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Graffiti Game Banned in Australia
afaik_ianal writes "The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that 'Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure' has been banned in Australia. The game involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials using only street fighting skills and graffiti. From the article, "The decision was endorsed last night by the Federal Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, who had asked the board to review of the game's MA15+ classification after local councils and state governments voiced concerns that the game would promote graffiti.""
Again, another government stepping in where parents and society in general should be the authority.
Isn't it ironic though that the point of the game is to fight government corruption and promote freedom of expression.
Australia doesn't like graffiti much ... a while back they started putting spray cans behind locked doors in hardware stores and art supply shops to stop them being stolen - because of course the only tool you can use to graffiti with is a spray can. Might even be an ID age check when you buy them. Not being a graffiti artist myself I don't know the full details.
An Australian MMORPG under development - http://restlessworld.hidden-waters.com
Game is now $4000 AUD on eBay!
I guess kids will have to stick to the real thing.
How is being a fool and wrecking property entertainment? Why would someone need to emulate the idiots in society inorder to "sell" a game title. Clearly the developer lacked the imagination to do anything original and so they decided to make a computer game of something that the majority of society would frown upon.
What is next? Stealing money from old or disadvantaged people? Maybe a game where you are supposed to cheat on exams and steal stuff from stores?
I think this is exactly what should happen - good on the Aussies for doing what is right and correct for the majority.
a while back they started putting spray cans behind locked doors in hardware stores and art supply shops to stop them being stolen - because of course the only tool you can use to graffiti with is a spray can.
Don't tell them that I used to doodle stuff on bathroom stalls with a pencil.I think we have long gone past the point were censorship of this nature will have any effect. What with bittorrent and other P2P networks, people will still be able to obtain copies. And by making such a big deal of it, all the authorities have done is made it into the latest 'must have' computer game.
And I would love to read their position paper (which will apparently get relaeased) soon that explains the majority and minority positions. I cannot understand how they feel that they should ban this game and yet allow violent movies to not be banned.
...that they were concerned the game would promote THE OTHER aspect of the gameplay?
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
So Spraying a tag on a wall is worse than the old knee-to-the-solar-plexus move? Chigago-Curb-Job? Columbian Necktie?
That makes me very sad. We teach our kids that violence is cool, acceptable, exciting, fun.
Then we complain about all the violence in the streets.
If you want to ban a game, please ban it for excessive violence, not for some paint sprayed on walls.
The Bigger The Headache The Bigger the Pill
I'm in a bind about this. What most people don't know is that Australia lacks an Adults only game rating, so any game unsuitable for people between 16 and 17 must be banned, as 15+ is the hardest rating. This was the reason for the banning of games such as GTA3 (before changes) and BMX XXX. I'm torn on this issue, because I don't believe these games are suitable for kids under 18, and so by Aussie law, they're banned. Sure, it's up to the parents, but a game can't be rated 18+, so any 16yo would be able to get his hands on any game without parental consent. In summary, the ban is correct under Australian law (we should by no means lower the rating of titles to get them oin shelves), but the OFLC needs an 18+ rating, pronto.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world: those who understand binary, and nine other kinds of people.
I've got an idea for a character in the next version of the game.
But seriously, most of the games out there promote violence, road rage, all kinds of stuff, and they can still be sold. What makes graffiti so important?
http://michaelsmith.id.au
No you don't, at least not in Sydney. Anyway I don't see how something like this *really* actually fuels graffiti. I'm one of those people who thinks that GTA doesn't fuel people going around shooting everybody, and like the designer said, it's not that hard to draw on a wall, and if a kid wants to do it he doesn't need a game to show him how.
Quoth the Simpsons:
Meyers: I did a little research and I discovered a startling thing...
There was violence in the past, long before cartoons were invented.
Kent: I see. Fascinating.
Meyers: Yeah, and know something, Kent? The Crusades, for instance.
Tremendous violence, many people killed, the darned thing went
on for thirty years.
Kent: And this was before cartoons were invented?
Meyers: That's right, Kent.
It used to be music that everyone said was a bad influence, now it is Video games.
I love the following Frank Zappa quotation.
"There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do
something we'd all love one another."
-- Frank Zappa
Not exactly the same, but close enough if we replace love songs with first person shooters and....
Nevermind
The real issue, once again, is that Australia don't have the equivalent of the UK's "18" or US "M" for games, so the highest possible rating is the aforementioned MA15+. So games like the GTA series are already banned there.
Since the game involves just as much violence against policemen as GTA does, and the only non-violent aspect to the game is the vandalism, my only surprise is that they considered it possible for an MA15+ in the first place.
