BBFC Says It Investigated Crystal Meth Recipe in GTA IV
BBFC Says It Investigated Crystal Meth Recipe in GTA IV
June 22, 2009
The British Board of Film Classification, which last week lost the battle for control of U.K. video game ratings to industry-favored rival PEGI, once investigated whether Grand Theft Auto IV contained a genuine recipe for manufacturing crystal meth.
The Times reports that the discovery prompted "crisis talks" with developer Rockstar. In testimony last year before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the House of Commons, BBFC head David Cooke discussed his organization's review of GTA IV:
We did examine [GTA IV] extremely thoroughly and we are the only regulator I know of who looked, for instance, at the particular issue where... there was a concern about whether you were being given instructional information about how to make the drug crystal meth.
We actually took independent advice on the point and eventually were able to satisfy ourselves that some of the crucial ingredients and techniques were missing so it was not a genuine cause for concern.
UPDATE: College News (leave it to those crazy college kids) explains where the so-called crystal meth recipe can be found in GTA IV:
The suspected recipe for crystal meth can be discovered in the video game as a posting on the fictional Web site Craplist --a parody of the popular real life Web site Craigslist.
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Posted 11/07/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:26pm
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:23pm
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:18pm
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
Posted 11/07/09 at 03:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:58am
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:56am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:51am
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:48am
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:11am
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:07am
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:05am
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:03am
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:56am
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:45am
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:37am
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:36am
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:32am
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:30am
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:44am
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
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Comments
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I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
And your point is.....? (Not you Zip, lol, the BBFC)
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I am jsut speechless that they have to even check......
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Why not? Nothing came of it, but at least they checked rather than making a blind judgement. It just seems a really random thing to pick-up on. Does amuse me to wonder if they were as thorough when considering the realism of Manhunt 2 violence though!
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I don't think even Rockstar is that stupid/careless, besides, i'm sure if i spent enough time looking on the internet, i'd probably find an actual How To guide, so it's not like they potentially stopped a source of new meth makers.
"...i'm sure if i spent enough time looking on the internet, i'd probably find an actual How To guide, so it's not like they potentially stopped a source of new meth makers."
Indeed. Took me less than 5 seconds.
Andrew Eisen
Yeah because typing "Crystal Meth Recipe" into Google only gives you 119,000 results
Wait a second, thanks to this, they now know how to make Crystal Meth. Great, thanks GTA for sparking people's interest to go factcheck things.
/Satire
Yeah, because no one would ever think to look to other sources for making crystal meth...besides google, wikipedia, youtube, and the local library. All of those would be far better resources for making meth than any video game.
Obviously you've never played MethPlay. Play it once and you won't be able to stop yourself from making meth.
Next they will start investigating episodes of King of the hill from 2002 .
I remember that episode...
岩「…Where do masochists go when they die?」
It's just fishing bait! I swear!
GameSnooper
oh yea, that one was great too (although that one was from '97). I was thinking of the 2002 episode where Connie's cousin tricked Bobby into making a meth lab by pretending to help him with building a candy machine for his group science project.
岩「…Where do masochists go when they die?」
Not the point if you can find the information on the Internet or not, it is against British law to give instructional and promotional drugs information in movies, games and DVDs and as such the BBFC have to check whether the material could be used to help perform an illegal act.
This is not whether people at the BBFC are being prudent (and of course this story posted on this site further propagates these bizarre rumours that the BBFC hate games), they are bound to do so by law. FYI as PEGI now become the sole games classifier this is something that they will be required to look at, if they don't the VSC definitely will.
But anyway the BBFC looked at the issue and decided that there was no genuine cause for concern. They didn't ban anything, they didn't censor anything, they did what all mature ratings agencies should do, that a reasonable and methodical look at the content and make a balanced decision based on the evidence.
Just alter your comment with "violence" or "killing" instead of "drugs" and you get the current violence issues. Whether or not it's against British law is irrelevent, that British law that you're talking about is immoral, illogical, and redundant. Not to mention a waste of resources.
-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-
Again not the point, whether you agree or disagree with the law is irrelevant, even your point that "it is law is irrelevant" is redundant, what you expect the BBFC to pick and choose what laws they follow? If you have a problem with the law go to your MP not the BBFC (do you think the film classification agency makes the law?). Altering the comment to "killing" instead of "drugs" does not mean I get a similar argument as the depiction (or fictional) killing and (most) violence is not illegal under UK law, but the promotion and instructional depiction of drug use is.
Don't even attempt to make this into a debate about the legalisation of drugs, this is simply an organisation abiding by the current UK laws, not someone's own sense of morality, not what they think should be the law, not at media that falls outside of their jurisdiction, the BBFC is following the current British law. They looked at the law and compared GTA4 with it and found nothing broke the law. No bans, no bans, no anything.
That's an awesome law. I'm all for any law that prohibits the distribution of truth.
What would happen if there was a recipe, but it was false?
Come on guys, we should be supporting this. Any attempt to actually eschew blatantly false accusations should be supported. Just think of all the false claims out there (fully detailed nudity in the Sims, full out sex scenes and sodomy in Mass Effect, rape in... any retail game), we should be happy that BBFC actually took the time to see if it was true or not, than just assuming the worse.
I agree to an extent. My complaint is why investigate a game for this instead of investigating other sources that are far more detailed and easier to access than a game.
You are right though. At least the BBFC took the tme to investigate and research.
Because the BBFC only cover games and films. "investigating other sources that are far more detailed and easier to access than a game" would be a job for the police, not a media ratings organisation.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I wonder if they've bothered to verify if GTA uses the correct method for beating someone senseless with a baseball bat or other melee weapon.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000
Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
They could have just asked JT. I bet he'd know. He seems to be on some kind of mind-altering substance as of late.
Yes sir, we all know how credible JT is when it comes to drug. I bet he'll say the drug is real without any evidence.
investigated whether Grand Theft Auto IV contained a genuine recipe for manufacturing crystal meth
Was there a FAKE recipe for crystal meth? The only references to it I saw in TLAD was one character being a meth junkie and references to one character being the gang's meth chemist
I don't know how many drug references there are in GTA IV (haven't played it). All I know is there are probably more in Chinatown Wars, because drug selling is one of your main character's standard activities throughout the game, not just as a few side missions.
GameSnooper
This is certainly the truth.
In a few cutscenes, there's some mysterious white lines on a mirrir that are snorted up once or twice. There are a few missions where you deliver or eascape with a bag (which you are led to believe is full of either coke or heroin -- not meth). There's a few junkie characters, one of which is strung out on meth. And there are some generic references to characters or groups using drugs. That's all GTA4 has in terms of drug content. Hell, GTA SA seemed to be more drug focused than GTA4.
Chinatown Wars on the other hand practically revolves around the trade of various specific drugs throughout the entire game.