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Censorship PC Games (Games) Entertainment Games

Leisure Suit Larry Banned 94

Posted by michael from the punny-title dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude has been refused classification and banned by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) due to its sexual content. Being produced by Sierra, Larry's exploits are more cheeky than they could ever be offensive, so is this really justified? Oh well, off to bit torrent I go..."
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Leisure Suit Larry Banned More

Leisure Suit Larry Banned

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  • Why? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by JavaLord ( 680960 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:21AM (#10459859) Journal
    refused classification and banned by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) due to its sexual content.

    Maybe some of our Australian friends can help us out with this, but why would they ban this game? It can't be any worse than an "American Pie" type movie, or any other recent comedy films. Is Australia this strict with it's movies also?

    • Shhh! (Score:5, Funny)

      by koi88 ( 640490 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:26AM (#10459921)

      It can't be any worse than an "American Pie" type movie

      Shhh... don't say the name so loud. It won't be cheap, but I know somebody who can get you this kind of stuff...

    • Re:Why? (Score:5, Informative)

      by DrSkwid ( 118965 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @12:21PM (#10460553) Journal
      why would they ban this game?

      because the Australian Game rating system only goes up to 15

      so *all* games that would be classified 18 in other parts of the world are automatically banned for sale in Australia

      American Pie the original was classified 15 but, according to this bbc report [bbc.co.uk] American Pie 2 was classified R which means that if it was an Autralian Computer Game, it too would be banned for sale.

      • To me this is simple short sightedness. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when this was decided. If a 15 year old can't play it, then no one can? Unless the group who made the decision were all 15, I just can't fathom the logic behind this.

        • Re:Why? (Score:2, Insightful)

          by warrantyVoidIfRemove ( 630785 )
          Unless the group who made the decision were all 15, I just can't fathom the logic behind this.

          If the group that made this decision were all 15, it would be mandatory for all games and films to be chock full of porn.

        • The old chronies on the classification board have never played a computer game in their lives so they figure only children play games.
        • To me this is simple short sightedness. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when this was decided. If a 15 year old can't play it, then no one can? Unless the group who made the decision were all 15, I just can't fathom the logic behind this.

          It was mainly done as a vote gaining gesture a few years back, when the conservative government of the day needed the vote of an extreme christian, protect the family, senator, who held the balance of power for a short time. They saw gaming censorship as a chea

      • because the Australian Game rating system only goes up to 15

        No, it goes to 11.

    • Re:Why? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by jc42 ( 318812 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @12:23PM (#10460575) Homepage Journal
      The first thing that occurred to me was "I wonder who they had to bribe to get it banned?"

      This should be even better than an X rating. I'll bet they're shipping out lots of copies to the "underground" dealers right now.

      (Here in the US, there are open discussions in the media of the lengths that producers sometimes go to in order to get an R rating, which is the minimum that will bring in most adults. Sometimes they have to add a nude/sex scene that has nothing to do with the plot, just to get that all-important rating. ;-)

      • "Sometimes they have to add a nude/sex scene that has nothing to do with the plot, just to get that all-important rating."


        And to this I say, I LOVE AMERICA!

      • Re:Why? (Score:3, Informative)

        by isaac ( 2852 )

        (Here in the US, there are open discussions in the media of the lengths that producers sometimes go to in order to get an R rating, which is the minimum that will bring in most adults. Sometimes they have to add a nude/sex scene that has nothing to do with the plot, just to get that all-important rating. ;-)

        What? Movie producers never want a movie to be "barely R" - Look how few R-rated films are on the box office charts. http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm [boxofficemojo.com]

        Movie producers are usually cutting

      • Now that you speak of it. I was watching this movie the other day and this woman went to the door wearing practically nothing and in walks a "plumber" who doesn't look like any plumber I've ever seen.

        He then proceeded to have sex with her all over the house and he never even fixed her toilet although he made several comments about checking out her pipes.

        *shrugs*
    • I don't know the specific details, but from memory I think computer games are classified much more harshly for sexual content because of their interactivity.

      • Re:Why? (Score:2, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        I don't know the specific details, but from memory I think computer games are classified much more harshly for sexual content because of their interactivity.

        I pity Australian children. No doubt they'll soon be cutting the little wanker's hands off due to the "interactivity" possession of hands enables.
    • Maybe some of our Australian friends can help us out with this, but why would they ban this game?

