Only thing I would like to add to Zetsumei Tsunarash's informative post is in regards to 2.0. The other great aspect of you starting now is, the way the lore will act and change as we approach 2.0. Only those of playing now will have actually "lived" through whatever is about to happen for the 2.0 Lore which will be new. So we will see what type of cataclysm occurs to bring us to the 2.0 launch and those people will just get "story" 2.0 with back filler.

Just wanted to throw that in there for funnzies!