Are female characters slower/weaker than males in Age of Conan?

Gothic Girl | June 19, 2008 | News | PC

A rumor has recently popped up on the 'net that the female characters in Age of Conan are about 25% slower and weaker than the male characters. Needless to say, this sparked uproar and claims of sexism.
Today FunCom announced that there shouldn't be a difference between female and male characters and, if there is, then they didn't do it intentional. Though some people aren't convinced.

The bombshell comes on page 7, where the reviewer states outright that '... Age of Conan's weapon swing time depends on the duration of the visual swing animation, and female characters swing their weapons about 25% slower than males - so every female melee character does 25% less damage over time!'

Immediately, players demand to know whether this is true or not. Some report that it is; others report that they're not seeing anything at all different between their characters, and maybe it's down to class as much as gender.

Some players express satisfaction at this discrepancy and make tiresomely predictable sexist comments. Several female players react with frustration and anger. Maturity plummets, even by stereotypical MMO forum standards.

As of this morning, FunCom have finally spoken up: 'There should of course be no difference between a male and a female character of the same class (other than the looks). But we have gathered the feedback about this and are looking into it.'

News Story attached to:

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures [PC]

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Comments

0 thumbs!
Agrias | June 20, 2008

Now...despising woman are they?

They've been watching too much Olympian games.
3 thumbs!
Donnelly | June 20, 2008

It's probably just because they are slower and weaker in real life.
0 thumbs!
Bale Fire | June 20, 2008

Maybe females also get boosted in some areas? Like magic or agilty of stuff like that. I think they did that in Oblivion
8 thumbs!
BANDITO ATTACK | June 20, 2008

but they make sandwiches 125% more efficiently.
- -1 thumbs!
  Seproth | June 21, 2008
  
  Wonderfully done sir. I haven't laughed that hard since I was a 25% weaker and slower little girl.
1 thumbs!
tallteen86 | June 21, 2008

I wonder if this is real? They went on the denial platform. I would think there isn't any difference....Maybe the animations between male and female characters is a bit different, and that is tricking some people?

Well, I don't have the game, so I can't test this myself >_>

But yeah, Silver Mirror, if anybody made a game that gave smaller (not necessarily just females) characters weaker, they should compensate them with increases in other skills. Some games do this already, in a sense. Like, I think in FFXI, the small race has poor attack skills, but better magic.

That sort of stuff would make logical sense.