Originally Posted by
Asmodeous
I would put forth the suggestion (btw, all good tips on the OP, english was fail though) that the optimal loadout is the EVE manner. Zoning areas, but with flag options (wardecs and such). It gives everyone their own place in the sandbox, and keeps the true Carebears (not the people that like to have a purpose for PvP, but like the risk of PvP in the game, which is the vast majority of players, but real and true Carebears that rage about PvP all the time), happy so they continue to play.
Contrary to what the pro-PvP everywhere types would like to believe, Carebears are the core of every MMO, because they are the ones that primarily hold all the manufacture and keep the economy stable.
That's not to say that PvP should not be around, people like PvP. I, personally, don't often choose to PvP but get bored quickly of an MMO if the risk of PvP isn't there (I lived my entire four years of life in EVE in lowsec or nullsec. I preferred lowsec because, quite frankly, it was a lot more dangerous). However that there should be small safe zones that the Carebears can hang out in and have their fun is, in my mind, a clear and obvious thing.
Once the Carebears leave, the game begins to die. It's an inevitability.
That said, assuming some sort of safe zone, there should be no direct access to the better grade of materials for construction there, they should, like in EVE, either have to risk the wilds to get them, or pay people to risk the wilds for them. It makes for a solid economy that way.
Further, such forced segregation of risk levels makes it much easier for developers to tweak the risk/reward ratio to the satisfaction of the players, enticing players to leave the safety of freedom for the dangers of the world. It really just ends up working out for everyone in the long run.