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
and once they are past banning pencils, they will quickly un-ban them. Otherwise, people will start to doodle stuff on the bathroom walls with the "writing tools" they produce there and which can't be banned in bathrooms. (ick-ick, just hold it through double layer of toilet paper while writing.)
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
Was Jet Set Radio banned in Australia?
I live in Melbourne and recently there has been alot of media hysteria regarding grafitti and the impression it will make on our upcoming Commonwealth Games guests.
They are currently working very hard to clean up the train lines and they would not be impressed if a game like this made it's way to our impressionable young at the moment. Welcome to the nanny state.
Don't you think that Federal Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, the board and other authorities should be banned in Australia because they promote software piracy?
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
So it's ok to "promote" shooting people, running people down and using / abusing prostitutes (GTA and plenty of others) but it's not ok to "promote" tagging a wall. Hmmmm we have a very weird society.
I used to have a better sig but it broke.
Sorry, the form heading said "Reply to: Philip Ruddock" and I got carried away by the moment....
Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
"The game [that] involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials..." "...has been banned by authorities"
Rich
Yup, you can be carded (16+) before you can buy spray paint. I've been refused in the past when Dad sent me to buy black spraypaint for a building job.
The indiscriminate use of vulgar language is the linguistic crutch of the inarticulate motherfucker
The lack of an 18 rating was tangential to the issue at hand. (And GTA is not banned here, we have a modified version, though I got mine from New Zealand :)
This game was not banned because it featured graffiti in a fashion similar to how GTA features violence. It was because it (apparantly) contains material that is instructional rather than a shallow representation like the violence in GTA (or graffiti in Jet Set Radio Future). It wasn't considered to "promote" illegal behaviour simply because it represented that behaviour, but because it gave realistic instruction. The issue of promoting illegal behaviour is independant of the age rating so to suggest the game wouldn't be banned if there were an 18 rating is not really true.
All that according to the woman who cast the deciding vote who was on Hack today.
Which isn't to say I agree with the decision. I think it stinks!
Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
What they have basically done, then, is turned this game into an instant automatic hit. Everybody in Australia will want a copy of this game now, because it's illegal. And they will get copies of it. Either paid-up ones, sent in an innocuous music CD box by friends or relatives abroad; or, much more likely, pirated copies. {Does anybody actually pay for games? I suppose there must be one or two.} Everybody outside Australia will want a copy because it's been banned in Australia.
All things considered, this is a fantastic marketing stunt.
My proposed solution, by the way, is to ban all sales of video games to {but not possession by} minors. That way, parents and guardians get to decide what is and isn't appropriate.
Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
Wasn't that to stop "chroming"? Kids getting high on the fumes? I seem to recall Extra did a nice big story on it, and then a short while later they put the restrictions in place.
5 61498638.htmls 1504831.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/10/23/1034
http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/qld/content/2005/
I've never understood the whole idea behind banning video games and trying to blame them for various social problems. That's giving games much more influential power than they, or any form of media, ever has had. Really, if someone decides to spray paint just because they've been playing this game, they have other problems unrelated to video games. Parents should be regulating the games that come into their home, because they are the only ones who know if THEIR child is mature enough to understand them. It's not up to the government... And plus, the people in power today see video games as "new" and "confusing." Maybe when people raised on Atari, Nintendo, etc gain political power, we won't see such a witch-hunt on games.
...are working to control the world... oh no, soon you won't be able to sledge off against less fortunate or force your children to slave labor.
Hang on? You can't do those things !!
Maybe 50 years ago we had it all wrong? Maybe those who think games about graffti or "breaking the law" are all ok also have it wrong?
Mmmm I wonder what those 50 years from now will think of the acceptable rules we have to day?
Spray cans are locked up in the US too... (just in case you dint know)
From someone who lives here, here's the deal with what gets banned (as in games), and the GTA oddities: GTA 3 was released here, uncut. Then they found out about the prostitutes, and revoked classification- forcing a recall
After this, the game was edited to remove the prostitute functionality and re-released, conforming to Aus standards. The reason the prostitutes were removed was NOT because of the sexual content, rather, it was because of the very strict rules we have here about sex and violence. It was the fact you could kill hookers after sex that had the game censored.
Vice city was pre-edited by the developers and had NO sex (the Candy Suxx FMV's were fucked up) Pardon the pun.
GTA:SA came out WITH hookers, unedited. I have no idea how/why this happened.
Generally games are censored here when sex and violence is mixed, IN ANY WAY. Duke Nukem 3D was censored because you could shoot the strippers.
I dont understand the logic of this banning though
ummmm...where are you from exactly? What's the R rating for? (I'm from Brisbane, Australia)
http://www.oflc.gov.au/special.html?n=291&p=134#1
You certainly got me with that heading.
