Sydney, April 12th 2005 - The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) have refused classification (RC) on Midway Games? NARC.
NARC is an in-depth, 3rd-person action/shooter video game set against a stylised modern-day backdrop of the War on Drugs. Playing in the elite NARC squad, players must rid the world of the powerful international K.R.A.K. drug cartel. Using deadly firepower and police authority, players will make the choice to play it straight or use and abuse narcotics to get that extra edge and quick cash. Players decide whether to play as a good or bad cop as they face the mean streets and criminal underworld that rules it.
The OFLC classified NARC with an RC in accordance with Part 1(d) of the computer games table of the national classification code, which states, in part, that ?1. Computer games that; (d) are unsuitable for a minor to see or play?*.
A seven-member panel of the Classification Board determined, in a majority 6 to I decision that Narc be refused classification. The minority view of the board believes the impact of the game is justified in the context of a game based on busting drug dealers. Unfortunately the majority of the board did not agree that NARC was justified within the current highest classification rating of MA15+.
There is no R classification for computer games.
MA15+ is the highest possible rating given to a game. Those games, which are unsuitable for a minor to see or play, are refused.
Excellent - I'll just have to import it then!
Why the fuck import it for? If there is a game that could possibly inspire you fat-arsed lazy gamers to do something about the classification system then this may just be it! Instead of being a passive loser, how about you voice your opinion assertively to the OFLC, let them know that you are not happy with their decision, at all! Start looking into the various groups that want to do something, and help them out. Put pressure on them to change, and I mean a lot of pressure, really make these conservative family "values" Nazis think twice before they ban another title based on their ignorant narrow-minded beliefs and misconceptions.
Dont have the time, youll loose your life raging against the machine.
Im not a passive loser - I just prefer to put my time toward things that interest me.
Politics do not.
I am not fat, quite slim and athletic in fact.
However I do agree - something should be done, not having a R rating for games is bizzare. Just i dont plan on putting my time toward the war quite simple. =D
Nice diplomatic answer... not as funny as mine I think, but... diplomatic.
Is it really that hard to write a letter? It is great that everyone is so interested in seeing a change in the classification, but appalling that no one actually wants to do anything about it. Change is hard I agree, especially when you are dealing with the government, but it is possible - and perhaps easier than you realise. If no one doesn't bother to voice an opinion, then they will assume that no one cares either way, and side with those that make the noise - the fundamentalist, right-wing family values morons.
If a hundred people write a letter of complaint, that is a hundred letters of reply that have to be sent back in acknowledgement of complaint. Sure, that is not all that is needed, but it is a start - for instance, writing back and forcing them to write more letters of reply, to justify their claims, or to get further information so that things can go further.
We need to attack the OFLC and various ministers and attorney generals with letters. We need to have the OFLC decision reviewed before the 30 day period for this ceases - this period has begun and started when the decision was made. Sure, they'll probably come to the same decision because of a lack of R18+ category. But with the momentum created we can then push for this to be reviewed.
Letters are not the only aspect, we need to arrange media coverage, from gaming media to bolster numbers, as well other media like newspapers so that the message gets across to a wide demographic - and it is not occurring outside of the public domain. In doing so, we need to make the point that this is not just about games, but the censorship of all media, and the influence of a minority that is the "conservative" (fundamentalist Christian) right upon the public's liberties, our freedom of choice as adults.
If you don't do anything about it, it will not change for the better. It is nice to see that the government have done their jobs well though, in making you believe that they are all powerful, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Shit! I just did a search on gamerankings.com. Narc only got an average score of 56-60"(percent), it is a dud. I doubt anyone will care whether it gets banned or not here in Australia. I guess this title just doesn't have the juice to fuel what I propose.
I definately dont believe the government is all powerful. Quite the opposite, we are the voice - theyd be nothing without the people to make their ideas possible.
The big post there almost had me motivated to take action, as being involved as i am with the game industry it is definately a worthy cause. I could have spent the time on my lunchbreak wandering up to the local MP's office to give them what for. But i instinctly chose to do a bit of surfing instead. =D
I checked NARC on gamerankings as well - not quite a blockbuster, but I think something still needs be done about the banning of R rated games and some kind of ratings overhaul.
Maybe I'll look into it when things settle down a bit more around here.
Thanks for being so blatantly open about the situation and your viewpoint, sometimes thats what people need to hear / read. =D
No, it isn't a blockbuster at all, but, it is another title that has been banned or forced to make changes for release here in the Land-of-Oz. Perhaps there is enough disgust with the current system and with the censorship Nazis that bash games, that this could be used to make progress. Start the letter writing process, get people aware of the situation, get people organised, put more structure in place, build a little momentum, and most of all, get the tools in place to do so.
Visiting the AAG (www.aag.org.au) site, there doesn't appear to be much going on, or much in the way of tools. I haven't heard anything in the way of this petition they speak of for instance, nor is there much in the way of resources there. Wouldn't it be great, if the site had tools to help people make a difference!? For instance, not many people will write a letter, it is just too much work for the average gamer. But what if you had a template letter that you could download, fill in with your details, perhaps copy and paste quotes from the material on the web, so that they can quickly write up a letter that says what they want to say. Then provide them with a list of targets, pressure points, for them to send their letters to.
Wouldn't that make sense?
Hell, I'd be happy to put the material together. With the Manhunt banning, I wrote letters to the OFLC, the attorney general, channel 10 news for the biased news segment, and then one to channel nines ACA over one of their news pieces. For these I did the research that they obviously didn't do, and provided a number of sources and quotes - if I recall correctly, I have a word doc with a list of these.
Wouldn't this promote people - along with media promotion - to do something?
Wouldn't this start to put pressure on people in the system, or who influence the system, so that the wheels of change can start to turn?