To me, the printed page is always more stunning than a PDF. That's why I cannot wait to see the artwork on paper and flip through the pages of this edition. I also cannot wait to actually play it. Unlike when TOR 1e came out, my life is now swallowed up in other things and I have been delaying getting my gaming group back together. Otherwise, I probably would have started putting together my own adventures and converting some of my 1e resources to 2e by now. That's why I haven't commented much on these forums. I suspect that by the time my hands get on the materials, things will start to change. So, here's to fast boats, smooth docking, speedy unloads, and accurate deliveries!
I have to admit (although this is probably pretty obvious by now) that I'm on the disappointed side about the mechanics of the game. And I say this as somebody who has always been a passionate TOR fan, with many hours spent volunteer proofreading, and a general Francesco groupie. I still love the artwork, and the writing, and the flavor. And based on past experience I expect to really like the adventures, NPCs, locations, etc.
The reality is that most of the things that disappoint me about 2e are not all that different from 1e. TOR has always been a game in which, if you stripped away all the flavor and color and description, the mechanics themselves just don't lead to sophisticated decision-making. The game has always been more about using the rules to generate opportunities to tell stories, and not about making trade-offs based on the rules alone. In my ideal world it would be both, but I guess it's not an ideal world. In many ways. (WHERE'S MY FLYING CAR?!?!?!?!)
So maybe it is I that have changed, not the game, and somehow I was (unreasonably) hoping for something different with 2e.
Still, I know I'll love reading every word of the material to come. And I'll keep buying it for that reason. Not sure I'll actually be playing it, though, unless I run the starter set...and maybe eventually a longer campaign...for my kids and their friends.