I've been having this night^H^H^H^H^Hday-mare for some time that I was driving down the road and Phil and Johnny were crossing in front of me but so far apart that I could only choose one.
Now I just need to find somewhere to show the contrasting pics of graffiti and authorised murals I took at the weekend.
Maybe a carrot for the kids in terms of something interesting to do might achieve a lot more than forever telling them what not to do.
-- Our systemic servants do not good masters make.
umm, yes we do. would you please stop commenting on something you know nothing about
http://www.oflc.gov.au/special.html?n=291&p=134#1
Unless you want to see articles on the latest series of Bush Administration threats and blunders, I suggest you stuff it and go sit in the corner.
Anyone ever play the Rockstar Game based on the movie "The Warriors" Whats different? I would be interested to see if that game was banned..
The Warriors is based on the movie which features a bunch of rival gangs the subject of which "The Warriors" are trying to make a name for themselves.. by committing crimes, avoiding/attacking police, and spray painting (tagging/bombing) their logo all over the city..
Sounds like the same sort of game. I actually liked it.. and by no means ever had the desire to attack police or even pick up a spray can.
-Riddler
Any tagger who is caught should have all of their property defaced with gloss paint - their shoes, clothes, music, everything. Just empty a tin of the stuff all over their property and see how they like it.
d'oh, ok you're right, my bad. I thought cause i have a couple of ma15+ games...
d'oh, ok you're right...I thought, cause i have a couple of ma15+ games..
Have you been huffing paint?
...It looks like the only way to beat these corrupt officials is with street fighting skills and graffiti! Everybody was kung foo fighting WHAH! HOO HAH!
(I don't know any lyrics for spray painting).
GTA is banned in Australia too. RTFC!
So they're not being inconsistent, just dumb.
Even if this wasn't true, you're the third commenter to make this point. Again, RTFC!
In Japan, no game really gets publically banned for being violent or degrading (other than the pubes-mosiac thing), but then there is little violence in society and next to no graffiti. There is no fear of violence ever influencing anybody.
The logic goes that maybe if there was less graffiti and less violence in Australia, then we could have violent games and nobody would care about any influence.
Seems to me that the outside world influences video games more than the other way around.
READY.
PRINT ""+-0
Spray paint is 18+, some stores had other codes voluntairly before that however. Knives and knife blades are only 16+ however.
More stupid laws, anyone?
The only differences this decision will have on the game in Australia are:
1. Increased popularity of the game
2. Lower profits to the manufacturer
3. Larger US/AU bandwidth usage for a few weeks.
That's about it really.
EMail: 0110001101100010010000000110001101110010 0110000101111010011011100110000101110010 0010111001100011011011110110
Really? Where? I was at Home Depot yesterday and walked down an entire aisle of spray paint and didn't see a lock anywhere in sight. The locks were 3 aisles over next to the doors.
Yea, thats why everybody seems to be using canned air now, from office supply stores - some guys in my friends dorm literally had dozens of empty cans laying on their floor all the time.
Great, now I know what I can use Canada's new Psiphon for. I am off to commit an act of civil disabediance... Well I will in about two days, no dam ADSL out bush here.
Quite coincidentally the picture of the day at Wikimedia Commons has to do with graffiti.
Perfect is the enemy of done.
Actually, being Melbourne (aus) resident, I must admit I actually *like* the graffiti in a lot of places (but not the taggers... definitely not the taggers). Especially the more colourful, stylistic stuff livening up the bland concrete walls next to train lines... it adds colour and humanity to otherwise drab, dreary surrounds, and mostly doesn't cause any harm to anyone. And besides, even at it worst, is it really any worse than the current plague of malformed concrete lumps... sorry, I meant to say modern architectural masterpieces (yes federation square, that means you)... currently blighting the landscape hereabouts?
Now like most of you, I had absolutely no interest in playing this game. It sounds pretty dull, to tell you the truth.
Now I know it's been banned, I feel it's a patriotic duty of mine to download it (since now I can't buy it in a store), play it, and encourage my friends too.
I've got to say, it's unlikely it's going to make me want to go out and cover a train carriage in spraypaint scrawls of my nickname... Well, you never know...
Second thing: Since when did graffiti become something Phillip Ruddock (the AG, my local member, the head of my soccer club etc) needed to concern himself with? Hey Phil! How about you get back to advocating sensible nationwide tort law reform, dreaming up new anti-terrorism laws that further impinge my civil liberties and the other things you do with your day?
That's all
Dude. I just ate.
"The decision was endorsed last night by the Federal Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, who had asked the board to review of the game's MA15+ classification after local councils and state governments voiced concerns that the game would promote graffiti."
Gee, for a minute I thought they had concerns the game would promite violence, but *pfew*, violence is still normal, and accepted.
