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Even though this game isn't a true sandbox game, artificial restrictions are never a good thing. Particularly since you'd still have the "meta game" that you describe happening behind the scenes. (Disclaimer: I'm a member of the faction that is currently on the losing end of "the swarm").

As long as the outposts have something that benefits just about every facet of the game, selfishness and greed will bubble up to the surface and define how people interact with one another. It boggles my mind, and still stings a little, that people will throw away friendships and bonds and unity because of some pixels in a game.

I still maintain that to keep PvP and still bring things back to the "fun" level, remove the benefits from the outposts and bring them back in a way that not only makes sense within the game (digging for cats?) but also depends only on player skill within the game, not behind the scenes.

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Huh, I really like this idea, though I'd put a slightly different spin on it.

The outposts would be obtained according to the non-PvP model Kaetemi explains, and guilds could then attack eachother's outposts with the objective of stealing the drill. So the PvP would be the same as it is now, but if you win you don't take the outpost, just the drill, to put up at your own outpost. And one outpost could have several drills, ofcourse, if the owners are succesful at stealing more than one.

Ooh, I like that idea of a limited amount of drills, and stealing them from each other.

Also, I'd like to see outposts be more village-like, so you can for example put permanent guards on them, to rescue you from mobs, like are in the cities, hire merchants, etcetera, for a weekly price in dappers, so you can have your own little trading village in the middle of nowhere. Or you could hire a group of bandits instead, and make it a bandit outpost that's unfriendly against every non-guildie. Anyone coming near just gets killed, hahaha. :)

Wouldn't this alternative still have the same meta gaming, back stabbing, treachery, betrayal and general divisiveness that many have spoken against? The real item of worth, the drill, is still obtained and defended via PvP.

The only thing this does protect against is one guild coming along to control all of the outposts. And really, if a guild is capable of capturing and defending that many outposts, they should be allowed to do so.

I definetely feel as though battles could be more fun but I don't think outposts should be removed or that the items should be dug. These ideas to me sound boring. Where is the drive then to do any pvp if you can solo get those items?

Yes it would, I do say it leaves the current PvP element intact.

However, I do still think there would be less drama and hurt feelings this way, for the simple reason that people tend to get less emotionally attached to their drills than to their outposts.

Just 'less', ofcourse, it wouldn't eliminate it completely by any means.

how about last min standing for the op battles ;o)

But how would this work if every guild is allowed to own and op and have to fight for a drill isn't atys gonna be full of 1man guilds with all their little private empty op for fun? and where would you place these op's?