Author Topic: australian watered down version... (Read 7985 times)

Akuen · « **Reply #15 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:03:00 AM »

of course it's not illegal... I can buy a movie in america before it's released here and it's not illegal.

kr3mlin · « **Reply #16 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:09:35 AM »

It is illegal for a store to sell a game. I reckon my order will slip through the mailing cracks no doubt

Oh here is what I wrote to my local MP

Quote

Dear Mr Thomson,

My name is Gerard Delaney and I live within your electorate in the suburb of Brunswick West. I am 22 years old and currently attending the University of Melbourne. In addition to University I also manage time for part time employment and recreational activities. I am aware that your duties in the public service are probably of more significance than what I am about to bring up but I do feel very strongly about this issue and feel the need to inform you of my concern. In addition to playing sport and going to watch live music performances I also enjoy playing video games in my spare time.

My concern is that our countries current rating system in not having a R18+ rating has become woefully out of date and no longer reflects the place that video games occupy in our society. The rapid development of video games that I have observed as I grew up has led to an industry today that is larger than that of the cinema. The new technologies employed in this medium are now capable of providing much more vivid experiences as well as telling more meaningful stories. This is similar to the development of technology in cinema where it moved from the display of simple visual illusions to the grand narratives we have come to know. I feel that the development of cinema as a storytelling medium was met with an understanding that it could tell stories that would cater to people with many different tastes and interests, one of which could result in a film being given a R18+ rating.

As an adult gamer I feel that games are now able to engage with me on levels that suit my own maturity. I have become aware just today that one game Grand Theft Auto IV from the developer Rockstar games will be edited for its Australian release because in its original version could not be given a MA15+ classification. I have eagerly awaited this game and have noticed from previews of the product that it has shown a story that is deeper and more engaging than what has been seen previous in the gaming industry. I feel that the lack of a R18+ rating in our country is preventing me from experiencing this game as its developers intended and is illustrative of our rating system being inadequate to provide for the gaming community whose average age in our country I have found to be twenty eight.

I feel strongly enough about this issue that I felt compelled to send you this correspondence. I hope that you will take my views into consideration should this issue ever come into your sphere of influence. My intention from this point onwards is to no longer purchase this game from my local store but instead seek out a copy of the game from overseas where I will be able to obtain an unedited version of Grand Theft Auto IV.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email
Regards,
Gerard Delaney

Akuen · « **Reply #17 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:12:22 AM »

you wanna know why we don't have an r18+ rating yet?

kr3mlin · « **Reply #18 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:15:27 AM »

No, I want to inform them that there are good reasons why we should have such a rating and that the reasons held at this point in time bely a lack of knowledge about gaming and the gaming community in Australia

Akuen · « **Reply #19 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:20:48 AM »

ah, but by having that opinion you are avoiding the fact that there are some extremely sick people in the world. If an R18+ rating was introduced into australia games which are released in america that depict women being raped would be allowed into australia. do you really want that here?

kr3mlin · « **Reply #20 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:23:19 AM »

I don't want that....but those kind of games don't get made. I am happy to give people that choice. It is not like a film where you can just point and shoot and game takes alot more to make. You are taking the simplistic view that employs scare tactics. I feel that I am using a real example where the rating system is shown to be inadequate.

I would like to see the specific games you speak of, I am speaking of adult stories and something that respects my maturity level. R18+ does not automatically mean vulgar. A game can still be refused to be rated if 18+ ratings do exist, its just we don't have anything beyond the maturity level of our MA15+ rating which is archaic

EDIT: If anyone is from a PAL region and can give me a good pre-order site for GTAIV please PM me

Akuen · « **Reply #21 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:24:23 AM »

That scenario has already played out in the US.. You don't watch the news do you? Also a lot of these games are flash games which greatly reduces the amount of time needed to make one. I personally do want an R18+ rating. I'm just telling you why it hasn't been introduced yet.

Ghost · « **Reply #22 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:32:26 AM »

Alien no offense but learn to think for yourself. I am not an avid gamer, however I do know that if I played an 18+ video game I would not be influenced only by that to go out and kill someone, nor would I expect anyone else to unless they had mental health problems.
Whatever bullshit they feed to you on the news is just a scapegoat to avoid really tackling the problems. Furthermore I believe that most of the cases of school shootings etc were comitted by people who were technically underage to play the game. If you really want to blame the game, blame the retailers who sell it to the underage children.

kr3mlin · « **Reply #23 on:** April 04, 2008, 08:36:37 AM »

Quote from: alien

That scenario has already played out in the US.. You don't watch the news do you? Also a lot of these games are flash games which greatly reduces the amount of time needed to make one. I personally do want an R18+ rating. I'm just telling you why it hasn't been introduced yet.

When I read the news, I read real news mate....not one day issues used to scare people. You think those flash games will come onto our shelves suddenly? Do you think if some sick bastard wanted to play that kind of crap they wouldn't already have found something on the internet...for free? I mean come on dude, have you not heard of newgrounds.com?

On a side note: If someone has those kind of urges...and that does it for them well hell. I do not care what anyone does as long as they don't hurt another human being....and last time I checked games do not hurt people

EDIT:
Here is a competitive store that I have now got my new preorder organised through
http://www.gpstore.co.nz/

Whilst I won't be able to get the $135 cost I had from the Australian preorder I am getting the proper version shipped from overseas and only paying 50cents more than a chump buying from a shop here

Akuen · « **Reply #24 on:** April 04, 2008, 09:02:07 AM »

The games don't hurt people but they do however push that one person over the edge. I don't really care about it. this is the reason that they haven't introduced an R18+ rating in australia yet and of course i've heard of newgrounds, i frequent it in fact.

KillaMarci · « **Reply #25 on:** April 04, 2008, 09:30:16 AM »

I'm 16 and play 18+ games , so?

IMO all of thoose age ratings are bullshit anyways. "OMG OMG I just killed a guy in this video game OMG I'm gonna go crazy and kill everyone out there . AAAAAHHH"

...

Akuen · « **Reply #26 on:** April 04, 2008, 09:36:09 AM »

You all misunderstood me. I was merely stating why they haven't give australia the R18+ rating. I completely disagree with the reasoning. I don't believe video games make people crazy. You all got that through your skulls? good.

Skull · « **Reply #27 on:** April 04, 2008, 09:38:24 AM »

owned for teh aussies

kr3mlin · « **Reply #28 on:** April 04, 2008, 03:05:48 PM »

Quote from: alien

You all misunderstood me. I was merely stating why they haven't give australia the R18+ rating. I completely disagree with the reasoning. I don't believe video games make people crazy. You all got that through your skulls? good.

I think the main reason mate was because you failed to state each time that this was the reasoning that others were using and instead went on as if we were challenging your own point of view

Akuen · « **Reply #29 on:** April 04, 2008, 04:25:22 PM »

I mostly wrote things like: This is why it's not here and I completely disagree with their reasoning. I didn't say anywhere that I agreed with the ideas.