Never underestimate the relief of true separation of Religion and State.
And from that day forward no graffiti was ever sprayed on the walls of Australia again. The clean grey concrete canyons were the envy of the rest of the world where no other nation had the foresight to ban this evil computer game.
Don't put off until tomorrow what you can leave until the day after.
That's why he, when he is not banning games, states that it is necessary to wire-tap people who are not suspects of any crimes (why, they *might* one they become suspicious!) or promote the idea (so much so that it is the law) that promoting the idea of the forceful removal of the (sorry, "The") Government is worth quite a few years in behind bars. And he is right, because if you cant trust the Government...
He loves us, he and our wise government do indeed, they are our true Big Brothers and we have to trust them without reservation.
You dont need a license to carry a gun in public, you only need alicense for certain kinds of guns.
People, this is VERY country and state specific.
For example, in my state of ND, the ultra-short list:
1. Open carry of unloaded firearms is legal, except for prohibited areas. No permit needed. Once you're out of the city/large town or on a firing range it can be loaded.
2. Possession of firearms: The only firearms that you need a 'license' for is fully automatic ones. They must be federally legal, which means you pay a $200 tax, submit a huge load of paperwork and wait months. Oh, and the machinegun has to have been in the registry system before 1986, which is when they closed the registry to new personal entries.
3. Concealed Carry of firearms: Permit needed. If you can buy a gun and pass a fairly easy written & shooting test you got it. This allows you to carry a loaded firearm however you like. Still can't carry in prohibited areas.
4. Prohibited areas: Government buildings, schools, school events, concerts, sporting events, political events.
To make a point, open carry is illegal in Texas, California has banned a number of firearms, in New Jersey possession of Hollow Point bullets are illegal for non-cops.
I don't read AC A human right
So, I guess it was banned by those corrupt officials, eh?
The difference is that most kids know that killing is wrong, and won't kill someone because of that (as opposed to not killing someone solely because they might get caught). But a lot of kids put graffiti in the same category as underage smoking/drinking, smoking marijuana, shoplifting, and other nonviolent offenses. Nobody gets injured by graffiti and vandalism, so it seems more like a victimless crime, and so a kid's sense of morality is more likely to be swayed by peer pressure and media influence.
I'm not saying the game should be banned. Freedom of speech and all that. But I am saying that games like Getting Up and Tony Hawk's Underground 2 should be rated closer to the adult end of the scale by the ESRB and that retailers should take this rating into account when selling games directly to minors. I'm also saying that developers should think about the impact that their work has on society and make an informed decision about whether they're handling things responsibly, rather than just thinking, "Man, this is sweet!" and charging forward.
Because what I was going to say to that terrorism enabler was a lot less nice and would have prevented any kind of rapport.
Hmm - out of the last 2 days of stories (> 60 stories), I count 3 stories about Australia. Given that USA is about 15 times the size of Australia, that doesn't seem all that unusual.
Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken - Tyler Durden
Recently the Australian Government passed Anti-Sedition laws which makes it illegal to criticize the Government. Which would make doing this sort of thing now illegal:
Read it and weep: http://geocities.com/mypaljohn/
The game involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials using only street fighting skills and graffiti.
No word yet on if Turk 182 has been banned.
When you can no longer buy or sell something, just because some "corrupt officials" don't like the message it contains.
It'd be too easy to say, "oh it's only Australia", because American and European legislature goes in the same direction.
Maybe they banned a game that has to do with graffiti, because...
A. The people who have something worth putting graffiti on, are tax payers
B. If the property is not owned directly by tax payers, it's owned by the government (e.g. bridges)
I'm not saying it's right to ban the game, I'm just thinking that's possibly why they care more about a game with graffiti than one with violence.
All censorship debate aside. The total population of Australia is only 20.4m. I bet the value of getting your 'fight the evil system with graffiti' game banned in Australia far exceeds the couple thousand sales you where going to make there. I'm just surprised it was Australia of all places that took the bait, they generally seem like a pretty cool lot.
... where you play a concerned citizen or parent and campaign to get video games banned.
Feel free to express yourself, as long as you don't challenge the authorities or what the government tells you is appropriate! I mean come on.
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
-Hoban Washburn
'The video game being banned, I'm passing time by spraying this instead.'
I wasn't able to find what "chicago curb job" means, except that it's Nederlander slang.
Hail Eris, full of mischief...
