Buying DLC in australia?

[ThemApples]

Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times already, but does the recent ban prevent me from purchasing the DLC's? i can't access the store page, but is there some kind of loophole in game tab or something that'll let me bypass it?
Thank you

[glass zebra]

https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/294100/RimWorld/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149640/RimWorld__Royalty/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1392840/RimWorld__Ideology/

[Exo]

still no idea why they banned this game here.

[Mal]

Because you don't have a Bill of Rights-- ask for those to be amended to your Constitution. They are pretty cool.

[Arkaido]

There is a loophole but i dont know if it is applicable here.

Basically Spyro Reignited trilogy is banned for sale by activision in Pakistan where I live and when i try to go to the store page (through google as it doesnt even show in search on steam app) it would say this "This item is currently unavailable in your country", so i could not buy it.

But there was a sale of spyro and crash bandicoot (which is available for sale here) together as a package on my front page some years later after release (basically a month ago) and i was able to purchase and get spyro through that package.

I asked steam support if me getting this was illegal or against terms of service even though it was on my front page and was working and booting up and they just said they were glad it was working and that was the end.

Fun fact, i still cant access the store page through the steam client even through my library lol.


LONG STORY SHORT,
If you can get this game or dlc as part of a package bundle with another game you may be able to get it. I dont know what that means for Australia laws but it doesnt appear to be against steam terms at least. Sorry if this doenst help.

I hope the link above by Glass Zebra for the dlc pages works for you in Australia.

[Digstar]

Originally posted by Scared:

Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times already, but does the recent ban prevent me from purchasing the DLC's? i can't access the store page, but is there some kind of loophole in game tab or something that'll let me bypass it?
Thank you

No issues whatsoever purchasing DLC here in Oz. It's the base game that's been banned.

[Scrumpleton]

Originally posted by Mal:

Because you don't have a Bill of Rights-- ask for those to be amended to your Constitution. They are pretty cool.

No, the core issue is the ratings board in America is self-regulated by industry, and in Australia the ratings board works from a charter organised by government under the Australian Classification Review Board. We simply have different standards we apply to games than the ESRB standards, in this case on drug use which is why Rimworld was banned. Our ratings board sees any depiction of drug use that provides benefit as bannable. While this has its problems as the chances of someone being influenced to take drugs by a video game are slim, we have much better control of how ratings are shown to concerned buyers. Loot boxes and microtransactions are forced to be put on the rating in this country 'in-game purchases', and in instances where parents are concerned that their kids are in an online game with strangers, 'online interactivity' is stated in a game.

The ratings board in America lets any videogame through as the industry doesn't want to ban its own games, and they organised the board to avoid being regulated by government...but this also means stuff like microtransactions are rife in these games, and concerned buyers and parents aren't informed when they make their purchase as it is hidden on the box.

[Jor_Ale]

Originally posted by Scrumptical:

Originally posted by Mal:

Because you don't have a Bill of Rights-- ask for those to be amended to your Constitution. They are pretty cool.

No, the core issue is the ratings board in America is self-regulated by industry, and in Australia the ratings board works from a charter organised by government under the Australian Classification Review Board. We simply have different standards we apply to games than the ESRB standards, in this case on drug use which is why Rimworld was banned. Our ratings board sees any depiction of drug use that provides benefit as bannable. While this has its problems as the chances of someone being influenced to take drugs by a video game are slim, we have much better control of how ratings are shown to concerned buyers. Loot boxes and microtransactions are forced to be put on the rating in this country 'in-game purchases', and in instances where parents are concerned that their kids are in an online game with strangers, 'online interactivity' is stated in a game.

The ratings board in America lets any videogame through as the industry doesn't want to ban its own games, and they organised the board to avoid being regulated by government...but this also means stuff like microtransactions are rife in these games, and concerned buyers and parents aren't informed when they make their purchase as it is hidden on the box.

Nobody should be controlling anyone, what they buy what they dont buy, what they dont see, or what they see.. governments that do this, need to be liberated.

[Scrumpleton]

Originally posted by theo_Jor_Ale:

Originally posted by Scrumptical:

No, the core issue is the ratings board in America is self-regulated by industry, and in Australia the ratings board works from a charter organised by government under the Australian Classification Review Board. We simply have different standards we apply to games than the ESRB standards, in this case on drug use which is why Rimworld was banned. Our ratings board sees any depiction of drug use that provides benefit as bannable. While this has its problems as the chances of someone being influenced to take drugs by a video game are slim, we have much better control of how ratings are shown to concerned buyers. Loot boxes and microtransactions are forced to be put on the rating in this country 'in-game purchases', and in instances where parents are concerned that their kids are in an online game with strangers, 'online interactivity' is stated in a game.

The ratings board in America lets any videogame through as the industry doesn't want to ban its own games, and they organised the board to avoid being regulated by government...but this also means stuff like microtransactions are rife in these games, and concerned buyers and parents aren't informed when they make their purchase as it is hidden on the box.

Nobody should be controlling anyone, what they buy what they dont buy, what they dont see, or what they see.. governments that do this, need to be liberated.

Ever turned on a TV? What you watch is rated and censored (or banned) just the same.

[Lord Freedom]

Originally posted by Scrumptical:

Originally posted by Mal:

Because you don't have a Bill of Rights-- ask for those to be amended to your Constitution. They are pretty cool.

