Leisure Suit Larry video game banned in Australia

[Nym90]

Wow, I guess Australia is pretty socially conservative. I can't believe they actually make the possession of a video game illegal. What facism!

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Leisure Suit Larry banned in Australia

Aussie government says Magna Cum Laude won't be coming at all to gamers in Oz.
Try as he might, Larry Lovage won't be going Down Under anytime soon--Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude has been blocked from entry into Australia. Various Australian news agencies reported last week that the Office of Film and Literature Classification, the branch of the Australian government that rates all video games that enter the country, has banned the title.


The report issued by the office indicates that the game's sexual content, specifically the cinematic scenes that feature "obscured and/or implied sexual activity and obscured and partial nudity involving stylised, animated characters."

Earlier this year, the office refused to classify Rockstar's gory slasher Manhunt. It is now illegal to import, rent, or sell either game in Australia.

Published by Vivendi Universal for the PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude represents the rebirth of the classic adventure game series published by Sierra On-Line in the 1980s and 1990s. It is legal in the United States.

[John Dibble]

See my thread about two other games banned.

[The Duke]

Too bad.  That's a good game.

[Tory]

Weren't GTA III and Vice City banned there? I think they finally gave in and let San Andreas through.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Look at what Alabama is thinking of doing.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1101896768316400.xml

[Nym90]

Too bad. That's a good game.

Is it? That's cool. I haven't gotten it yet. I have all of the old LSLs. I'm just too cheap to plonk down 40-50 bucks for a game, I usually wait until they are a few years old and under 20 dollars.

[??????????]

This game is even still around? I remember playing it on my old 8088. lol

[Silent Hunter]

OK, this is getting stupid. There were reports they were thinking about banning Half-Life 2 (they cleared it).

I'm glad I live in a country run by a centre-left government.

[John Dibble]

I'm glad I live in a country run by a centre-left government.

I'm glad I live in a country where they just can't possibly ban such things.

[ilikeverin]

I usually wait until they are a few years old and under 20 dollars.

You depress me -_-

[John Dibble]

This game is even still around? I remember playing it on my old 8088. lol

It's a series. They recently released a new one.

[Platypus]

Howard did this to get the votes of the Family First party; the majority of Aussies don't even know it is happenning-but those who do overwhelmingly dissaprove.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'm glad I live in a country run by a centre-left government.

I'm glad I live in a country where they just can't possibly ban such things.

yeah, hearing about stuff like this makes me realize American isn't so bad.

[CARLHAYDEN]

nym,

You really don't understand your terminology.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

Remember, Australia has banned private possession of firarms (a policy opposed by every real conservative).

[Alcon]

nym,

You really don't understand your terminology.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

Remember, Australia has banned private possession of firarms (a policy opposed by every real conservative).

No. Conservatives pretend that they object to social issues for reasons that they don't actually care that much about ("marriage is between a man and a woman!")

[J-Mann]

No. Conservatives pretend that they object to social issues for reasons that they don't actually care that much about ("marriage is between a man and a woman!")

On that issue, I'd agree.  Of course, I'm pro-gay rights, and I know that a lot of conservatives around here are against gay marriage because they hate homosexuals and homosexuality; plain and simple.  The same would go for conservatives who want creation taught in public schools.  They say they want creation to be given equal time with evolution, but in reality, they want a religious point of view pushed onto public school students, some of whom may be unsuspecting.

BUT, there are certainly social issues that we (conservatives) care deeply about and have no hidden agenda on.  Abortion and gun control would be two that immediately come to mind. 

[Alcon]

No. Conservatives pretend that they object to social issues for reasons that they don't actually care that much about ("marriage is between a man and a woman!")

On that issue, I'd agree.  Of course, I'm pro-gay rights, and I know that a lot of conservatives around here are against gay marriage because they hate homosexuals and homosexuality; plain and simple.  The same would go for conservatives who want creation taught in public schools.  They say they want creation to be given equal time with evolution, but in reality, they want a religious point of view pushed onto public school students, some of whom may be unsuspecting.