E pluribus sanguinem
Many outside of Australian would know of a major political issue surrounding an abortion drug. Our health minister overided our medication authority to ban the drug and a conscious vote (non party binding) was held over a minister's ability to override certain decisions. And now (although on an issue of lesser scale) another minister is overriding the decision of an authority, our ratings board. It seems utterly stupid that a single man or women's opinion can affect an entire nation's ability to choose. Games that involve murder have drug themes and other anti-social behaviour is allowed, yet a game involves an art, no matter how controversial, is disallowed. The very reason we live in a democracy is so we can choose, and a single person's opinion/belief/religion isn't forced onto us. By minister having the power to override authority's decisions, we lose our choice.
No soccer hooligans!
... the government of Australia is silent on the issue of banning corrupt politicians. One politician was quoted as saying that there's not evidence that corrupt politicians lead to a rise in graffiti. "That's just preposterous," sayeth MP Swindell.
Hmmm... I guess they dont then here anymore - I just remember when I was younger going to places like Ace Hardware and them having the cans in the little wire cages where you had to have an employee come get it for you... So I guess either I remmeberd wrong (hell, thats 10 or 13 years ago...), or they never were and I've been spending too much time /.ing...
Good thing no ones spray painting trades women in GTA ... they might have to ban that as well.
NPR just ran an interview with the man behind this game a day or so ago. It certainly didn't sound like something worthy of such heavy handed treatment.
local councils and state governments voiced concerns that the game would promote graffiti
The basic fact that all the would-be-do-gooders-for-everyones-own-good is that games do not encourage people to get up off their ass, let alone do something other than go to work and go to Mc D's and get home to play some games. Its a good public pacifier and should be included with the likes of retirement, minimum wages, and beer in any governments arsenal.
I have to get some kidnappings accomplished in COV, I got no time for chit-chat.
I think you underestimate just how much I just dont care.
No - We are not an important country.
We just do lots of silly things which draws attention to ourselves.
... it was comics "[1] [2].
Seems like there will always be a "scary bogeyman" "corrupting our children".
Australian TV shows suicides, murders & acts of violence - not to mention
:-/
verbal abuse) very loudly and in full & colorful detail...
Plots to swindle, double-cross & take advantage of the inexperienced,
infirmed or elderly are unraveled for anyone to "copy-cat" in real life.
This is fine... no one seems to complain and no censors act to either
ban or even cut-out the offensive bits.
But... to give the tourist camera the view of graffiti, ie, something
expressed by "non-professional" artists... THAT doesn't go here.
The image of an orderly state / city should not be disrupted by any
"unauthorised" creativity here.
Keep your idea & images to yourself. To our authorities, graffitti is
more offensive than any the most "offensive" images or language that
regularly make it to our air waves!
From the earliest days at school, children here must give up their links
to home & culture, and trade them for "school uniform"... uniform clothes
helps create a more uniform culture, if you call it that.
Getting used to looking like your peers prepares one for either factory
or hospitality industry jobs, not for individually creative expression.
Uniforms that vary from school to school makes people think in terms of
"us" and "them" - ie, rather than a blend of individuals, each expressing
their own styles of dress; the latter would be "too multicultural"...
Only in -tertiary- educational institutions can one choose one's own style
of dress, in school (unless, of course, one would be a chef, or perhaps a
nurse).
I am writing from Australia, in a state which no longer "tolerates" an
-affordable- State Folk Festival... whose warm, mellow music used to be
played in the sea-side town of Victor Harbor, over a long-weekend,
each year.
Unlike Victoria's very large & succesful Port Fairy Folk Festival, South
Australia's sea-side festival venue was home to a retired community who
(reportedly) told their Local Gov't Council they no longer want "hippies"
coming to "their" town, wlking around "their" streets to celebrate Life &
their various cultures - East & West, White and Indigenous - with lots of
opportunities to dance & sing... not just places to sit & watch perfor-
mances, while sipping local wines...
We've got tons of grapes rotting on the vines, a big glut of them even,
so, we can't let people spend all that time in motion, ie without glasses
of wine in their hands!
So, SA;s rural-town based State Folk Festival is no more... instead,
much more costly events occur all over the State's capital (Adelaide),
providing lots of business for the the City's hotels, restaurants &
pubs, not to mention taxis - since venues are farther apart than those
in Victor Harbor were.
So, if one wants a nice, participatory & folksie festival, a South Aussie
must leave home & State for places like Port Fairy, Vic or Queensland's
Woodforde Festival (even larger & longer than Port Fariy, I understand),
creating more business for airlines, leaving less money to buy CD's from
the artists who create the culture in front of them.
God help a Graffiti "artist" who would try to upset such well-orchestrated
controls on culture here...
Before SA permitted poker machines at all the pubs, there was singing in
some pub around the City, even close to Adelaide... no more... its revenues
can't compete with those of the poker machines that have replaced them.
Adelaide's
There are very few good Graffiti artists and they get paid to do their work anyway, even by local gov, to do themed work on walls in public places.