      The recent election campaigns have brought some of the loopier (by Australian standards) political parties out. One in particular that is getting a lot of publicity is Family First [familyfirst.org.au], your typical right-wing-christians-are-best nutjobs. Unfortunately, the closeness of the election has also resulted in more cosying up to these fring elements by the major parties to try and get some marginal votes and added legit

  • Sheesh, what is up with Australia? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by sgant ( 178166 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:21AM (#10459870) Homepage Journal
    It's like what's next...they're going to outlaw all forms of sex there too to "protect the children".

    Growing up, always thought that Australia was this free wheeling, laid back country...but they seem more uptight and puritan than the US (Janet Jackson's evil nipple not withstanding).

    Is it really that bad "down there"? (decypher "down under" any way you want)
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • I have a cruel idea.

      Hey, Australian game censorship bureau! Look! [somethingawful.com] Play some of these!

      Then after their heads explode, Aussies can play all the violent and/or filthy games they like.

    • Sheesh, with the way things are going down there you'd think that they were the descendents of a bunch of convicts who are embarassed by the past or something...
    • Sheesh, what is up with Australia?

      It is called a "Conservative Government". The ratings system for games is outdated, based on the assumption that games are for kids (hence the highest classification is 15+), but there is no way that a Conservative Government would fix this, because they would be worried about newspaper headlines like "Government allows kids to play porno games". They have also done everything they can to stack the Office of Film and Literature Classification (which also rates games) with

  • Who Cares? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by TheRealMindChild ( 743925 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:23AM (#10459897) Homepage Journal
    Sure it is a whole country that Sierra can't sell to, but I think the very content that they are banning the game for is the very reason a lot of people play the game (or at least got into the series in the first place), so changing it in any regard to get around the sensorship would comprimise the marketability of the game.

    Eventually, we will look back on these days when we tried to control the media content people were exposed to and laugh.... or we will all be in cages with a barcode tattooed to our necks.

  • really funny (Score:5, Informative)

    by alatesystems ( 51331 ) <chris AT chrisbenard DOT net> on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:25AM (#10459912) Homepage Journal
    If you really want to experience this game in it's full glory, you can rip it to you hard drive after you buy it and then apply a patch to it that you can download online. It unlocks all these things like nudity and other stuff that isn't normally available. This isn't like the nude hack for DOA replacing textures, this is actually unlocking portions of the game that I guess they had to lock for distribution in various markets.

    It's a very hilarious game.

    Chris
    • Are you sure you aren't actually supposed to unlock a lot of this stuff? LSL games tend to be full of secrets that you have to explore/solve puzzles to find. It could just be that a lot of these features that are on the game were meant to be found, not done with a patch.
      Personally, I don't care that you use the patch, but it might detract a little of the joy of finding these obscure things and getting the rewards.
      • It allows more things to be unlocked in the game. It isn't just all unlocked by default when you apply the patch. I'm really not sure what all it does, but the game continues to surprise me with how "raunchy", yet hilarious it continues to be.

        The endings are hilarious with each girl, especially the band leader(forgot her name).

        Xbox version.

        Chris
      • The Grandparent is right, it's locked down for distribution. The European version has more "stuff" visable in it than the NA version, for example.

  • So we're advocating piracy now? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bluemeep ( 669505 ) <bluemeep@@@gmail...com> on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:29AM (#10459961) Homepage
    "Oh well, off to bit torrent I go..."

    Assuming the poster is from Australia, can't he just import instead of resorting to theft? Or is flat out possession of the title illegal?

  • Oh my God! (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:30AM (#10459968)

    These depictions occur in "full-motion video sequences" and include instances such as Larry receiving below-screen fellatio from Koko. "Sucking sounds are heard," said the OFLC.
    Oh my!

    Seriously, come on, why exactly should this game be banned? Who exactly is it going to shock? Veterans of the series will know what to expect when buying this game, but then so will newcomers because the game is marked as 15+ only!

    Honestly, if this is for 'the kids' then why can't you just accept that most of them have seen porn already and this is not exactly the kind of thing that is going to have them complain is it?!

