Game Developer's Guide to avoiding bans
Date Posted: Tuesday 1st December, 2009 Author: Alfreido
Subject: Gamer's Thoughts Views: 1005
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It's not too often we delve into the topic of Australia's utterly draconian game rating system on the front page, but with the number of games that have been refused classification this year, including one of the most anticipated games of 2009 - Left 4 Dead 2, we just couldn't stomach it anymore.

For the benefit of the game developing community out there, here's a handy guide to making sure your game makes it into Australia.

* ACB = Australian Classification Board, the successor to the OFLC (Office of Film and Literature Classification)

VIOLENCE

Dismemberment of limbs on a:
 - Human opponent = OK (Soldier of Fortune)
 - Human opponent in slow motion = OK (Fallout 3)
 - Human opponent in cartoon graphics = OK (Borderlands)
 - Zombie = BAN (Left 4 Dead 2)

Killing opponents with makeshift weapons:
- In a first-person view = OK (Condemned series)
- In a third-person view = BAN (Manhunt series)

Killing innocent civilians:
- In a shooting game = OK (Modern Warfare 2)
- In a racing game = BAN (Carmageddon)

Killing zombies:
- In a racing game = OK (Carmageddon)
- In a shooting game = BAN (Left 4 Dead 2)

Decapitations:
Depends on what mood the ACB is in (Fallout 3 and Borderlands OK, Dark Sector BAN)

Desecrating dead bodies:
Depends on what mood the ACB is in (Soldier of Fortune, Dark Sector and Left 4 Dead 2 BAN, Left 4 Dead and Fallout 3 OK)

SEX

Having in-game sexual intercourse:
- Fully nude and interactive = OK (Fahrenheit)
- Clothed and interactive = BAN (GTA: San Andreas)

In-game cutscenes featuring sex scenes that:
- Leave little to the imagination = OK (Fahrenheit)
- Cut away when something is about to happen = Just scrape through (Mass Effect, God of War)

DRUGS

Taking of, and selling, real world recreational drugs = OK (GTA series, Gothic series)
Taking of real world prescription drugs = BAN (Fallout 3)
Taking of fictitious prescription drugs = OK (Fallout 3)
Taking of fictitious recreational drugs = BAN (Risen, Crimecraft)

DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR

Graffiti
- Done by a white man = BAN (Mark Ecko's Getting Up)
- Done by a black man = OK (Saints Row 2)

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If this looks like a compound fracture of a list to you, it's with good reason. Our good industry is hampered by an utterly useless classification system kept running by one silly Attorney General located in South Australia. If you want this loon to feel some pain, help the guys over at gamers4croydon.com syphon some votes from him come March 2010.
Comments
brando
Gamestah Staff Member
187 comments
Once  attorney general Michael Atkinson leaves we might get R18 ratings.
  Posted at Tuesday 1st December, 2009 - 7:18:30 pm
dizL

9 comments
^
  Posted at Wednesday 2nd December, 2009 - 6:46:33 am
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