There is no such thing as a bill of rights in Australia so you can't claim the right to be a dickhead or a vandal, under the guise of free speech.
Simple solution: Make grafitti'ing public property okay, but not private property. Everyone's happy.
I hope they realise they just banned a game with voice acting by ADAM WEST(TM)!
i might not agree with all you've said, but that last bit is dead right:
..me thinks.
the australian gov't is notorious for not giving people what they want,
as the case of 'morning after pill" ru486 [usedto induce abortions.] shows:
we've just seen passage of a bill that might - in a year or so, make ru486 available here; it hasn't been all these years!
way behind the times
Games are known for allowing people to act out things they could never do in real life -- jumping cars, playing world-class sports, killing monsters and bad guys, but not graffiti! Hell no! Simulating doing graffiti is not allowed!
Too bad you guys don't have a Supreme Court that recognizes unlimited freedom of speech, including expression in game design (or mere game playing, in this case.)
And Moderators, I home you enjoy living somewhere where you're permitted by the government to mod me flamebait.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Kazaa, Limewire, etc.!?!?!? No, I mean if they are banning the SALE of the games then doesn't that mean that they just told everyone to go to filesharing services and get it that way. Seems like the Australian government is promoting piracy with this attitude.
0x09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0
That was to stop theft, not save lives.
Get a FREE Sony PS3
Anyone remember that sweet Sega Dreamcast game? You'd skate around spraying graffiti and running away from cops... it was intense! Ah, nostalgia...
H*ll yeah where can I download this game? I'm going to pirate it, setup a mass duplication operation, and give it to every kid I know.
Street level guerilla warefare. This thing is going on the P2P networks for sure.
Keep banning it. That's just what we want.
A great counterbalance to that bs America's Army game, programming kids to be mental tools of the government and cannonfodder in the name of empty patriotism for capitalist bosses.
Training video for a future generation of anarchists and freedom fighters. Heck yeah.
The only authority there is yourself. Who else should there be? Anybody else is just another person, who knows less about you than you do.
We need to crank it up a notch. Somehow put in the game how to build roadside bombs. How to create and distribute anti government leaflets. How to rally the regular folk against their tax and military power hungry crazy oppressors. How to fight a slander war against the state power like they've been fighting against regular good folk criminalizing them for centuries.
"game involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials using only street fighting skills and graffiti."
:p
I think I liked this game the first time when it was called Jet Set Radio...not to mention being better.
Many books provide detailed descriptions of people engaging lawless and anti-social behavior. The only difference is that it doesn't share the same level of abstraction that a game does, where you can attach this behavior to an object on a computer screen.
And why, exactly, is turning a bank robbery into a gun battle a good thing?
It's not, depending. It wasn't so long ago in Norfolk, NE where four people walked into the bank, shot and killed everybody(5 people) and left without taking any money. I had passed through on my way to Lincoln the day before.
I am a holder of a CCW license and carry regularly. If I happen to be in any sort of commercial business and a robbery occurs, I'm going to be in decision making mode at first. I'm NOT going to automatically draw my weapon and go 'Dirty Harry' or 'Rambo' on them. Protecting some business's money is not my job. That's the job of the business owner, who usually contracts it out to security guards, and the police.
I will draw, if in my opinion at the moment, it will lead to better chances for the preservation of innocent life. I will not draw to protect something as lowly as money. Innocent life in this context means everybody but the criminals. Nothing in life is sure, I can only go for the best odds. Going by statistics, I will tend to have a more reliable gun*, firing a more effective round*, and be more accurate. But I have to assume that I'll be alone in my action, so if there are multiple crooks, I have to feel that I'll be able to take all or most of them down before they can get me.
Note how I say most. If it's a spree killing type situtation, the odds, and my choice, change. It's not just about me. I can only hope that I have the courage and fortitude to take the action I've decided upon. Taking down the killer or killers by whatever means necessary, denying them the opportunity to cause further harm, even at the cost of my own life. At best, I render them all incapable of causing no further harm without them being able to harm anybody else. At worst, they kill me and continue their slaughter, and at least I can say to God 'I tried my best'. In the middle, there's scenarios where it will become a gun battle, and they waste time and bullets trying to get me. Innocents may be harmed, but then, they most likely would have been anyways. Combat is different than target shooting, hit ratios go down. Hopefully they'll run out of ammo and get mobbed when they try to reload. I hope that the rest of the people can use the opportunity to escape. For the police to arrive.
On the other hand, statistics prove that most criminals run when a civilian presents a firearm. Most criminal 'gun battles' are three shots. Most self-defenses situations are resolved without a shot being fired.