BUT, there are certainly social issues that we (conservatives) care deeply about and have no hidden agenda on.  Abortion and gun control would be two that immediately come to mind. 

I've always been amazed that it is the Republican Party that is against gun control. This is the area where the two parties switch, more or less. I understand the abortion one, where I am a centrist on.

What you say is very reasonable.

[Gabu]

Too bad. That's a good game.

Is it? That's cool. I haven't gotten it yet. I have all of the old LSLs. I'm just too cheap to plonk down 40-50 bucks for a game, I usually wait until they are a few years old and under 20 dollars.

I always just rent all of my games.  Much cheaper, especially when they only take two or three days to complete.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

Thanks for that info!  I learn something new about myself every day.  Here I was in my silly liberal thought patterns thinking that I support personal responsibility and less government regulation.  I guess you showed me.

[Nym90]

nym,

You really don't understand your terminology.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

Remember, Australia has banned private possession of firarms (a policy opposed by every real conservative).

My terminology was correct as it applies to the USA and the way the labels are used today. Conservatives, not liberals, would want a game banned because it includes too much sex. That being said, Australia is apparently a lot more socially conservative than America, and even the vast majority of American conservatives wouldn't support banning video games.

I concur with Gabu's comments; I certainly don't agree with your characterization of a liberal and I know that most others don't, as well. Liberals are not for big government, we are for government cooperating with citizens to bring about a better world. We want to promote responsibility and trust people to make good decisions, hence why we are not socially authoritarian. At the same time we recognize that corporations and businesses must have sensible checks and balances against them to prevent them from exploiting workers in a way that is not good for society as a whole, and to encourage more competition rather than stifling the free market.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That being said, Australia is apparently a lot more socially conservative than America

It is... parts of Queensland (sometimes called "The Deep North") are more socially conservative than Utah.

The amount of racism tolerated in Australia would not be tolerated in the U.S...

[opebo]

That being said, Australia is apparently a lot more socially conservative than America, and even the vast majority of American conservatives wouldn't support banning video games.

I doubt Australia is more socially conservative than the US, though it is obviously pretty bad.  And I think you're wrong about the vast majority of American conservatives - I think their dearest wish is that they could ban this sort of thing, as well as porn, etc.
If I'm not mistaken they can ban the sale or distribution of such things locally.

[J-Mann]

I always just rent all of my games.  Much cheaper, especially when they only take two or three days to complete.

Only rent!?  Two or three days!?  You're either a really good gamer or put in some serious time within those couple of days!

I hardly ever play games anymore (did a lot when I was a kid though), and the last game I bought (before just recently) was Metroid Prime.  In fact, I bought a Game Cube for it!  The last game I rented was Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which I then bought after I rented it twice.  It took me a bit less than two weeks to complete it, putting about two hours a day on it.

[CARLHAYDEN]

You are really unable to understand even basic concepts.

Let me try to explain it to you in simple terms.

There is a difference between 'sanctioning' something and 'banning' something.'

If homosexuals want to live together, I have no problem with this, nor would I 'ban' it.

However, if homosexuals want their relationship to be 'sanctioned' as the same as a marriage between a man and a woman, I, and most of the voters DO object to this approach.

[minionofmidas]

nym,

You really don't understand your terminology.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

That's a good definition of the two terms' most basic meanings - except you got "Liberal" and "Conservative" reversed.
Then again, current American language use and political alignments mean you're right on quite a number of issues.

[J-Mann]

nym,

You really don't understand your terminology.

Liberals believe that the state should be the nanny for us all, while conservatives believe that free people can make their own choices (with parents being recognized as the ultimate decision makers for children).

That's a good definition of the two terms' most basic meanings - except you got "Liberal" and "Conservative" reversed.
Then again, current American language use and political alignments mean you're right on quite a number of issues.

I think the definitions of liberal and conservative really depend on the issue that you're talking about.  Sometimes conservatives do want the "state to be a nanny".  Other times they certainly don't.  The same goes for liberals.  No one should try to force liberals and conservatives into one definition or the other, because it just doesn't work that way.