How are you planning to address the population issues with the game? I'm speaking of both the faction imbalance issue and the low server population issue.

I'm not sure if these points have been mentioned, I only looked at part of the 400 pages on this topic! 1. Be it an insta-LFG tool, the game's current LFG via the Who panel, or "spamming" general chat, you end up in a group with the same level of comraderie with your fellow group members, namely zero. It's what happens after that's important. If I run several heroics with the same people or have a really good time in a flashpoint with someone, that person is going on my friend list for future socializing and grouping. That's community. Obviously this doesn't work with cross-server grouping. Cross-server is a band-aid for the wound of faction imbalance and low server population. Separate (and important!) issue; suffice to say I am anti-cross-server LFG. 2. I do like the idea of opting in to cross-server warzones where your whole side is from your server. Not sure how much queueing that would alleviate but I don't see any problems here. If you only want to play against your own server, don't opt in. 3. For heroics, you don't really need the standard tank, healer, 2xdps. Any 4 will work. I heard some people concerned about dps-ers having a hard time and getting booted from auto-made groups, but I don't think it's a problem for heroics. 3.a. But you do need the standard group for flashpoints! However, I think the game is surprisingly well balanced right now in terms of healers, tanks, and dps. Plus lots of classes can fill multiple roles. I think dual-speccing the ability tree with, say, a 30 or 60 minute cooldown on swapping, would make this virtually a non-issue and not take away from the game in any fashion. The last thing I'm worried about when finding a group is class makeup- usually I am just so happy to find 4 people! TLDR? New group members are strangers no matter what. If you have fun with them, friend them. That's your community right there. Idea: cross-server warzons, but your whole side is from your server. And I support dual-speccing the ability tree.

I play a Shadow and he is really fun. Very good variety of abilities. Makes a good tank or off tank. You're a little squishy with light armor but if you put points in the defense tree you'll be OK. I highly recommend. minor SPOILERS The story is decent so far, but all the stories I have seen are very similar. You find out the group of people you have to hunt down in the prologue. You go to the various planets and hunt them down. For the consular, it's jedi who have gone mad, so you are actually trying to protect them. Edit: I took artifice and i wish I hadn't. There are just too many items to craft and it's overwhelming. I have synthweaving on an alt and I like it more. I think the only reason I picked artifice is because it takes treasure hunting instead of underworld trading, and my consular would never be involved in seedy underworld business.