Just wanted to add my 2c as a former SWG player. Sorry if this gets a bit long
I started the game when it was released, well 2 days after release since it wouldn't work hehe. Stopped playing before the free period ended. It was horrible. Chat was constantly crashing, crafting was screwy due to tools locking up. CS was terrible, I imagine due to thousands of others in line. Theres lots of things that were terrible, most people interested in the game have heard or experienced them already.
Fast forward, I decide to give it a try again about 7 months later. Alot of things work better, but still some annoyances around....and lots of new problems.
GCW (Galactic Civil War) is completely borked. Currently PvP seems to be the only reason to play at all. Unless you want to waste time getting Jedi, or you like doing missions that are the same, just replace creature_01 with 02 for variety. Theres basically little content other than PvP unless your a masochist. Oh theres crafting, but thats masochistic in its own way. Or sadist if you look at it from your mouses point of view.
Its promised the GCW will be fixed.... its the last thing being fixed before xpac, which makes no sense. The long awaited combat rebalance is 2nd last, which again makes no sense. It could be argued that these things take longer to do, but I call it BS. Fix the major things gradually, rather than waiting to give it in one lump way down the road after everyone is gone, or pissed off. Fix the major appeals to the game first, not some rarely played class who can dye my hair neon pink.
Anyway enough of this, its turning into a rant.
Anyone considering playing, save your money and/or bandwidth. SOE doesn't deserve either till this very long beta test is over.