*I'm currently at no failures over thousands of rounds with my ammo choice. I'm amazed at how many crook's guns malfunction on the first or second shot.
*Premium hollowpoints, since I'm not in New Jersey. The favored choice among police nationwide.
I don't read AC A human right
YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE FOR A 'GUN.' You only need a license for a 'handgun,' which is a concealable weapon. I have bought shotguns when I was 16 right from Wal-Mart, Rifles at the age of 18. YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE FOR HUNTING WEAPONRY, just a license to hunt (unless you're hunting on your own private property.) I haven't hunted in a while, so I don't know the age restrictions on buying ammunition. I assume 21 for handgun ammo, and 16-18 for rifle/shotgun ammo.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
In some states, owners of private property are allowed the choice of whether to forbid CCW holders from carrying in their buildings. This is done by posting signs on the entrance.
Thing is, in such areas, businesses that post suffer a higher crime rate than those that don't. The reason can be very simple. How many criminals are going to view the signs as anything other than 'Come on in, We're Unarmed, so we can't shoot back!'?
10 Stores that posted are robbed
New York residents place 'No guns in this House' signs, suffered robbery/burglury spree. Oh, and during a police strike in Albuquerque, armed citizens patrolled during police strike and felonies dropped sharply.
Criminals don't seem to mind No-Gun signs in Ohio
Lengthy article Texas's CCW laws, includes posting
A good reference for CCW and other gun laws in the USA
A collection of interesting statistics
I don't read AC A human right
The game involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials using only street fighting skills and graffiti. From the article, "The decision was endorsed last night by the Federal Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, who had asked the board to review of the game's MA15+ classification after local councils and state governments voiced concerns that the game would promote graffiti."
Apparently Harper plans to review the game in Canada after his cabinet voiced concerns that the game would promote overthrowing corrupt officials.
First they outlaw playing the game that portrays breaking the law,
Then they oulaw books that portray breaking the law,
Then they illegalize negative writing against the government,
Then there is no freedom of speach and no recouse but revoloution.
Any government that cannot be criticised by the people it governs, or limits freedoms against their will, deserves to be overthrown, and the leaders heads hung on pikes for good measure.
md5sum
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City officials attempt to shut down game that trains people how to overthrow Corrupt City officials.
God spoke to me.
Here in Delaware, open carry is clearly and explicitly permitted by law.
.45 Peacemaker, we used to go down to the iron trestle bridge and blaze away at soda bottles and such after school. I doubt that's legal any more, though.
Supposedly, though, if you actually try it (and supposedly, somebody periodically does) one of a very few things happens:
1) Nobody notices, have a nice day.
2) Citizen calls police and police immediately cart you away for creating a threat to public safety, inciting to riot, and disturbing the peace. If you are polite to the judge, all charges except DtP will be thrown out in court but the weapon will still be confiscated.
3) Policeman notices you, follows you around until some portion of your firearm is obscured to vision by your hand, jacket, holster, newspaper, or anything else you own or control. Then you are asked to produce your CC permit, and if you don't have it you are arrested and gun confiscated. If you do have it you get charged with DtP since you are allowed to carry concealed therefore you were openly carrying in order to start trouble. Permit revoked, weapon confiscated.
This is all anecdotal from local cops and gun nuts, I've never actually seen anyone attempt open carry in Delaware. Recently there was a debate about this between some private citizens and a former Attorney General in the local newspaper; the citizens pointed out that while open carry is technically legal, you need a CC permit to use a vehicle while carrying a firearm, so you can't get very far from the house anyway.
When I was 12, lots of kids had black powder firearms, which were unregulated at that time. One of my buddies had a
I just checked with the Coalition Provisional Authorities, and they say you are clearly a Pakistani terrorist infiltrator, and they will be sending some soldiers over shortly to re-educate you.
If any of you read Jared Diamond's Collapse you would see the conclusions Diamond draws as to why societies like Australia have to be much more conservative.
You can complain all you want about a silly video game not being allowed in the country, but you should bear in mind those conservative views stop more 'liberal' ideas of 'let's try this and see what happens'. Ideas like cane toads or cows. You know what hooved animals do to the soil? Look it up.
The US and Australia are not the same place socio-politically so applying American values to Australia really doesn't make sense. If the Australian government as permissive as the US to business interests the country would have probably been a barren wasteland years ago (more so I mean).
Argue all you want about it, but being conservative is not a bad thing; sure it's a silly decision, but it's indicative of the socio-political climate of the country not some old guy who doesn't like video games and thinks gamers are evil. More likely he is someone who has seen the fuckups government has made by allowing industries (industries like the video game companies) do whatever they please. So be glad you have tight-ass politicians who think more regulations are good not bad because had their been more tight-ass politicians back in the day there might have been more objection to the swell idea of introducing rabbits for some good ole' entertaining fun.
