I recently received an e-mail from the SW:TOR website showing some multiplayer gameplay. The video shows a basic breakdown of how a republic party would fight.

I was super unimpressed by this video. It breaks the classes into fairly common MMO roles: Trooper=Tank, Knight=Melee Damage (Rogue), Smuggler=Ranged Damage(Hunter) and Consular=Healer. They do the classes in a Star Wars-esque style, but it still has that strong point of comparison. I've seen other videos that suggest that the classes can be specced in a variety of ways that are different. For example, I think every class will have some form of healing ability. Wouldn't it have been a more interesting demo if they showed that, as the consular, you're not you are just responsible for healing? And although the consular kills a few enemies with force powers, they're never mentioned. At the very least they could've shown the fight a couple times to display how differently it can go with different character builds, or even different party composition.

I did like the idea of differentiating between melee and ranged combat, especially when the Knight had to take on the Lieutenant or risk instant kills. Still, it pales in comparison to the older GDC 09 video.

I've been anticipating this game since the announcement; I think it has a great style, and love the Bioware trappings in the dialogue and quests, but I was hoping the gameplay would also be innovative. Obviously character classes need roles, and these core roles have worked forever in RPGs, but even Dragon Age, which has the most basic classes, has a ton of customization within each class. I realize the game is still at least a year from completion, but what do you guys think?

Yeah, I watched some of those videos.  Doesn't seem interesting.

I think it looks really fun. Specially by MMO standards. And the way the Jedi Consular wields their lightsabers...hawt.

It's an MMO what did you expect...

it looks like an mmo. im completely fine with it since they fucked up the last star wars mmo

Pretty much what I expected. I'm just happy to see a Twi'lek in there, as opposed to nothing but humans. I'm also really liking the look of it. Its seems to take from that shitty tv show, as well as Mass Effect. Works out pretty well, apparently.
 
A question, anyone know if that Commander there was a Rakatan? Or at least a species descending from one? (I recently beat KOTOR, so excuse my nerd interest.)

So, are you unimpressed by the footage or the gameplay?
 
But yes, the entire fight looked confusing and messy, there wasn't a lot of teamwork; it looked as if the 4 players just were doing their own thing.

Y'know, I think the footage is more unimpressive than the gameplay. The characters do cool stuff, there's some interesting enemies, and nice team mechanics, but it's narrated in such a dry, shallow way. No in depth information about the different skills being used or any new information at all really. It would've been much more interesting if they showed it several times, showcasing the abilities of each class and how they work together.

It is because they got people hyped with the CGI crap. 

" It's an MMO what did you expect... "

Doesn't break much new ground, but so far its on my must play list.
But that's because it's a Bioware product!

but but but 
 
player shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiips