The new guidelines are out for the classification of games in Australia. The revolution has won, viva la R18+! Okay, that might be a little premature, but things are definitely looking up. A day many suspected would never arrive is dawning. Click through to read all about it. Unless of course you're all ready playing Modern Warfare 3, which if your a male between 10 and 40 living in Australia, is pretty likely.

A warning though, some interesting legal elements related to games and classification and the long awaited R18+ rating for Video games came up this week and I’m afraid I lose my temper and rant a bit. There's good news and ill tidings, but consider yourself forewarned.

Big R18+ News

To not a lot of fanfare and barely any attention in the press the new Guidelines for Classification of Computer Games were released last week.

You can read the entire thing here: http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(689F2CCBD6DC263C912FB74B15BE8285)~Proposed+Guidelines+for+the+Classification+of+Computer+Gamesv2.pdf/$file/Proposed+Guidelines+for+the+Classification+of+Computer+Gamesv2.pdf

The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA) were cautiously complimentary of the new guidelines. Chief Executive of the iGEA Ron Curry pointed out that the old bugbear of games being more impactful due to their interactive nature, a long believed but never proven caveat of game law, was included in the language of the new guidelines.

The specific wording in the guideline is:

“Due to the interactive nature of computer games and the active repetitive involvement of the participant, as a general rule, computer games may have a higher impact than similarly themed depictions of the classifiable elements in film, and therefore greater potential for harm or detriment, particularly to minors,”

The fact this belief was disproven in an Attorney Generals report in December of 2010 casts a poor light on it’s inclusion in these guidelines. If I was paranoid (which I am, it’s safer) I’d suspect this text was added as a proviso for the more conservative law makers to agree to the guidelines.

The R18+ has definitely expanded the content that can be included in video games. But it remains frustratingly vague on the real details.

Violence is pretty broad, you can get away with most things as long as it isn’t gratuitous, exploitative or ‘offensive to a reasonable adult will not be permitted’. That’s the actual language in the guidelines. It does not go onto say who they base their, ‘reasonable adult’, might be. Some might say I’m a reasonable adult; but I giggle at hockey mask clad psychos murdering teenagers with a chainsaw. It doesn’t go into specifc acts of violence, torture, dismemberment, decapitation, flagellation, excoriation, incineration, none of the nitty gritty is delved into. It does permit sexual violence, which as a surprise, as long as it’s only implied and not interactive.

General sexual activity is now okay, so long as it’s simulated and not ‘the real thing’. This is a little vague as video game characters are essentially animated they can never do ‘the real thing’ the way actors do (and there are a number of live action films that feature ‘the real thing’ but got away with an R18+ for artistic reasons, most recently the film 9 Songs). What’s probably meant by this is explicit sexual activity being restricted as opposed to embarrassing, rolling around Road House shenanigans. Full frontal nudity is also now permitted. But I think we also saw enough of that in GTA Episodes.

Swearing has no restrictions, everything from ‘mother flippers’ to ‘big hairy poo head’ can be thrown around with abandon. Go nuts.

Burn in heck you annie fannies! Yeah you heard right!

It’s definitely not a free for all though, interactive drug use that is ‘detailed and realistic’ will still earn an RC (Refused Classification, effectively banning a game), as will drug use in games that is tied to incentives or rewards. Drug use in general however is okay. The whole section on drug use is far too vague, which could easily lead to confusing rulings such as the Fallout 3 banning for Morphine be used as a healing item. Presumably using magic mushrooms to gain special powers will still be okay for Italian plumbers.

Overall the document has some massive interpretative holes you could drive an interactive truck through, which I imagine certain thought control groups are all ready measuring. The term ‘high impact’ is used far too frequently and without context; your impression of high impact is probably a lot different from your mothers. But at the very least we say that this is a win, essentially we have what we wanted, a document that correctly rates video games in line with international standards and will result in less bannings.

It’s not a terrific document, not something we want to raise over our heads and come down the mountain with Moses style, but it’s a start. State governments are now tasked with implementing these guidelines in the coming months.

More R18+ News

You might not be familiar with the name Greg Smith, but get familiar with it. He may be the next single minded anti game idealist of the production line following Michael Atkinson and Jim Wallace. And like Michael Atkinson, Greg is an Attorney General, the NSW AG to be precise, and the Liberal representative for Epping.

He spoke on Seven News last Thursday about his desire to see anti social game Grand Theft Auto IV banned. That’s the 2008 game that’s been classified and approved for sale in Australia for almost three years now. You may have played it.

You can see the clip from the Seven News here: http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/27143545

In fairness, the Seven News piece is absolutely thick with sensationalist drivel, complete with an edited out scene from the infamous Hot Coffee mod, which if it wasn't for topical news programs, I would never have seen in the first place. Greg is quick to respond that this type of entertainment isn't good for anyone of any age and wants a game approved several times by the government mandated OFLC to be banned.

Greg is also the guy who threatened to derail the initial vote of the SCAG (Standing Committee of Attorney Generals) on whether or not to implement an R18+ rating, wanting to review an ALRC (that’s the Australian Law Reform Commission) review on the entire Australian classification system, that wasn’t due until next year. This was after previously stating in a press release to Kotaku that he would make his final decision at the SCAG in September.

When the SCAG rolled around he abstained from the vote and it was passed without him.

While I’m loath to make generalisations, it’s not difficult to pigeon hole Greg Smith. He was previously the NSW president of the conservative Christian (although it promotes itself as secular every member has been openly conservative catholic or evangelical) Right to Life Australia Association, which lobby’s against abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research legislation.