    • and include instances such as Larry receiving below-screen fellatio from Koko

      So, is Max Payne also banned in Australia? There's a rather obvious example of fellatio in the graphic novel... and just in case you missed the obvious hints, when it cuts back to the game the boss you fight has his pants around his ankles.

      • I'm just suprised they never banned Conker's Bad Fur Day - after all you have a fight with a giant turn, who is hurling smaller turds at you all the while singing about shit fetishes...

        • All that from a game that started out with complaints of being "too cute for its own good" or something like that, heh. I never got a chance to play it since I never owned an N64. The N64 era was when I started getting into PC gaming which left little funds to support a simultaneous console addiction.

          Though when it comes to banned games, I think the most amusing story is the German version of Half-Life. Valve apparently added in robotic soldiers instead of people for that release, and even though tha

  • How about (Score:3, Funny)

    by EvilNutSack ( 700432 ) <juhapearson@gmaO ... inus threevowels> on Thursday October 07, 2004 @11:57AM (#10460300)
    It should be banned because it's a crap game? The joke wore off after Leisure Suit Larry 1...
    • Magna Cum Laude may well be crap, but implying that the two immortal adventure game classics, LSL2 and LSL3, wouldn't be funny and equally good or (preferably) better than LSL1, is just plain ignorant.

      And let's not forget LSL7, or: "OMG, an actual parser-driven game in this day and age?" To me that game was thoroughly enjoyable, a delightful blast from the past, not encumbered with any gratuitous 3D bullshit "because everyone is doing all 3D now, we have to as well", and something of a swansong for the ge

  • a justification for "sharing" movies that is more than the rantings of larcenists in denial. Am I correct in assuming that the Oz-thorities have by their actions placed a defacto ban on this movie? If so that is a serious financial blow to the producer. The exposure gained for his movie through the movie "sharing" networks may have the effect of salvaging some demand for the film where the ratings authority meant to suppress demand.
  • Slashdot, where you'll find people simultaneously complaining about various copy protection mechanisms while downloading the game off bit torrent.
  • Oh well, off to bit torrent I go..."

    A friend of mine is involved in the production of LL:MCL - its sales pay my friend. So, rather than protest the rather odd decision of the OFLC by contacting/protesting/petitioning the OFLC or even importing a copy you wish to penalize my friend... Your logic is infallible.

    • Ok, perhaps you just don't get it, the game has been completely banned in australia. If someone imports it and it gets caught going through customs, that person would be in serious trouble and be punishable by law. Would you be willing to face fines just to feel good about paying for the game?
      • Ok, perhaps you just don't get it

        I do get it. If I cannot afford X, or it is illegal to do X and it isn't my right enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights to have X, then I do without X. If you are suggesting that playing LSL is a fundamental human right or the rights of the Copyright holder are less than your desire to play a game then go ahead, blow yourself away and torrent it, but I do have to say that your compass in this area is a bit skew.

        • With all due respect, there are those that believe it is perfectly ethical to disregard a law that one considers immoral or unjust as long as it does not present risk to anyone else. True, grabbing this title from P2P will not give any revenue to the developers, but they are not getting any revenue from Australia anyway. Also, P2P presents only risk to the person acquiring it instead of the person trying to illegally bring it into the country for someone else. I would say that if they can grab it, go for
          • With all due respect, there are those that believe it is perfectly ethical to disregard a law that one considers immoral or unjust as long as it does not present risk to anyone else.

            This, in the context of LSL, is possibly a false argument. You are making the assumption that the producers will never appeal the ban or won't create an edited version for .au territories. You protest against the ban by downloading a torrent of LSL. In two months (for example) the Committee sees the error of its ways and lifts

            • No-one is interested in an edited version of LSL. We simply will not buy an edited version. Why? Because to make LSL a 15+ game they would have to take out everything that is LSL.
            • I still contend that this activity is perfectly ethical in the limited scope of this situation. I think perhaps I wasn't clear enough with my response though. If you believe that this is unjust and are willing to stand up to the consequences if necessary for disobeying the law, then I can see your activity as being justified. It is a risk/benefits analysis with your principles as the metric.

