Valve Appeals Left 4 Dead 2 Ban in Australia

[rambo117]

[citation][nom]charlesxuma[/nom]seriously ..... i mean how stupid can it get..... this is by far the dumbest thing iv heard ..... (until the next dumbest country makes some new crap up) we'v got australia in #1 dumbest .... second we have germany in #2 ....... any one else for 3rd (new zealand or UK maybe) ? .......to be continued[/citation]
umm, i was actually more along the lines of China as #1

remember the stupid deal with WoW?

 

[FSC]

They'll do anything just to get ripped the money from Australia too.

 

[connacht]

Banning video games is a socialist act. It's why Chavez does it, and it's why Australia does it. It is blatant, in-our-face, socialism. The idea that the "Government knows better for you then you do for yourself" is socialism.

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.”
-Ronald Reagan

 

[connacht]

Banning video games is a socialist act. It's why Chavez does it, and it's why Australia does it. It is blatant, in-our-face, socialism. The idea that the "Government knows better for you then you do for yourself" is socialism.

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.”
-Ronald Reagan

 

[connacht]

[citation][nom]rambo117[/nom]umm, i was actually more along the lines of China as #1 remember the stupid deal with WoW?[/citation]

This is tyranny under the "goodwills" of socialism. Just read this quote from C.S. Lewis. It's explains it much more eloquently then I can.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."
-- C.S. Lewis

 

[connacht]

[citation][nom]Dirtman73[/nom]WTF is wrong with Australia? I used to think it'd be cool to live there, but they've got such a huge boner for censorship nowadays I think it's draining the blood form their collective brains. Fascism sucks.[/citation]

I apologize for the above post. I meant to repy to Dirtman73.

This is tyranny under the "goodwills" of socialism. Just read this quote from C.S. Lewis. It's explains it much more eloquently then I can.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."
-- C.S. Lewis

 

[neiroatopelcc]

This piece makes me want to cite a line of text from Clawfinger's song Reality "if you want to ban a violent show then ban the news"
Sure the game may be violent, but it's no more violent than the real world. And being born isn't rated M.

 

[Guest]

Since when can one in just one sentence name these "countries": "...in all other foreign countries including Europe, Japan, Germany (gasp!), and even Korea." (not mentioning the UK in the next sentence)

 

[AndrewMD]

Big whoop, so Australia doesn't want this game in their country.

I don't have a problem with this. Maybe what this company needs to do is make a version catered to this country's requirements. If after all that has been accomplished and it is still banned then you can complain.

 

[darkstar107]

Stupid how government tries to regulate stuff like this. If I want myself or my kids to cap some zombies in the head it's my choice to make...not the stupid ass government's. F*ck off government organizations and let us make our own decisions!

 

[ssalim]

So it's not ok to kill zombies but it's ok to play Crysis there?

 

[fulle]

^The government peeps are trying to say that since its a viral zombie outbreak effecting living people, rather than the walking dead, that its a game where you are basically murdering a fucktone of sick people. No idea why they singled this particular game out tho, when there are several other games and movies where the zombie plague is depicted in a very similar way.

 

[Dirtman73]

[citation][nom]neiroatopelcc[/nom]This piece makes me want to cite a line of text from Clawfinger's song Reality "if you want to ban a violent show then ban the news"Sure the game may be violent, but it's no more violent than the real world. And being born isn't rated M.[/citation]

Socialism, fascism, whatever. Are you trying to say that fascists never ban something for the good of the state? Anyway, your thinking is much more in line with communism than socialism. There is a difference, although Reagan wouldn't ever have dared to admit that.

 

[Dirtman73]

Sorry, my last post was meant to quote connacht!

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]AndrewMD[/nom]Big whoop, so Australia doesn't want this game in their country. I don't have a problem with this. Maybe what this company needs to do is make a version catered to this country's requirements. If after all that has been accomplished and it is still banned then you can complain.[/citation]
Have you seen what a censored game can look like? Allow me to show you what Germany did to Soldier of Fortune 2: http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/sof2-german.jpg

Ok, so that's an extreme (German) example, but even so, I don't want L4D2 to be neutered for 15-year-olds, especially hen 10-year-olds already play L4D1. If you remove the gore, the game will look like something from 10 years ago where it wasn't possible to do dismemberment without screwing performance.

