Basically what I've gathered from this is that the game should stay pretty close to what it is now (on the topic situation of course). I see GN13, a newbie friendly gang that is out to help and defend from/destroy PKs. There. That's it. Without "abusive" PK this gang may not exist in the way that it does. Or any other gang of the same kind, I'm using GN13 as an example. On the other hand, you have sadistic, sociopath gangs that love to e4t teh n00bs for breakfast. Two completely opposing forces! HOW CAN ANYONE NOT SEE HOW AWESOME THIS REALLY IS? I can't think of another game, like this game, where there is such a strong hate between factions. WoW MAYBE because of the fanbase, but it's nowhere near the brutality of this situation. The cool thing is that the devs put factions in for players to use them how they want, and players have made some crazy-ass gangs. Some for PKing, some for protecting PKees, and some that just mind their own damn business, trying to make it in the wastes.
If "fixing" the harsh PK mechanic is what the devs want, or more importantly what the players want, then so be it. I just think the whole faction vs faction/PVP thing will be fucked. My brother the other day was playing. Low-level, bad guns, leather jacket. He ran into four guys that were trying to PK him, taunting him and starting to shoot. He whipped out is .44 and blew all those fuckers away, looted their shit, and left with,"Death...what do you all know about death..." (Platoon I know, haha) and it was damn near the most epic thing I have ever seen. Ever...
Without those guys trying to abuse the "poor gameplay mechanic," that moment would have never happened. Granted my bro did get lucky I suppose. But that's what made it so cooooool...