No, the core issue is the ratings board in America is self-regulated by industry, and in Australia the ratings board works from a charter organised by government under the Australian Classification Review Board. We simply have different standards we apply to games than the ESRB standards, in this case on drug use which is why Rimworld was banned. Our ratings board sees any depiction of drug use that provides benefit as bannable. While this has its problems as the chances of someone being influenced to take drugs by a video game are slim, we have much better control of how ratings are shown to concerned buyers. Loot boxes and microtransactions are forced to be put on the rating in this country 'in-game purchases', and in instances where parents are concerned that their kids are in an online game with strangers, 'online interactivity' is stated in a game.

The ratings board in America lets any videogame through as the industry doesn't want to ban its own games, and they organised the board to avoid being regulated by government...but this also means stuff like microtransactions are rife in these games, and concerned buyers and parents aren't informed when they make their purchase as it is hidden on the box.

So... exactly what the person you're responding to said?

You need a Bill of Rights and less government. Let your industry 'self-regulate' like the US.

Protip: It starts with exercising your 1st and 2nd amendment rights simultaneously. At least that's how we did it in the USA. Good luck!

[Scrumpleton]

Originally posted by Lord Freedom:

Originally posted by Scrumptical:

No, the core issue is the ratings board in America is self-regulated by industry, and in Australia the ratings board works from a charter organised by government under the Australian Classification Review Board. We simply have different standards we apply to games than the ESRB standards, in this case on drug use which is why Rimworld was banned. Our ratings board sees any depiction of drug use that provides benefit as bannable. While this has its problems as the chances of someone being influenced to take drugs by a video game are slim, we have much better control of how ratings are shown to concerned buyers. Loot boxes and microtransactions are forced to be put on the rating in this country 'in-game purchases', and in instances where parents are concerned that their kids are in an online game with strangers, 'online interactivity' is stated in a game.

The ratings board in America lets any videogame through as the industry doesn't want to ban its own games, and they organised the board to avoid being regulated by government...but this also means stuff like microtransactions are rife in these games, and concerned buyers and parents aren't informed when they make their purchase as it is hidden on the box.

So... exactly what the person you're responding to said?

You need a Bill of Rights and less government. Let your industry 'self-regulate' like the US.

Protip: It starts with exercising your 1st and 2nd amendment rights simultaneously. At least that's how we did it in the USA. Good luck!

I pointed out the issues with a self-regulated industry. Microtransactions, greed, and loot boxes are rife in part because the industry in America regulates itself, and lets themselves get away with it. Self-regulating in many cases means simply less regulation. We may not have a Bill of Rights but we have equivalent protections in law and in our constitution, and going on about a first and second amendment (which I hasten to add apply to no one outside the US) is not really any valid point of discussion here.

There are benefits to government oversight in regulation. For example the only reason you have a right to a Steam refund is because of Australia's customer protection laws entitling our citizens to a right of refund. For the longest time Steam had no refund policy because in America that means nothing.

[S1]

Originally posted by Lord Freedom:

Protip: It starts with exercising your 1st and 2nd amendment rights simultaneously. At least that's how we did it in the USA. Good luck!

Of course, guns solve everything! America is an embarrassingly authoritarian country for a nation that espouses notions of freedom and liberty.

At least I can buy alcohol on Sundays. Blue laws are only one such example. I could make a more complete list, but it would be exhausting to explain all the ways Americans are under the heel of their government, both federal, state and local.

I agree our classification board is archaic and is in need of a drastic overhaul, but when you offer guns as a solution so we can have American style freedom, it raises doubts about your ability to have any sort of meaningful discussion.

[climbingeastofwinter]

Originally posted by Sheks:

I agree our classification board is archaic and is in need of a drastic overhaul, but when you offer guns as a solution so we can have American style freedom, it raises doubts about your ability to have any sort of meaningful discussion.

What exactly is the current AUS/Rimworld situation anyways? If you own it already, can you install it and play it still?

[Scrumpleton]

Originally posted by climbingeastofwinter:

Originally posted by Sheks:

I agree our classification board is archaic and is in need of a drastic overhaul, but when you offer guns as a solution so we can have American style freedom, it raises doubts about your ability to have any sort of meaningful discussion.

What exactly is the current AUS/Rimworld situation anyways? If you own it already, can you install it and play it still?

If you owned the game on Steam prior to the ban you're fine and the game will reinstall. This ban primarily affects console distribution of the game as that requires classification to sell the physical disc in Australian stores.

[climbingeastofwinter]

Ah, alright. Well, you'd have to look at the law and see what it says about the ban. Maybe, legally, purchase isn't an option but receipt as a gift is (if it is purchased outside), or maybe the games are just a license tied to the account, and the account is only affected when it is logged in from a computer within the country and therefore while on vacation out of the country, purchase of the dlc may be a legal option. Don't violate laws obviously, but like in the US, legality of different things varies between municipalities and states. The legal system seems sometimes to be a purpose built writhing mass of serpents.

[MortVent]

Originally posted by Sheks:

Originally posted by Lord Freedom:

Protip: It starts with exercising your 1st and 2nd amendment rights simultaneously. At least that's how we did it in the USA. Good luck!

Of course, guns solve everything! America is an embarrassingly authoritarian country for a nation that espouses notions of freedom and liberty.

At least I can buy alcohol on Sundays. Blue laws are only one such example. I could make a more complete list, but it would be exhausting to explain all the ways Americans are under the heel of their government, both federal, state and local.

I agree our classification board is archaic and is in need of a drastic overhaul, but when you offer guns as a solution so we can have American style freedom, it raises doubts about your ability to have any sort of meaningful discussion.

Can you take your doggie for a walk without the cops shooting it because you are supposed to stay inside yet?