Can someone answer some of my noob FFXIII questions?

[Phoenix_Wiight]

I've sadly been out of the loop due to school and haven't paid much attention to the game (though I preordered it, and love the FF series.)

Can someone answer these questions for me?

1) How do the characters work? Is it like 4/6/7/8/9/10 where the characters have specific classes and/or weapons, or like silly 12 where any character can do anything?

2) If it's like the first ones, what class is each character.

 

I'd really like to know so I can get on the hype train, even if it's late =X

 

Thanks!