When I pick it up, i plan to put a preorder down for halo wars, looks like a solid game.

Night, Andrew.

So here goes.

I’d like to update everyone on my current details..

I did end up buying a mountain bike, a dirt jump bike infact. The model is a GT Chucker 2.0 08′. Got it for $700 Had to get the forks cleaned because they were rubbish RST launch’s, don’t buy these forks. The whole bike is good, the frame is great. Takes a beating. I also got some downhill gear such as a fullface and shinguards so i can get more confident, and man.. it helps! My dad ended up buying a Giant Yukon 09′ for $700 and its a great cross country bike which is able to take a beating also. I think I’ve actually ridden it more than him! Heaps of fun riding it on the road.. way quicker than my bike.

I’ve also purchased some new games while traded/sold others. I got Fallout 3, GH:WT, Gears of War 2, CoD: WaW, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam and PGR3.

I’ve been posting frequently on the forums at PALGN. Great guys there, really friendly and a great place to sell and buy games.

Well, thats about it..

Oh, and watch out for Guitar Hero: World Tour’s drum kit. My red pad broke and I’m without it for about a month, mega annoyance.

As for Triple Ms stance, I understand that you have needed to axe the show. But I also hope you know that the show has most likely saved lives. I’ve only found another talk show on FM which seems to be for older people, the show is constantly asking for callers to call in, obviously because they are old and they are sleeping. I’d just like you to know, you guys have made a pretty big mistake. Screw the f*cking breakfast shows, they are really poor.

Keep us updated on Myspace or whatever spoony. Thanks for the great times.

One of the most anticipated games of the high definition era and possibly the new century. Grand Theft Auto IV has been out for a while now, but considering there wasn’t a thread, and I have some things to question on the game I decided to make one.

Overall, the game is great, its rather smooth, seamless gameplay really shows that Rockstar has taken the time into perfecting this game. At release you saw all the 10/10 reviews. Thats because it was at release the people reviewing had only played a few hours max and hadn’t really gotten into the heart of the game. In my opinion it would get around a 8.5 or a possible 9/10.
This is because of these reasons:

Clothes shops: In a rpg/sandbox game, I look for uniqueness, and since theres only 3 shops, and the only buy able hats are Russian hats, and the only buy able glasses look like they’re from the 80′s era it isn’t really different. There were more shops in San Andreas, so I believe this is a step backwards.

Cars: The amount of cars on the road is spectacular, it looks great. But it gets a tad annoying when your doing max speed on a motorbike over a bridge and some idiot decides to change lanes for no apparent reason! You get knocked off your bike and possibly die.. not great fun in my opinion! Also, you will just see them spawn ‘out of the dust’ on a road, its really off putting and annoying.

Internet: The ingame internet is one of the most annoying ‘filler’ features ever. There are ads to buy cars, but can you buy these cars? NO! There are online shops to buy furniture, can you buy these? NO! There are places to get girlfriends can you take them on a date (exemption of 3 of them) NO!

Tuning of Cars: In San Andreas, you were able to tune up lowriders, in GTAIV this is not seen. I have no idea why… maybe a further download or patch?. But its annoying, because you can drive these awesome cars, but you cant get them painted the colour you want. This also leads to more stealing of cars, which I think is overdone in the GTA series (despite the name) I want to be able to look after my car and perhaps keep it for the length of the game. I have since resorted to car cheats because it just got too much for me to handle.

Now for some positives:

Realistically: I love how realistic the game is, in the first 5 minutes of playing, I saw two cars crash, this was followed by the drivers getting out and having a brawl, this followed onto the first puncher being taken away in a police car. This amazes me, and is only one example of the game.

Mission Length and Difficulty: I found most missions took me more than 5 minutes, which is way better than the previous gta games. One mission (which involved robbing a bank) took me about 20 – 30 mins! And another mission took me more than 6 tries! I’m not saying the missions are hard, but they are challenging. I even bought the strategy book, which to my annoyance cost me $40 probably due to importation costs.

These are only a few points on why the game is great, i wouldn’t say it is excellent, but it is great. 9/10

It also has many new features such as, assisted GPS, a thicker body, glossy black or white backing, solid metal buttons, flushed headphone jack, improved audio and as the title suggests 3G compatibility.

It will be availiable on the 11th of July in the following countries

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium (French and Dutch)
• Canada (English and French)
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Portugal
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland (French and German)

But, with the hype comes criticism, even though its only just been announced, people are already criticizing the 3G iPhone because it doesn’t have video calling capabilities, no cut and paste function and no ability to send MMS (Multimedia messages). But most of these problems (except the video calling) can be fixed with a software update, so no big problem.

If you are excited, I’d recomend gathering the money now, and seeing if you can secure one now. I will be trying to do this also, but I’ll probably only get the 8GB version because i already have an 80GB iPod Classic.

Another amazing thing is shown below.

I primarily use two websites (the rest are complicated or poorly scripted). These websites are:

Bux3 – Click ads, and earn $0.01 per click! Plus $0.05 signup bonus. Refer your friends and you will get $0.01 for each link they click! Complete offers and earn up to $3! http://bux3.com/?r=heatseeker424

Bux.to – Same as above but more widely known. There are less ads to click on this one though, and no offers. http://bux.to/?r=heatseeker424

Please use the links I have provided, as I will be able to contact you and help you if you have any difficulties.

And best of all, they aren’t going to scam you!

Thanks To All.

By the way, I am thinking of putting some Ad Sense Google Advertisements on this site to earn some money, I’m rather low on cash at the moment and need money to buy games, see movies and buy new hardware. I am also hoping when I hit the 2500 hits mark I will open up a domain. What is your opinion on these ads? What harm can it do just to click them? Comment this thread with your opinions.

