I think people get a bit riled up because it's Bioware and Star Wars. Bioware because they DO have the ability to innovate and make a quality game. But it really seems they're just playing it safe so it's WoW in space. They've had so much money and time to throw at the game and so far it SEEMS like it's just a new skin with a lot of voice overs and their Mass Effect dialog wheel.
I'm a fan of MMORPGs in general, but really have no interest in the Star Wars setting (even though I like the original movies). I think a lot of MMORPG fans are looking for something new in the genre and that's why SWTOR is getting such a critical eye and GW2 is getting praised.
GW2 is actually trying a lot of new things. It remains to be seen whether they work in practice, but so far it DOES look innovative, and the artwork is simply awesome.
I understand the allure if you love Star Wars, and just want WoW in space, then SWTOR will probably fit the bill.
EDIT: By the way, welcome to the comments! I, too, had been a lurker for years before I just HAD to comment on some stories.
This comment was edited on Jun 15, 2011, 01:27.