 

[jimmysmitty]

Welcome to Australia where you can play the first game in the series but the second one gets banned right away.

Kinda seems weird to me that they would do that. I mean L4D2 is no more violent than L4D is. Only difference is now you can shoot infected and they might get a hole in their stomach.

but I guess thats worse than their heads exploding, isn't it?

 

[neiroatopelcc]

[citation][nom]jimmysmitty[/nom]Welcome to Australia where you can play the first game in the series but the second one gets banned right away.Kinda seems weird to me that they would do that. I mean L4D2 is no more violent than L4D is. Only difference is now you can shoot infected and they might get a hole in their stomach.but I guess thats worse than their heads exploding, isn't it?[/citation]
The only problem you guys have, is that your goverment doesn't consider an australian to ever grown up and become mature. Thus they've not bothered inventing a mature rating. They're wrong ofcourse, but when's that different from the norm?

 

[r0x0r]

[citation][nom]neiroatopelcc[/nom]The only problem you guys have, is that your goverment doesn't consider an australian to ever grown up and become mature. Thus they've not bothered inventing a mature rating. They're wrong ofcourse, but when's that different from the norm?[/citation]

They're kind of half-right really.

There's 2 types of Australians. There's "Australians", which consists of anyone of any race with any belief who just happen to live in Australia. You know, the people who just want a nice life and want to do well by and for others.

Then there's "Aussies", who are never seen without a cheap beer in their hand, slaughter the English language by giving everything a nickname (a Commie over here is a Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8, a popular car amongst Aussies. They can't afford the newer ones though), also have Chinese-made Australian flags attached to the aerial of said Commodore, would never, ever work more than 40 hours a week, especially not on Sundays, and is also known to ask questions like "Why would you wanna learn that shit?"

Basically, they are the reason why the rest of the world thinks that Australia has an alcohol problem (of which I do not disagree).

Of course, it's these immature "Aussies" who screw it up for Australians.

 

[deeky]

[citation][nom]neiroatopelcc[/nom]The only problem you guys have, is that your goverment doesn't consider an australian to ever grown up and become mature. Thus they've not bothered inventing a mature rating. They're wrong ofcourse, but when's that different from the norm?[/citation]
I wouldn't really say it like that. I beleive one of the arguments for not having a R18+ rating is that "we want to protect children" by we, I mean the minority that still has just enough power to stop the introduction of the R18+ rating.
Having an R18+ rating wouldn't stop anyone of my underage friends getting the game, too hard to enforce like cigerettes and alcohol although it does help. Banning the game? Most my university friends will be importing the game. Don't forget the uncensorable downloading(Note, Australia has plans to censor the net through ISPs which I believe is currently under trial or about to start WTF?)
Effect of banning the game/Having R18+ rating:
Not enough justifications and no real effects
Weaken the economy(Games being imported so no need for aussie staff in EB)
Being laughed at by other countries and gamers
Supports internet piracy

Our goverment isn't too bad(yet) censorship has it pro's and con's, this is an obvious con and probably be fixed(eventually) till then, Vote 1 Valve.
On a side note, The Australian tourism ad was banned in many countries and had received alot of critism mainly because the words "where the bloody hell are ya". Just personnal opinion but those countries, weak much? Like cmon we didn't even swear.