Pictures:

I present to you my arguments and/or ways of looking at the issue:

For:

As it is, some video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series (being a main example) are only just on the edge of being restricted. I remember GTA: San Andreas had to be pulled off the shelves for excessive swearing and sexual references, this could stop that happening. Most recently Solider of Fortune: Payback is a good example of this.

It will increase the population of more older gamers.

Lift the reputation of games from being ‘For Kids’.

More people will see games as a hobby, I know a lot of my friends have to cope with their parents not accepting gaming as a hobby.

Decrease illegal importing/downloading as these games that were restricted will be easily available to adults.

Against:

The games may fall into the hands of children, parents can be easily convinced that their child is old or mature enough for a R18+ game and their child is only 12. I’ve heard stories/had to play with 9 year old kids on Gears of War which is a MA15+ game that complain when someone swears (that’s why its ma15+)

Well, that’s the only thing I can see wrong with this proposal. I personally would like to show Mr Atkinson my opinions and I may email them too him soon.

Speech in Parliament Stating Why He Opposed The Classification (getting cut off during the speech)

 Quote:
 The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia has repeatedly put to attorneys-general that there ought to be an R18+ classification for computer games. 

 Unlike films, for which there are R18+ and X18+ classifications, the highest classification for computer games that depict, express or otherwise deal with sex, violence or coarse language in such a manner as to be unsuitable for viewing or playing by persons under 15 are classified as MA15+. 

Computer games that exceed the criteria needed for an MA15+ classification must be refused classification and cannot be sold, hired, demonstrated or advertised in Australia. Nevertheless, thousands of games are available to computer game buyers and only a few are completely banned under this system 

I have consistently opposed an R18+ classification for computer games. I am concerned about the harm of high-impact (particularly violent) computer games to children. Games may pose a far greater problem than other media – particularly films – because their interactive nature could exacerbate their impact. The risk of interactivity on players of computer games with highly violent content is increased aggressive behaviour. 

I do not want children to be able to get their hands on R18+ games easily. I understand that the lack of an R18+ classification denies some adults the chance to play some games, however, the need to keep potentially harmful material away from children is far more important 

Proponents for the classification say the latest technology allows gaming platforms and computers to be programmed to allow parental locks. Today’s children are far more technologically savvy than their parents. It’s laughable to suggest that they couldn’t find ways around parental locks if R18+ games were in the home. 

I have mentioned that, despite there being thousands of computer games available to consumers, only a handful are banned. I want to give some examples of games refused classification in Australia because I’m certain that fair-minded people would not want the kind of content in them to be available to children. 

Blitz: The League was banned in January 2007. It’s an American Football game in which players prepare teams and play through a season. It was banned because in the course of the game, the player may use illegal performance-enhancing drugs for the members of his or her team. The player can also use fake urine samples to avoid positive drug tests 

Reservoir Dogs was banned in June 2006. This game is based on the Reservoir Dogs movie and players are participants in a bank robbery. They can blow the heads off hostages and police as well as execute hostages at point blank range with a gunshot to the head. They can also torture hostages by pistol whipping the side of the head, burn the eyes of a hostage with a cigar until they scream and die, or cut the fingers off hostages. There are blood bursts as the victims scream in pain. 

50 Cent: Bulletproof was banned in November 2005. The game’s central character is the rap star, 50 Cent, and he seeks revenge for the killing of his former cellmate. It was banned because the killing in the game was prolonged and took place in close up and slow motion. It included a lot of on-screen blood splatter when the killing was done with knives. Just to show that the current system does work, a censored version of the game was released later with an MA15+ classification. 

Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure was banned in February 2006. In this game, players make names for themselves using graffiti. They join gangs and compete with rival gangs and the police force. This game was banned because it promotes breaking the law by vandalising public buildings with graffiti. Worse, the central character acquires his knowledge of graffiti tips, techniques and styles from real graffiti vandals who pass on those details. It actually instructs players on how to become graffiti vandals 

Narc was banned in April 2005. In this game, players try to defeat an underground drug trafficking and terrorist organisation. Nevertheless, the game contains frequent drug use. Players can choose to take illegal drugs including heroin, speed, LSD, marijuana and ecstasy and those drugs provide the player with benefits in progressing through the game. For example, when a player takes an ecstasy tablet 

 At this point Mr Atkinson was interrupted and returned to his seat. The following is the rest of his speech as provided by his office 

 ... opponents will stop attacking and allow the player's character to escape. Similarly, taking speed allows the player's character to run faster and catch opponents. 

 I contest any idea that it is necessary for games to include material of this kind and that a game is more interesting to an adult because it contains extreme violence, explicit sexual material, instruction in crime or characters using illicit drugs. I remain firmly opposed to changing the classifications of computer games to allow an R-rating for games with such content 

This is a carefully considered position I have held for six years and other attorneys-general around Australia may now be coming to the same view. There are not adequate safeguards that can properly protect our children from those disturbing scenes and I know how computer-literate they are. Like other parents in Australia, I want to try to protect children from being able to access computer-generated pornography and violence. 

 I have not been persuaded by arguments for an R18+ classification for computer games and I will continue to oppose it.

Thanks to PALGN for the transcript.

Ok, so.. for the people still awake or reading I will sum up.

He basically believes that kids will learn to act like ’50 Cent’ or join a gang if they play these games.

I’d like to see him playing a game like that, maybe put him on the panel that gives games classifications for a week. Maybe the week Gears of War 2 comes out, hell, why not! I’d love to see him squirm as the chainsaw viciously cuts through the locust. Maybe someone should give it to him as a present. Sorry, I was carrying on, but I really am annoyed!

Hopefully we share the same view, if not why not? Tell me why you don’t want to see this imposed. All comments accepted!