              Of course for me this is all hypothetical. Living in the US, We only censor extremes like nipples on open air bro
      • Completely banned? That's not how I read it. The sale is banned. Buying it from an overseas retailer is probably perfectly legal. Selling it in Australia, however, is not.
      • Grand Theft Auto 3 on PC.

        i knew the Australia version was edited so i purchased a copy from O/S. i dont know how they knew about it, maybe it was labelled on the envelope/box but i got a letter a few days after it should have arrived saying it was seized by Customs because it was illegal in Australia.

        i went into the Customs building to argue my case, and the guy would have nothing of it, it was obviously just on a blacklist and there was nothing he could do. he was obviously clueless towards the game and
    • Your "friend" should be angry with the Australian government. They're the ones who placed a completely arbitrary ban on the basically harmless game, they're the ones who are making potential customers "pirate" the game.

      Your "friend" can be mad at cheapskate Americans who opt for the torrent, but Australians should be granted a pass. I realize we're just talking about Leisure Suit Larry here, but one of the most socially redeeming aspects of torrent sites, P2P sharing and the web in general is the ability
      • Your "friend" should Your "friend" can be I may not totally agree with your argument, but why is my friend in quotes?

        I haven't asked them yet, as to whether they are contesting the rating, but I can assure you that they aren't going to 'distribute and be damned' to protest against the ruling. They will probably just follow the usual legal proceedings.

    • yes so now making a copy of a game that is illegal to sell in your country is obviosly harming the developers due to lost sales, oh that's right you can't buy or import the game in australia.

  • Copy it? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by isorox ( 205688 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @12:52PM (#10460894) Homepage Journal
    Oh well, off to bit torrent I go...

    So you're going to copy it (hurting the game maker) because your government is stupid? The real solution is buy it from abroad and import it, and while you're waiting for it to arrive, write to your MP and newspaper and point out the fact you're sending money abroad instead of keeping it local.
    • So you're going to copy it (hurting the game maker) because your government is stupid?

      Umm, excuse me, but how in God's name is this hurting the game maker? They are not permitted to sell it to Australia. We can't import it. It's debatable in the general case whether copyright infringement does any damage to the game maker, but in this case it's absolutely impossible to count any copyright infringement of their game made by someone in Australia as a loss. So how does it hurt?

      Yes, it sucks that our "c

      • Why can't you import it (it hurt as you are not buying a cd which you have already said you'll buy were it available?)
        • Because in Australia it is illegal to import games and movies that have been refused a classification by the classification board.
          • It's also illegal to download a copy of that game (which is both importing *and* copyright theft). Much better to smuggle in the real copy, then the media will know you are protesting against the ban rather then just copying it cause you want to play it.

            • Re:Copy it? (Score:3, Interesting)

              by QuantumG ( 50515 )
              "copyright theft" is not an actual crime, you just made it up or are repeating some bastardization of the law. Here in Australia we don't have criminal copyright infringement, that's some crazy shit the americans made up. On the other hand, you're statement about importing is more debatable. I'll just ask my girlfriend who happens to work in freight and knows all the customs regulations. She says that customs would not be involved because they don't regulate internet traffic. Recently some movie critic

  • I think Kevin Smith gonna sue somebody!! (Score:4, Funny)

    by bckrispi ( 725257 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @01:08PM (#10461106)
    Brodie : Hey, look at that ring. What is that?
    Jared Svenning : That is, um, my Junior College class ring. Cum Laude, '69.
    Brodie : I also hope to cum loud one day, preferably in a 69.

  • best game evAR (Score:1, Offtopic)

    by Hard_Code ( 49548 )
    "use toilet"

    ahem
  • This is more a thought exercise then a useful observation, however....

    If the publisher was feeliug spiteful towards this censor board, whats to prevent them from setting up a server where australians can download the game for free?

    What power does australias censorship laws have to prevent an offshore server from allowing australian citizens to download the game for free?

    END COMMUNICATION

  • Without Al Lowe? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by glowimperial ( 705397 ) on Thursday October 07, 2004 @02:19PM (#10461988)
    I'm not buying a LSL game that doesn't have Al Lowes greasy paws all over it. I used to buy Sierra games because they had the best designers, making the best games. Now, they are just milking licenses.
  • This is hilarious, did this really come from the same country that did this shit? http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/08/10445 79987451.html?oneclick=true
  • Blame the conservative government. The OFLC released a report recommending that the government allow an R rating for games. As their study showed a significant portion of the gaming public is now over 18. However the govt knocked the report back. Helps the conservative govt keep their "family" interest groups happy.

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