Post by Dan @ 10:21pm 18/06/12 | 34 Comments
Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice Jason Clare proudly shared the result in an official statement on the MP's website:
The reforms bring the classification categories for computer games into line with existing categories used to classify films. It also makes the Australian classification regime more consistent with international standards.Amendments to the classification guidelines still potentially mean that many games that are currently refused classification under the current system would remain so under the new rules, but the new R18+ label enables a clearly defined category for games of an adult nature and will no doubt see less games slipping through unsuited for an MA15+ audience.
"These are important reforms over 10 years in the making," Mr Clare said.
"The R 18+ category will inform consumers, parents and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play, and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material.
"The reforms also mean that adults are able to choose what games they play within the bounds of the law."
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Posted 07:21am 19/6/12
Also, parliament. Better fix it before trog gets mad, he's a bit particular about subject typos ;)
Posted 08:16am 19/6/12
Posted 08:58am 19/6/12
Posted 09:40am 19/6/12
*zerocare*
Also, totally called it -_-
Posted 10:13am 19/6/12
Now though, I understand the need for strict restrictions on games that may be harmful to someone's mental state and make them want to go on a killing rampage. Hopefully with this new legislation we can see these violence encouraging games like NBA 2K12 get the rating they deserve.
2K owes me a new controller, I didn't break it, the game made me do it!
Posted 10:22am 19/6/12
Posted 02:52pm 19/6/12
Posted 04:13pm 19/6/12
Posted 04:38pm 19/6/12
Posted 05:36pm 19/6/12
Atleast this govt actually grew a pair and introduced it, they have my vote.
Posted 08:49pm 20/6/12
We wanted an R rating so we could get adult games that weren't watered down / censored and potentially delayed in the process.
The ceiling didn't go any higher, the government just painted it red instead of blue and said "there, we fixed your problem!".
It's a shame we're still gonna be bumping our heads, but hey, the roof is pretty now *eyeroll*
Posted 10:07pm 20/6/12
Did he mention a party ?
Your political jab is full of bias... Or does your actual opinion conflict with that of your parent's vote ?
Posted 10:15pm 20/6/12
What are you basing this on? I've been looking and can't actually find a full run down of what the new classification guidelines will be with R18+ included.
Posted 07:54am 21/6/12
Seriously a good thing though, you can go and purchase torture porn "movies" from your local JBHIFI.... but god forbid someone's arm flying off in a video game!
Posted 03:53pm 21/6/12
I havn't actually read the one that's currently in place, but I assume it hasn't changed much from the last version that was around.
The basic gist of the proposed version was that alot of M rated games would be moved up to R rated, yet the restrictions for NYC games was still pretty much the same (ie, can't have 'excessive graphic violence' and other similar restrictions like sexual violence and drug use I believe).
While a quick google search didn't reveal the actual documents relating to it, it did show a bunch of different websites reporting on it and all saying similar things to me (aka nothing changed, ceiling just got re-coloured)
Posted 04:08pm 21/6/12
Posted 04:23pm 21/6/12
What we really need to get changed is the way they classify the actual games, not a bloody rating system.
I mean essentially, what everyone wants is ultra violent realistic games. Games that were refused classification previously will still be refused classification under the new system. So what did anyone really achieve?
Anything which gives the the ability to blow someones arm off with a M107 .50 cal is still going to be banned. Which is essentially what we want as gamers.
Posted 04:27pm 21/6/12
Not me. I'm pretty tired of gore driven games, I want awesome RPGs and they never really warrent an R rating.
Posted 04:35pm 21/6/12
http://www.igea.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Amended-guidelines.pdf
That said, I think the biggest difference that detractors are neglecting when complaining that the R18+ is pointless, is that much of the classification process still seems dependent on the discretion of the classification board reviewers.
It's my expectation that simply by now having a clearly defined adult category, that the top end of games that previously didn't make the MA15+ cut -- stuff like Left 4 Dead 2, Mortal Kombat and Risen -- will now be viewed as appropriate for that category. The definitions haven't changed, but the implications of the category I believe will loosen the interpretation of the guidelines somewhat vague definitions.
The most obvious example is this one in the r18+ guideline (my emphasis) :Clearly what a classifier considers to be a "reasonable adult" is widely option to interpretation and their personal discretion.
So it's my expectation that we will see things loosen up ever so slightly. And similarly, for the same reason, we'll also see a lot of games now getting the R18+ stamp that would have been MA15+ under the previous system, even though the terms haven't been changed much.
The other big win is that this now means that states can properly prohibit the sale of adult games to kids. It's now reasonable for retailers to ask for ID when the product is 18+, because 18+ checks are ubiquitous in Australia, but obviously there's no simple and legally-enforceable facility for age-checking when the bar is only 15+.
Posted 04:33pm 21/6/12
Posted 04:36pm 21/6/12
Also 'drug use is permitted' and 'nudity is permitted', Dan. They are new definitions.
Posted 04:38pm 21/6/12
Posted 03:14am 22/6/12
My response (and issue) was that the last I saw of the way the R rating was defined, it wasn't going to actually change any of the games that we're currently getting censored, thus the whole "just painting the roof a diff colour" comment. A lot of games (example: GTA series) would have simply just been bumped to R18+, while other games such as L4D2 would still be RC'd.
Hopefully someone gets their hands on a lite version of the bill so we can pick it apart and hopefully live happily ever after, but until I see stuff like L4D2 getting released uncensored, or hookers in the next GTA, I'm gonna remain very damn cynical.
Personally, I think they just tried to gain brownie points (and shut everyone up) on both sides without actually achieving anything. Parents are still gonna buy R rated games for their kids like they did before when it was MA15+, and adult games are probably still gonna get RC'd for violence etc.
Posted 10:08am 22/6/12
Posted 12:44pm 24/6/12
Posted 12:48pm 24/6/12
Posted 04:06pm 24/6/12
what i dont understand is why the only point they bring up is children? these games are rated R.. which means not to be sold to ppl under the age of 18.
How is it any different from an R rated movie? Cant stand the old 'oh but what if an older brother has it and rah rah rah.." thats no f***** different to an older bro hiring out a R movie and leaving there and a kid watching it. S*** happens and lack of parenting is the only thing to blame if so many people are worried about 'children' somehow acquiring these R games
Posted 04:32pm 24/6/12
B**** please I was playing Doom2 when I was 6 and I turn out okay.
That's the winner right there, people just want someone else to blame other than themselves.
Posted 04:52pm 24/6/12