Prior to being Attorney General Greg also objected to a NSW relationship register that would place unmarried couples and homosexual couples in the same legal standing and grant them the same rights as married heterosexual couples. In his argument he said:

"The passing of this bill will be another increment in the undermining and destruction of marriage and the traditional family."

The current NSW AG John Hatzistergos had pointed out that Greg had previously objected to any legislation that sought equality for homosexuals in Australia.

Even More R18+ News

Not specifically related to games but if you’ve ever considered the OFLC classifications on movies and games to be only guidelines and not directly enforceable you might want to review that opinion.

A Family Court Judge, Justice Margaret Cleary, has issued a legal injunction, banning a family from allowing their children, aged 7 to 13, to watch films rated R18+.

Children shouldn’t be watching films rated R18+, and even a few MA films and games (and I’m pretty sure I could make a convincing argument that some G films should be withheld from children, damn you wolf thing in Never Ending Story II that stalks my dreams), there’s not much of a debate there. But the ruling justifies two unproven facts that the moral panicers love to whip out in these debates. That certain media can do permanent psychological damage to children (damn you Never Ending Story II), and that governments and external organisations can determine and legally enforce how a family raises a child.

Excuse me but I need to make a pillow fort to hide behind immediately

A legal injunction such as this lets these two very hairy, nasty and smelly cats out of the bag and getting them back in can be pretty difficult. Naturally Dr Glenn Cupit, vice president of the card carrying police of the moral panic crowd, the Australian Council on Children and the Media, another purported secular organisation almost exclusively made up off conservative and evangelical types, was quick to comment:

"Classifications are there for a purpose and the reality is that a lot of parents ignore the fact that reputable people who aren't wild wowsers have looked at these things and said children should not be exposed to this stuff."

For your information a ‘wowser’ is someone who often forces their opinion or beliefs on others. What Glenn Cupit fails to mention is that the classification system is constantly under assault and appealed against by many wild wowser organisations who feel too much objectional content (objectional to them) is made available to Australians, notably the Australian Council on Children and the Media. There are numerous examples of games and films that have been approved by the OFLC before having their rating over turned by pressure from wowser organisations and wowser susceptible politicians.

He’s right that classifications are there for a purpose. Just not the purpose Cupit or Justice Cleary are using them for. If we start punishing parents just for being stupid, where will it end? For a start I'll probably be going away for life.

Popular News

Last week the world’s most popular game reached a new milestone, selling more copies than any other game in history. No it wasn’t Battlefield 3, or Zelda, keep guessing.

Angry Birds. The insanely popular iPhone game reached 500 million downloads last week making it, by virtue of the number of people who have downloaded it, the most popular game in history.

Stew on that for a while as you message board flame over whether Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3 is the superior game.

Rainbow News

Finally, after what feels like an eon of waiting, the next Rainbow 6 game, titled Rainbow Six Patriots, is on the way. All the latest details are in the next issue of Game Informer.

Sounds like the franchise may be taking a narrative focused approach with this latest entry. Campaign play will apparently have branching story lines and different endings. Hopefully this is more than a final 30 seconds, save your girl or save all the hostages kind of thing. Two tiny branches does not a tree make.

As for the trailer below, it's pretty damn hardcore. Looks like Ubisoft are really trying to develop a story to go with their gameplay here, the intuitive control scheme looks nice too, very reminiscent of the controls in Splinter Cell Conviction, which had its fans and detractors. Personally I was a fan and this trailer has me pretty excited for the next Rainbow 6 game.

Weird News

This is apparently a video played at an Xbox company for entertainment. I should warn you it's pretty gross, both in terms of acting and gore. Kind of a Saw pastiche with a Kinect. It's definitely not weird funny, more just weird weird.

Enjoy?

Animal Cruelty News

The German branch of PETA have released a statement that Battlefield 3 promotes sadistic violence against animals by encouraging young people to kill animals.

Naturally this is pretty groundless. It’s an optional part of the game and has no bearing on achievements or points in general. Video games have a long and storied tradition of amusingly letting us cap elements of the environment we assumed were just decoration. I have a lot of ethical problems with PETA, even though they've got the word ethical right there in their title they are an interesting organisation, better known for convincing beautiful women to pose naked splashed with blood and generally terrorising people and carrying out protests that include setting fire to people houses and grave robbing the remains of their parents. Overall they've probably done far more to damage their cause than they've ever done to benefit it. Generally I just don't like them, and this is coming from someone who has a foster kitten asleep on his lap after being bottle fed, an abandoned mummy cat with three newborn babies sleeping on a blanket in my shower, and an abandoned bull terrier pup asleep on my couch right now, all being cared for by me and my family while we look for homes for them. But on the other hand I love bacon, to the PETA folk this makes me one of the enemy.

PETA suggests that this endorsement of violence against animals leads to real world recreations of the same violence. If they know a child who enjoys sadistically harming animals there’s a lot more wrong with that kid than how many video games they play.

The Bay News

Michael ‘The Michael Bat’ Bay has directed a trailer for new race/crime game Need for Speed The Run. While the trailer is typically big, explodey and ostentatious (which is a smarter way of saying big and explodey); it’s also kind of cool, kind of really cool.

In fact it makes a good argument that Need for Speed The Run could be the most enjoyable racing game you’ve ever played. I know I'm interested and Need for Speed games generally put me to sleep.