Atkinson Aware of Gamer Opponent
Atkinson Aware of Gamer Opponent
November 9, 2009
South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson has acknowledged his possible videogame developer opponent in the 2010 state elections.
As reported previously, David Doe and his Gamers4Croydon party hope to topple Atkinson. The main purpose of Doe's party is to introduce an R18+ classification for games, which Atkinson strenuously objects to. According to a News.com update, Doe is well on his way to gathering enough signatures to register his party, with over 75 signees. He needs 150 to make the party official.
Atkinson said he “welcomed” Doe’s challenge, adding:
The voters of Croydon will now be asked directly whether they want interactive games in which gamers score points by raping a mother and daughter, blowing themselves up, torturing human figures . . . killing people and taking drugs to improve their sporting prowess.
As a sidebar, a poll embedded in with the story on the paper’s website asks “Should there be an R18+ classification for video games?” 83% of the over 2200 respondents chose “yes” an answer at the time this was written.
The story also notes that Atkinson, who has held his seat for 20 years, received 67.1 percent of the first-preference votes in the 2006 state election.
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Posted 03/15/10 at 04:05pm
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:55pm
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:54pm
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:53pm
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:50pm
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:48pm
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:46pm
DarkSaber: Only if you play multiplayer AE.
DarkSaber: Only if you play multiplayer AE.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:45pm
Andrew Eisen: Except, aside from following up on an earlier story, GP frequently reports on internet censorship and net neutrality issues (the internet being a big part of video games and all).
Andrew Eisen: Except, aside from following up on an earlier story, GP frequently reports on internet censorship and net neutrality issues (the internet being a big part of video games and all).
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:45pm
ZippyDSMlee: I emailed it in DS, if Venezuela gets covered so should south koera but I gues not :P
ZippyDSMlee: I emailed it in DS, if Venezuela gets covered so should south koera but I gues not :P
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:45pm
PHX Corp: The CA S(Foghorn)heads are at it again, instead of banning M rated video games for children They are going to tax the hell out of them Literally and yhis time Yee aint The one trying to do it
PHX Corp: The CA S(Foghorn)heads are at it again, instead of banning M rated video games for children They are going to tax the hell out of them Literally and yhis time Yee aint The one trying to do it
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:39pm
DarkSaber: That is a VERY tenuous link to the "GamePolitics" umbrella, to be sure. One sentence referencing an older story tacked on at the end of 7 paragraphs.
DarkSaber: That is a VERY tenuous link to the "GamePolitics" umbrella, to be sure. One sentence referencing an older story tacked on at the end of 7 paragraphs.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:38pm
JDKJ: And as a change of pace, there's the article with the thinly-veiled criticism of the Chavez administration. Never seen that one before.
JDKJ: And as a change of pace, there's the article with the thinly-veiled criticism of the Chavez administration. Never seen that one before.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:35pm
DarkSaber: OBJECTION! The bobblehead only started being awarded AFTER Dennis got the boot. I mean voluntarily left, sorry.
DarkSaber: OBJECTION! The bobblehead only started being awarded AFTER Dennis got the boot. I mean voluntarily left, sorry.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:33pm
JDKJ: Dennis used to give more than mere "credit." Tipsters used to get a Hal Halpin bobblehead. If you're truly appreciative, show it. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
JDKJ: Dennis used to give more than mere "credit." Tipsters used to get a Hal Halpin bobblehead. If you're truly appreciative, show it. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:33pm
DarkSaber: Good to see GP is in touch with the community as always then.
DarkSaber: Good to see GP is in touch with the community as always then.
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
You can get points for raping mothers and daughters? What console game is he playing, and did he pick it up in Japan? What console game allows you to torture human figures? What game rewards you for blowing yourself up?
Atkinson is a moron.
Raping mothers and daughters?! What game has he been playing?! I want what he's playing!
"God, is that you?"
"No! It's a me, Mario!"
"What game rewards you for blowing yourself up?"
There are a few, surely.. Blowing yourself and an enemy up is an achievement in multiplayer cod4, and there are lots of kamikazes in strategy games - the splatters in Laser Squad Nemesis, the fanatics in Command and Conquer 3, the terrorists and truck bombs in C&C:Generals for example.
He's probably thinking of 'Kaboom', some grotty online flash game relating to Palestinian Suicide bombers circa 2004 or 2005 or so that created the usual tedious outrage, though.
There's also Splosion Man on the XBLA, which has you blowing yourself up to propel you to higher platforms, but it won't kill you.
I really want to head desk so hard, but my desk is made of glass. The only games that have points nowadays are rhythm games and the very few arcade games that do manage to get released in the states, but also including the arcade style games found on the Wii and such. However, I don't know the state of Australian arcades, so excuse my ignorance there.
Several action games still use a point system, such as Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, etc.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
I meant for stuff that you earn points for the sake of earning points, not like stuff where you level up items or your character, like the metroidvania Castlevania games, God of War, or even the Night Sections of Sonic Unleashed.
Here we go with spreading lies again. People still think that all games have points in them. This is NOT the 80s people. Seesh. I hope the other guy beats Atkinson and the R18 rating gets allowed. Show the lies Atkinson uses to censor everyone from games.
I assume he's talking about RapeLay. Unfortuantely we're gonna be seeing that game pop up for YEARS to come. I'm more interested in what game he's talking about when he says "take drugs to improve your sporting prowess?" Does Madden '10 have a "steroid mode?"
I'm more interested in what game he's talking about when he says "take drugs to improve your sporting prowess?"
