I definitely hope that combat is based almost entirely on character development and design and has very little to do with "player skill". If they make it just another stupid shooter... that's going to completely destroy the game. And honestly, defeats the purpose of even bothering to make an RPG.
I mean, look at Bethesda's shooters with an RPG skin like Fallout 3 or Skyrim. Player skill is the defining factor in those games. Doesn't matter how you build your character, or where you focus their points, your skill as a player is what matters. If you have the skill, your character with no combat skills will still completely slaughter enemies in combat without even trying. Which essentially defeats the purpose of having character development in the first place.
If they do that for this game, I'm definitely not buying it. I have enough shooters. I am looking for an RPG. A game that's based entirely on the design and build of my character, not my skill as a player.
I would like to see a turn based combat system for this game. Something that makes full use of character stats and abilities. My chance of hitting an enemy should be entirely based on how I built my character, NOT on whether or not I have the twitch skills to hit a moving target.
It should basically be the PnP ruleset put into 3D.
A good example is Tower of Elemental Evil. It's a D&D game, with pretty weak story, but by far the best implementation of the PnP rules ever. Combat is all turn based. Characters move based on initiative, you have your move distance for walking or running, you can take a free 5-foot-step, your attacks are all by the rules along with attacks of opportunity and everything. It was amazing to play.
I would like to see the same for this game. Combat starts, the game pauses and everything should go by the numbers. You move as you would be able to in the PnP, distance, speed, cover, chances to hit and number of attacks... all of it.
I really hope this game will end up being an RPG and not just another shooter with some RPG features slapped on.