by, this is incredibly pertinent to my Personal Interest Project for Society & Culture class. (If anyone's got any resources on the topic of videogame violence they could share, it'd be much appreciated ) I agree with dfcentre, and what Tael says is true too - but regardless of what has happened to games in the past, we need to accommodate for new games in the future. Unless we do, things won't move forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunnowhathuh Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 To be honest, it seems we Aussies don't really know what we find offensive anymore. Take a look at Lara Bingle and the "Where the bloody hell are you?" campaign (google it or something if you dunno what I'm talking about). The Brits don't seem too happy but we're all fine and dandy with it. We move on over to games and we see a flipside to things - people complaining across the board about mature content in games their kids are playing. Personally, I'll start giving a rat's ass once they consider banning a game I'm actually interested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V___ Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Dont really care... there are always other means of procuring games that are banned in a country. Like imports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watkinzez Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 A streamlined ratings system is something I would be in favour of- and to the OFLC's credit, they were changed to become more in line with film ratings in Australia (G8+ became PG, labels are now identical). It's just the discretion with the R rating between the two mediums that I have issue with. The more lenient evaluation with San Andreas et al I have no objection to- really, barring 15 year olds from playing those games seems more like pandering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tael Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Take a look at Lara Bingle and the "Where the bloody hell are you?" campaign (google it or something if you dunno what I'm talking about). The Brits don't seem too happy but we're all fine and dandy with it. We move on over to games and we see a flipside to things - people complaining across the board about mature content in games their kids are playing.I think you need a lesson in how the media works. They want people to buy newspapers/watch TV/listen to the radio, so they're going to over-represent whatever public viewpoint that will attract the biggest audience. Hence we have lots of news stories about game violence being bad/evil/wrong and how the Brits don't like a tourism ad. It is not that which is right that gets the most media coverage, it's whatever sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Attack Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Okay, I've read it...and I can't really say it's something that I personally take issue with as I'm not normally interested in higher rated games anyway. Regardless though, I still think it's important that the medium get the treatment it deserves. Central to this problem seems to be the outdated perception that video games are a kids only pursuit, which you can kinda see in a response someone on another forum got after they sent of a letter to the OFLC: Due to the concerns of the 'interactive' nature of computer games and the impact on, and potential for harm to, minors, MA15+ is the highest classification. Censorship Ministers are aware of research into game-playing trends in Australia, including findings that indicate support for an R18+ classification for computer games. However, decisions on significant classification policy issues such as this must be agreed unanimously by the Australian, State and Territory Censorship Ministers. I can't help but feel regardless of the information on gaming trends they've been given, that there's still that same kiddy perception among the ministers. Go here for the full letter: http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12170&start=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazygecko Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 What's so difficult about using "A-O" and "M"? Because then the video marketing would be oversaturated with guys saying "rated M for mature" using that lame trailer voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tael Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I can't help but feel regardless of the information on gaming trends they've been given, that there's still that same kiddy perception among the ministers. Can you blame them though? Video games may have mature content, but you can't really say it's presented in a mature fashion. Video games need to show that they're not simply as mindless as a film directed by Michael Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunnowhathuh Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I think you need a lesson in how the media works. They want people to buy newspapers/watch TV/listen to the radio, so they're going to over-represent whatever public viewpoint that will attract the biggest audience. Hence we have lots of news stories about game violence being bad/evil/wrong and how the Brits don't like a tourism ad. It is not that which is right that gets the most media coverage, it's whatever sells. Excuse me for not adding the part about media exaggeration. Despite this, there is some truth behind what they say. People have complained about the ad and people have complained about violent video games. I'm well aware that a tonne of Brits dropped by the Aussie tourism site after seeing the ad but this doesn't change the fact that the British decided to ban the ad. Whether this is what the majority of the public thinks or what the minority thinks, it doesn't matter. Like you said, whatever gets coverage will win and ultimately people who know less about the issue at hand will believe what they see in the media. Because of this, parents are obviously annoyed at how the rating system works, even the ones who have never seen the games in question. Like I said before, I couldn't care less if the rating system were left as it is as they I wouldn't have played the stuff they've banned or considered banning in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Orichalcon Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I don't really understand the ratings system here, how easy it would be to change such a thing. Australia's always had a problem with censorship. We need a new liberal government to swing in so we can get a less old-fashioned and less blindly-Christian stance on censorship. People's rights and such. If they'd simply allow 18+ games to sell in Australia, I'm sure they'd find they have a large target audience willing to buy. The problem is simply censorship. People in power with blind Christian ideals deciding what the rest of the country should and shouldn't be allowed to see/play/use. Sounds kind of like a nazi regime, doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tael Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I'm well aware that a tonne of Brits dropped by the Aussie tourism site after seeing the ad but this doesn't change the fact that the British decided to ban the ad.I think you missed the point, which is that Australian opinion of the ad was never really gauged (they got a few sound bytes and quotes from famous people, but that's about it), so you can't really say Australia wouldn't ban the ad, but would ban violent video games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuRe-eViL Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 i'd guess that half the time, it's not even parents who are complaining - but some lame group of activists or whatever. i don't understand what's so hard about it, cigarettes/alcohol are rated 18+ (=P), but they're freely available to those who provide ID. hell, i look like i'm 30 (actually 21 ), but when i go out to get a pack of smokes for my dad - they ask for ID. so there's the selling of adult games covered. and if a 12 year old comes home smoking, parents are probably gonna do something about it - am i right? what the hell is so different about games? if you don't like what your child plays, then take it away and put it on ebay. do some research, watch videos, and don't let them get it in the first place if you don't approve. basically, we're so retarded that we're handling the same rating in 2 different ways. why...? things would be so much better if the world were run by people who actually knew what the eff they were doing. what are the chances that our censorhip ministers used to be ministers for something totally unrelated >_> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPaladin Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I find it funny that sleeping with hookers was removed in GTA. In Australia, prostitution is legal in at least some states. So it is wrong for a game to feature the legal, consensual act of paid sex, yet it is entirely okay for the same game to feature murder, theft, and everything else it does? Someone has f**** up priorities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfcentre Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 i'd guess that half the time, it's not even parents who are complaining - but some lame group of activists or whatever. They are called bureaucrats and they are the same retarded people who try to stop us celebrating ANZAC day because they think it creates racial division or some bullsh*t. These pethetic people are too bored and fill there time trying to run other peoples lives. Last week I emailed Kevin Rudd. Yesterday I emailed Simon Crean, today I emailed Peter Garret. I think Mr Garret would be a great activist, since he was the lead singer in Midnight Oil, (wasn't he?) If you guys truely want to make a difference send a letter to the pollies ASAP, that way they can make a case during the election period and force the government to act or risk being voted against. They DO read them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMage Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Ah, I remember the heady days of Mortal Kombat and Night Trap, and the big hoo-hah that was raised over it. Yes, our society has certainly turned completely immoral because of that! EDIT: Garrett (aside from having an awesome name) would probably be the only one who'd give a damn. And really, with the way Crean just constantly opened his mouth and jammed the collective feet of whoever was around him in it, it's possibly not the best option to bring him in. Better yet, have him come in as opposing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tael Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I find it funny that sleeping with hookers was removed in GTA.In Australia, prostitution is legal in at least some states. So it is wrong for a game to feature the legal, consensual act of paid sex, yet it is entirely okay for the same game to feature murder, theft, and everything else it does? Someone has f**** up priorities. It was actually because you could pay the hooker for sex, kill her and take the money back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 It was actually because you could pay the hooker for sex, kill her and take the money back. Wait... you mean that's not how it's supposed to be done in reality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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