Funcom has posted a brief update on the current goings on in the Age of Conan beta, including playable women, and PvP.

Since the last one of these we did was overwhelmingly popular, we’re back with another little hint of what’s going on in the General Beta at the moment.

The last few patches have continued integrating bug fixes and everything else we’ve been working on.

For example, one thing people have been asking us is, “Where all da Hyborian women at?”

Well, now they’re in General Beta. And while there are some bugs to work out—people always seem surprised to find out a beta is actually used for finding and squashing bugs!—they are playable, and it’s possible to make “someone you definitely wouldn’t want to date,” (as our esteemed Game Director put it) as well as someone you definitely would want to date.

Read more here.

Always so nice to read more about an upcoming game that you have been looking forward to play. Specially these piece of news about progress.

Best regards, Davoud

Further updates in the Beta area. This is exactly what alot of people have been asking about good stuff.

 Been patiently waiting since 2005 and I havent cried DOOOM once

The dev team for AoC have always been open about the game with their friday updates and the Conan Newsletter.  The nipple fiasco was disturbing but not on the dev side LOL.

Thx for the update!  Hmmm now I need to check my email to see my beta invite ... crosses fingers

I cry DOOOOM! This was supposed to be a game for mature players, yet now we're told that the most skin on display will be decidedly PG-rated.  Yawn!

The need for naked women doesn't sound like something a "mature" player would really require...

Who said anything about 'needing' naked women?  I simply think an adult themed game should give us the option to have naked characters.

The point is, a 'mature' themed game should have the option of mature content.  Otherwise there's not much point in calling it a mature game, now is there?  When a mature game has no mature content it seems to me the 'mature' label has to be a marketing ploy.

As an adult gamer I enjoy adult-themed stuff.  I was hoping Conan would get adult gamers beyond the 'no nudity' themes of other games.  Nudity should be an option in an adult-themed world - especially one set in Conan's universe.

Just like a mature player does not require a game to play at all.  It's just for fun and fantasy.  Adding more skin is not about childish pornography.  It is about creating a state of mind, immersion into a world of danger, violence, and lust.  A world we would not normally live in.

Regardless, skin is just the surface.  Lets hope there is a good deal of meat behind this game!

Originally posted by benork

The need for naked women doesn't sound like something a "mature" player would really require...

I think you may be missing the point Benork.

The hope is that it would elminate the majority of the imature playerbase that has appeared on the MMO scene as of late. A Mature rating for the most part should keep most parents preventing their children from playing.

Anybody who has or is playing WoW knows that the community is down right brutal, not all kids are causing this of that I am sure but the majority certainly is. So we "mature" folk want boobies yes, but not for the reason most think. Keeping that game rating at a mature level is very important to a lot of us that want to experience that close community that we once shared in other MMOs.

Hope that clears it up for ya.

Regards

Originally posted by Beery

I cry DOOOOM! This was supposed to be a game for mature players, yet now we're told that the most skin on display will be decidedly PG-rated.  Yawn!

Well then be happy because you apparently didn't hear that it's a misquote or somesuch on the US version having no nipples. The devs stated it was a mistake and that the US version will have nipples. :) So be happy.

Nudity is not 'just' nipples.  A truly 'mature' game would not have a problem with full nudity.  After all, we're adults and this game is supposedly not for kids.

Alright, I understand where you're coming from, although I don't think that just because a game is rated mature or has mature content that only mature players or 'of-age' players will be playing it.

There's plenty of spoiled brats out there that will get their parents to get them just about anything regardless of rating, likewise there are probably some well-mannered kids whose parents would feel it is their kid's right to play a game with some mature content, but the latter are probably much less.

However, unless there's a tight-knit community, I don't really think avoiding immature people or obnoxious spammers completely is going to happen in any game.  I mean you can only give yourself a break from them by making a clan/guild of like-minded people,  but you can never really completely distance yourself from those sorts.  If nakedness is an option then I bet there will be a lot of these people running around town making sure everyone knows it, so it might actually make this problem more apparent. 
But that's just my 2 cents.

True, that is a possibility.  Also, some adults are not exactly mature.  It is sad though, that such spoilers can have such a negative impact on games like this.