Have a guess about the number of complaints about the game.
Here's a clue: Australia has a population of just over 20 million...
According to Australian Youth Radio Station Triple J, There were only two!
That's right - only two. You can download a podcast here: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/ (Thursday 16/2/06)
Unexpect the expected!
Sorry but this is a game that just gets on my nerves! when this was called "Jet Grind Radio" it was kind of cool (specially with the "never seen before back then" toon shading style) but now that is some GTA meets Prince of persia pseudo Artist ego-centric clone, I wouldnt touch with a ten foot pole! exactly HOW do you fight a government by vandalising a city with your OWN name? in jet set/grind radio, you spray painted "JET SET RADIO" ads which was a rebel group/ anti goverment radio station. Even if "TRANE" spray painted the entire damned city wall to wall with HIS OWN name wtf is that good for? "Oh no! EL BARTO owns this town now! he has tagged everything with his name! beware of his mighty spray can!! he may spray paint us all!!"?! (rolls eyes)
... the concept is incredibly well planned... today is my birthday..." Yeah we can see how excited and thrilled you are.
Worst of all, these guys have the best reviews money can buy! have you seen the gamespot video review? Its the poor bastard reviewer saying in a deep monotone voice "the engine has great graphics... the gameplay reminds you of prince of persia... great voice acting... the fighting starts ok but gets better
(Greets to those old enough to remember the Billy Crystal's "Birthday, Liquor books" joke.)
Dont fall into the hype, make a difference... by letting this piece of crap rot in the shelf!
Go ahead MOD my day!
More opinions here
The game involves battling the authorities to overthrow corrupt officials using only street fighting skills and graffiti.
Any game that gives ways of overthrowing corrupt officials by any other path than thru the parliment process itself (hahahaha), where they have complete power to crush you like a bug, was always going to be outlawed. Wait, you can spray paint on walls as well. Yeah okay, whatever.
This probably has something to do with the Commonwealth Games which are about to take place . Apparently someone in the government thinks that we have a 'graf problem' and they want to clean up our image so that when all the foreign news crews come to Australia, they'll see a nice shiny city.
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http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_pag
Noone is saying that it's a great game, they're saying it SHOULDN'T BE BANNED.
I think that harry potter and the philosopher's stone for GBA is the crapiest game on the planet, does that mean it should be banned?
I'd like the right to actually judge for myself if the game is worth buying rather than someone I don't know playing it and deciding for me thankyou very much.
Anyone ever play the Rockstar Game based on the movie "The Warriors" Whats different? I would be interested to see if that game was banned..
The Warriors is based on the movie which features a bunch of rival gangs the subject of which "The Warriors" are trying to make a name for themselves.. by committing crimes, avoiding/attacking police, and spray painting(tagging/bombing) their logo all over the city..
Sounds like the same sort of game. I actually liked it.. and by no means ever had the desire to attack police or even pick up a spray can.
-Riddler
They wouldn't sell me an airsoft target at Walmart.
Now I have nothing to shoot but other people.
The locked up spray paint in America is for theft prevension. Only toys pay for paint.
Good thing no ones spray painting trades women in GTA ... they might have to ban that as well.
They did
It's been the law there for a while, nobody I know has been able to come up with a good answer.
.50cal hollowpoints, you can get .22LR fmj. In common self defense calibers(.45,9mm,.38,.32), both are available. They trade off penetration for more expansion. They're more effective against unarmored opponents, less vs armored.
.45 don't need to expand to cause enough damage, while a small, marginal round like the .32 often won't penetrate deep enough to effect a stop if it does expand. It also helps high velocity rounds like the 9mm and .357 more than slower rounds such as the .45.
Supposably they're more dangerous to police officers. It was probably passed before wearing body armor became the standard.
Hollowpoints are NOT usually smaller than their FMJ equivalent. You can get
It might seem odd, but hollowpoints make the most difference in the middle calibers. This is because large rounds like the
I don't read AC A human right
Apparently it hasn't occurred to you that the Bush Regime IS a terrorist organization. They gain and retain power by terrorizing their constituency. Unlike most terrorist organizations, however, they don't have the lofty goals of driving out some oppressor. They are merely in it for the money, of which there seems to be a neverending supply (what with all the social programs being gutted).
Someone who kisses the ring of government and sees Big Brother as a blessing simply enables those terrorists. They also work actively to prevent sane, freedom loving people from disabling the terrorists.
So, no, I don't think anyone in their right mind would confuse me with Der Bush. And that term was specifically chosen for this situation. I don't have a generic term for "anyone that I disagree with", because at one point or another that includes everyone. Even myself.