Not the point I was making - instead of seperating the game into more groups with more networking issues (like there wasn't enough of issues) they should concentrate on mechanics - Here is a thread about random Kill my friend experienced in Central Power play today and I do propose how it can be fixed. -
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=231915, but I'll repost the simple example of clever (yet simple to do event based) mechanics for Justice system could work which would elevate the Power Play to something which is worth playing and will give traders protection in their systems, so the typical random gancking is much less likely to happen.
Example Scenario - Inocenet Power Alligned member is attacked in the Heart of the Powers System by an ally(power he is aligned with):
If the mechanics were working correctly this scenerio would have played something like this:
They attack allied member in home system of the power - The support forces of the Empire arrive rather fast as we are in the central system, so the player receives almost instant support if his beacon/report crimes is on. Based on the reported ships in conflict the correct response is summened. For 3 cutters I would see 3 or so Anacondas appearing. If they run away they get fined and a slap on a wrist with a small merit fine (10-50 merits). If they manage to proceed and kill the ally, they get kicked out of Power and receive a warning pop up that they are classed as traiters and their docking rights have been revoked in the systems of that power as well as Merit Bounty with Cash bounty being placed on their head. They can still dock in a stations if they "sneak in" in the same way one smuggles illegals, but if they get scanned they will be killed on sight. This will give them the feeling of danger they desire, bounty hunters job to do a decent protection to the pilot who was victim of the crime that these acts would be less likely to happen.
Further you are from the home system (frontier) less of the response can you expect. Weaker ships and longer response time. It should also alert all pilots of the given power that their ally is being attacked so again more player interaction is developed.
Honestly these are 101 game mechanics which are far from impossible as they are all event based and event programming is not difficult to do. I develop software, so I know a bit about what I'm talking about. There are no mechanics currently which would evolve the game into a true Multiplayer experience (excluding Wings which sadly still misinstance to this day)
The same example would apply in case they are attacked by a opposing faction or non powerplay player just with slightly different "punishments", but if Powerplay offered you protection and place in the universe the uptake would be much higher, so you resolve 2 issues with one fix.
I could go on and mostly simple event based mechanics would resolve most of the issues people keep crying about (including myself), but just no more seperation of ED Universe or we will all be scanning empty rocks and hoping for some miracle NPC fix which probably won't come considering that after a year the NPCs still rotate on their axles like morons.