Australia's restrictive ratings classification system for games has struck again. This time, Activision's upcoming first-person shooter Soldier of Fortune: Pay Back has been hit, with Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) effectively banning the game from sale down under.
Raven Software's Brian Raffel would like to "evolve the Soldier of Fortune series" and mentions that the company had a great prototype ready for number three before it got shelved.
Well that would nice. But I really want to see a new IP from Raven instead. I hope they soon will be able to make games again. Instead of just helping make DLC for Call of Duty.
This article describes five behaviors that go above and beyond normal achievement hunting, suggesting a severe Gamerscore addiction.
im nowhere near that bad. did not play kids games (apart from Kung Fu panda that came with my xbox and was NOT EASY FOR ACHIEVEMENTS) and i don't use a robot or play hannah montana.
those 5 signs are BAD.. but i do like my gamerscore
I would definitely say if you find yourself following in the path of any one of these warning signs, you may have a problem, haha.
Gamerscore is a great idea and concept, but I'd love to see it yield more tangible rewards for those who are truly dedicated to it.
It would be nice to gain something in-game from the achievements that constantly pop up.
I still believe that a higher gamerscore tends to tell a bit more about the player than people think. You have to play A LOT of games to get what is considered to be a respectable score...The only way you do that is by playing games outside of the popularity charts as well.
And without a doubt it may be bit tacky to get an achievement for random things in-game but it is also somehow genuinely satisfying.
XboxOZ360 writes an extensive article about the ludicrous state of gaming censorship in Australia. Starting with the recent drama around Fallout 3 and a government funded TV show where one elected official compared games to "snuff films" and "rape" simulators, it then proceeds to look at the issue in depth and the contradictions that flourish when comparing Australia's system to that of the United States and Europe.
"When shown the game in its Australian sleeve and asked if they would buy it for their child, most said yeah, probably, it's only MA15+ after all, it's really for kids anyway. Might be a bit violent, but if it was bad, they would ban it.
Then when shown the same game sleeve from the UK, most denied it was the same until shown the disc with the same content on it, same packaging, same instruction booklet etc, except with a clear, big red 18+ marked on the cover, spine, and on the game disc..."
Does anybody know when our silly country is having the formal debate of the issue? Or was it a consensus? Whatever it was, date? Month? Year? :<
Actually that's something I'd love to know as well.
We'll be tracking down as much information as possible. Earlier on in the year I did an interview with the new CEO of the Australian IEAA - The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia and he's 100% behind a change that's for sure. the interview was great, and shown a lot of information on what is happening. But like all things political, they move very slowly when they don't have the push from the public to do so.
'Unfortunately, gamers are a lazy lot really. They always cry they want change, but when it comes time to actually 'doing' something, they put it off, or hope that someone else will do it for them.
If you DO want to help, then email our site, see what you can do to raise the awareness, work with other. Get others enrolled in the idea of changing it and most importantly, EDUCATING the mums and dads out here (AUST) that they buy their kids games RIGHT now that are adult rated in overseas countries, they simply don't knowit.
If they gave the OLFC the powerr to label all games in the correct manner. We wouldn't be flooded with porn or violent games, it means the games that currently come in would be "appropriately labeled" and those that did go higher in the ratings system, would have a classification they would fall into, just like movies do.
Movies like have a R18+ - and it' not full of sex, rape, violence (to what the right-wing would think) nor is it aimed at corrupting the minds of the young. It's an adult movie with deep themes around Satan, nothing more, yet it sports an R18+ rating. Which its should.
So should many games.
We've got to wait for Victoria who are in charge of the study and thankfully pro gaming (lots of developers in Melbourne) to come back with their findings later this year.
I just hope Aussie gamers stop focusing on "our rights as adults" which will get us nowhere with the ignorant law-makers....we've got to show how useless the current rating system is in doing what it's for.
We need a more coherent argument than: "I should be allowed to do what I want!!"
I loved how the article contrasted how games are rated in different countries to ours....exactly what the focus should be on.
Actually, after speaking earlier on with Ron Curry, he has stated that all states can use the R18+ if they so choose, much like Qld currently do with some of their ratings, not allowing some in their state that are readily available in others.
He said that IF the industry wanted to, they could run their games in the R18+ classification in all states bar South Australia, but they would have to weigh up the financial risk against sales in that region. If it was marginal, then some would take the risk, based on more sales for a game that was well sought after being readily available in all other states.
He said that is one option that the OFLC has, and is already applying to Qld in some cases. So a precedent has already been set in that regard.
If it's not fuel, health, transport or grocery related, then the Government really doesn't give a crap...
Interesting panel debate..... I was unaware that we didn't have any rating system for games /end sarcasm/
When some of the people representing us in politics don't even know the basics of our archaic
classification system I doesn't give me much hope.
Pretty poor showing for our government really. What the heck was Barnaby Joyce going on about with a game where you can rape people? Sounded like he was talking out of his ass.
this is a f!cking joke
You can always torrent it, but I don't know if it really worth it. Unless is gets a 9 just wait for COD4
ebay :)
What?! No!!!
WHY!?!!!!!?!?!????!?
Download/buy from overseas sure. But its the principle of the thing.