 

[neiroatopelcc]

[citation][nom]r0x0r[/nom]They're kind of half-right really. There's 2 types of Australians. There's "Australians", which consists of anyone of any race with any belief who just happen to live in Australia. You know, the people who just want a nice life and want to do well by and for others. Then there's "Aussies", who are never seen without a cheap beer in their hand, slaughter the English language by giving everything a nickname (a Commie over here is a Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8, a popular car amongst Aussies. They can't afford the newer ones though), also have Chinese-made Australian flags attached to the aerial of said Commodore, would never, ever work more than 40 hours a week, especially not on Sundays, and is also known to ask questions like "Why would you wanna learn that shit?"Basically, they are the reason why the rest of the world thinks that Australia has an alcohol problem (of which I do not disagree).Of course, it's these immature "Aussies" who screw it up for Australians.[/citation]

I can't help but to wonder if you got things wrong? That 'immature' type you describe very much sounds like the average dane (I am danish), and most every german I know. And appearently the british are even more lazy than the danish. Also we danes drink a lot of cheap beer, and we're probably the world leaders in producing cheap beer that rivals the expensive ones in taste. As for the commedore - nobody in his right mind would want the newest ones anyway - except if you're considering the supercharged v8 monaro (hsv) version that only exists in new.

ps. here in denmark the commodore is a legend from the past! a thundering straight six from the 70s - aussies just call the omega a commodore - dunno if you even carry the omega brand. (called cavalier in britain btw).

Back to stuff I know less about than GM cars though.... the 'aussie' - except for their fanatism for something as senseless as rugby they sound just like us! We only work 37 hours a week though, but I suppose everything's a bit slower when you've got sand all over the place. We still pretend the sand is there though, and get the dusty imaginary sand out of our throat with cheap beer however.

In short - the aussie you portrait as immature, is the 'normal person' I imagine when thinking about anyone in an industrialized country.

@ deeky : I just don't see the point of not having an M/18+ rating (or 24+ for that matter) protecting children? It's a bit like not displaying acid warnings on chemicals assuming that because supermarkets can't sell them, nobody's going to use them.

 

[deeky]

@neiroatopelcc I'm sorry, I was suppose to write, that banning and not having R18+ will do yada yada... I'm all for 18+, wait does that sound wrong?
Before there goes flames about aussies and stuff, theres different types of people and they exist in all countries, the "immature" type r0x0r wrote about might be a abit hard to define properly and I don't think their the ones creating the problem, its more of the ignorant over protective causing all this crap

 

[r0x0r]

Yeah, they're everywhere I suppose. It's just that I've had council "workers" out the front of my house for the past 2 months standing around chewing up our tax dollars. Having your house shaken from the vibrations of a big-ass steamroller gets really annoying after a while.

Most of these council workers would fit into the Aussie mold I described.

 

[neiroatopelcc]

[citation][nom]r0x0r[/nom]Yeah, they're everywhere I suppose. It's just that I've had council "workers" out the front of my house for the past 2 months standing around chewing up our tax dollars. Having your house shaken from the vibrations of a big-ass steamroller gets really annoying after a while.Most of these council workers would fit into the Aussie mold I described.[/citation]
Most ouf our politicians and many of our paper pushers in the regional offices would qualify for that description as well. Nevertheless, somehow everything's still running round even if they could work harder without even starting to break a sweat.

 

[Guest]

it's crap!! i'm here in Australia and myself and all my friend's are saying...well hey...why should us adults have to suffer? we're the only country that doesn't have an R18+ category because Mr Michael Atkinson, the ONE AND ONLY man who has brought this law onto us, says that it's too violent etc and children can get their hands on it. But hey, then just ban alcohol, cigarettes, porn...kids can MUCH easier get their hands on those items. Why not ban Need 4 Speed? that game is virtually real! That game promotes ILLEGAL street racing!!!!!!!!!
All of us fans out here are outraged and heart broken and half of us would like to go at Michael Atkinson with a frying pan or an axe.

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]r0x0r[/nom]Yeah, they're everywhere I suppose. It's just that I've had council "workers" out the front of my house for the past 2 months standing around chewing up our tax dollars. Having your house shaken from the vibrations of a big-ass steamroller gets really annoying after a while.Most of these council workers would fit into the Aussie mold I described.[/citation]
Hey at least they're doing something. I once saw 6 council workers paid to chop down a tree in the next street. 2 were doing the job, the other 4 were talking and playing with a ball.