Blitz: The League. It was refused classification in Australia as when a player was injured you could choose to "juice" them with painkillers effectively ignoring the injury.
Ahhh, haven't seen that game. Still though I think a steroid mode would be pretty awesome. You can pump your characters up to like 3x normal body size and just steamroll everyone.
If in doubt, sensationalise.
Politics, the same the world over.
I hope David Doe wins so that the country gets someone that actually cares about the people rights.
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/
Atkitson is a coward. He is the next Jack Thompson because his stupid antics. I really want to watch him getting caught in some strange matter.
They will look up and shout "Give ROFLCOPTERS to us"... and I´ll whisper "NO". The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com
Pretty much, to bad though, unlike Jacky boy, Atkitson unfortunly has power.
In the Shinobi games, you can explode yourself with Ninja Magic to kill your enemies.
I don't know about the XBox games, but in the 16 bit Shinobi games, you gained points by getting through a stage without using any ninja magic. So while you could blow yourself up, you did not gain points for it.
Great. Now when the actual politician wins a political race he can claim that the voters have spoken and that they don't want an R18+ classification.
That is what I suspect will happen.
A single platform unknown canidate vs a 20+ year incumbant? It is highly unlikly that there will be any changing of the gaurd going on here. Most people vote for whoever holds the office already unless you really rile a large percentage of the population up.
I agree, this prat has made the whole election about gaming now, how many of the voters in the croydon area honestly give two-shits about some adults not being to play games the rest of the world can?
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
And Atkinson of course ignores that Rapelay wouldn't be made available there regardless, but Atkinson can't let that get i nthe way while he preaches "if he wins your kids will be able to play rape games and will, WILL become rapists, and they will becoem fat homosexuals"
His comments really set the bar quite high for levels of ignorance. Referring to a game that was only available online and was not classified, flash games and believing that anything done in a game is to get "points".
I can't wait for a new generation in government all over the world. I don't want someone whose only concern is videogames, but I would appreciate someone who knows what a videogame is...
Yep, he definitely fits in [[Category:Fear mongers]]. With just about every other politician I hear of these days.
Yeah, I've never done any of those things that Atkinson described. Oh yes in the fictional setting of games I have. But the only way any of that would be a problem would be if Atkinson has difficulty seperating reality from fantasy. Unfortunately that seems to be a large hurdle for his ilk.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
"which gamers score points by raping a mother and daughter,"
Rapeplay, a game not available in English
"blowing themselves up"
there are lots of games where you can do that (take any game with an rpg or bazooka, even an army man game and point it downwards) but games where it's encouraged... The only two I can think of are a web game which isn't relevant and splosion man, which I haven't played. Allthough from the looks of it splosion man is a very cartoony game so if that's what he's talking about it's very misleading. If you were so inclined you can make the violence in Looney Tunes seem graphic.
"torturing human figures"
I'm drawing a blank.
". . . killing people"
Yes this could also be cartoony as well.
"and taking drugs to improve their sporting prowess."
that old blitz game? *Shrug*
I hope it's pointed out over and over that if an R18 rating is made then it would be illegal for game stores to sell those to kids.
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Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
So it is just atkinson and this man running? There must be someone else besides atkinson, who has a major political party backing them or something.
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Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
Don't you just love it though? Atkinson is giving the other guy a way to beat him in an election! It's simple, and Atkinson is even supporting the arguements.
"Do you really want kids playing games about raping people, blowing themselves up and drug abuse easily accessible to children? Keeping an R18 rating from appearing does exactly that"
"Michael Atkinson personally endorses raping people, blowing themselves up and drug abuse by encouraging the classification board to rate games MA instead of a more appropriate R18!"
Kudos!
Saying that Jack Thompson is impotent is an insult to impotent men everywhere. They've got a whole assortment of drugs that can cure their condition; Jack, however...
I hope atkinson takes a Nose dive on this.
He's an idiot and the fact that he was ever elected does not speak well of the people who elected him.
Yukimura is still here. "When he's at his best, he's little less then a man, and when he's at his worst, he's little more then a beast." W.S
Lets see, every argument that Atkinson ever says is a total lie or is not a real issue with the Classification Board.
Rapelay - Not relevent because it was a game only intended for the Japanese audience and those outside of Japan can get it via online. Nothing the OFLC could do about that.
Turture game - Yeah...torturing a stick figure or something that looks like a puppet is really going to encourage people to torture real people... Plus it is a FLASH game on the internet, I also know that newgrounds and other flash sites have their own content ratings, if it says adult and asks you to be over 18 before you play it, is exactly how every other ratings board in the world does it,
Game the encourages drug use - Well if you think about Yoshi Story and the way how it has 'The Super Happy Tree' then I guess you could turn that into a game that encourages kids to take drugs, or maybe eat more fruit. Either way how can you determine if a game can encourage drug use if the game can't speak to defend themselves?
Blowing yourself up - Yeah...playing Lemmings has taught me how to blow myself up when I am not going to win anyway... for the love of... Lets say if all the news stations who featured people blowing themselves up and the movies in hollywood that feature people blowing themselves up and yet we have a game that tries to do the same thing yet it get criticised all because it is just a videogame... is that really fair???
I would hope that Games4Croydon does just one thing good. It may not win a seat to get into power, but it will sure let people know how stupid Michael Atkinson is. Go for it and challenge him not only on the debate of videogames, but also on the debate for Bikers and also Gay Marridge and other things that Michael Atkinson will talk stupid about.
In any case, if Atkinson loses power and the Liberal Canditate wins in his seat, at least Games4Croydon has been something good.
Scoring points???
That is SOOOO 1981...