I would strongly support an RP server, so +1 on that! (forewords: its a long time since I used english on a daily basis, so please accept my bad grammar)
Just a few thoughts and undeveloped concepts and ideas about an RP server:
- player driven or player influenced lore factions (BoS, Caravans, NCR, Powder Gangers etc.) with incorporatable player factions as branches (or allyable, maybe it would be easier). By this it would be possible to create goals for factions in a role friendly way, like BoS seeking technological artifacts, and to create missions based on this concept.
- Different start possibilities to better suit someones character profile (minor immersion thing)
- Dont know if there is a tool for creating or pseudo-creating missions, but it might be a good idea to increase the number and diversity of them (lore friendly way, mentioned above).
- faction goals and high rewards for them, so the cooperation of players wouldnt only be about taking a town or pillaging some area.
- if possible: the tweaking of economy, so the flow of materials would make sense and could become a player action as well (im talking merchant)
- Increase in some resources, like drinking water: in Fo1, the player had to turn the whole wasteland upside down because of a water chip, yet water is now very accessible to players (without real benefits, at least i dont know about any), and pretty much not a concern for the NPCs.
- long events about factions, like NCR gearing up for a minor conflict -> more they pay for weapons and armor and possibly mercenaries, then the conflict with "battle events", "scouting events".
About keeping newcomers in the game:
With the possibly player or GM driven (or influenced) lore factions it could be easier to help out noobs in an RP fashion, like NCR conscript, a gecko hunter, a wandering doctor, etc. and to give a more coordinated, cooperative taste to the beginning of the game isntead of shoveling crap and such.
Non the less, the main factor that could drive such an RP server would be dedicated gamers (with the required free time of course). What do you guys think?
PS.: I'd glady join any financing options if neccessary.