For anyone who hasn't been able to play the game yet, here's a quick look at the classes and starter worlds to help you when considering which characters to create (as you will only be able to group up and play with characters on the same starter world).
Republic
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Imperial
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Travel is mainly by foot on the starter worlds but there are taxi points that you have to discover, along with "bind points" where you can ressurect when you die. Fast travel allows you to quickly go to any bind point you have discovered.
Recovery from defeat allows two options: to either resurrect at the nearest bind point or resurrect on the same spot, but in stealth mode for a few seconds, so that you can run to safety before respawning.
Follow your class quests (group members can provide combat help but can't influence your conversation choices), and you will get your first companion around level 8. On completion of your starter world class quests (at around level 10), you will get a mission to leave that world and the Republic characters go to and the Imperials go to .
Obtaining your own personal starship is a reward from your class quest around level 15.