Prepare yourself, I may have to make a new suggestion all together but...
Although I see where you are coming from, I am an older Fallout Fan (not old FOnline) and am much more interested in quality RP and PtP interaction combined with diversely balanced combat system (weapon weakness/strengths) Right now its instant kill if you look away for 5sec at the wrong time.
Instead of restarting to lvl 1 when you die... I could see implementing cloning vats (images already available). Charge about 2000 caps perhaps raising the cost for higher lvls (1k+ each lvl?) Could say themely that you're charging more for the extended cloning process for older characters by taking into consideration their excessive physical or mental attributes. More of a balance issue simply to make the game easier for n00bz and harder for pr0z.
Perhaps in the future there could be 2 or 3 tiers of players (or whole worlds). 1st being
basic, normal slightly gimped. 2nd is my personal favorite,
standard which would be more RP encouraged/focused requiring a brief history of your character which you would base your actions off of (no major hassel from admins checking you unless you are a key RPer who is hurting the RP atmosphere by ignoring your own characters background). This would be extremely short, I am thinking 2 paragraphs, similar to what you would see when you recruit someone in fallout Tactics although there it was rather pointless, here it would be simply something for you to base your standpoint when RPing (interacting with players).
3rd, hardcore. No clones. (I don't know how much fun that is, just isn't quite my style too easy to go wrong as a pothead.)
Although I am a Fallout Fan (not to mention post apocalyptic/cyberpunk), I do not really care for the overall atmosphere here on FOnline which seems flooded with oversimplified EXP whores who belong on WoW since they must have forgotten the roots of Fallout which was in fact a true
RPG
Sorry for the wall of text, it may seem a bit much but I come from a game which revolved around written theme/RP and developing your own storyline and playing it out with a complex yet balanced system (don't ask about the graphics)
Back on topic, with the cloning system you would also enjoy the new
clone-failure possibility which means your stats/skills or new disadvantages could appear due to excessive cloning (nothing is perfect, after all). This would not only eliminate rampant suicide bombers and ridiculous rich powergamers from raping the game to the point of causing the average player to giving up... it would mean you learn to appreciate your life since we all know the caps just never is enough. Money is worthless unless there is a limit to it, as usual.
There is a large lack of creativity on the players part in this game and it is sad. Problem is there is no requirement, encouragement or even much incentive to do so unless it is a completely personal mission (as I do, except I must whore myself to the point of being able to do so 1st, no its not fun)
Fast exp is a real shit way of improving the game, it would again oversimplify the game and only diminish variety, if anything it should be slower.
Faction vs Faction interaction should be a constant issue, allies, enemies, neutrality agreements. Allowing them to track each others bases (only from your base? by using the computer after sending a distress call from your factions designated radio channel? something) Recon, infiltrate, back stab?
Surprisingly, I enjoy the harshness of any game, its more of a hardcore competition that would otherwise be too easy to be fun. I actually believe the key to improving the game might actually make it more harsh but I would actually remove repetitive and utterly childish ridiculously out of theme WoW bullshit. (Lots of lame shit goes on, constant random PKs for absolutely no reason other than complete paranoia that if they don't do it, it will happen to them. Stalking n00bz by following them from NCR [remove allowance of follow without double tag or reduce chance to follow 50%), constant thievery in guarded towns is plain stupid, unless they have uber stealth. Thievery should be reduced, real thieves don't like to get caught and real thieves don't waste their time on every little stupid thing they can possibly get their hands on. That is more of a crackhead ordeal that usually is short lived and unfortunately isn't here. By reforming the game to slowly progress back to its roots... we could bring back the theme.
And no, the easter egg hunts are retarded and way out of theme... I'll suggest a much better Halloween replacement later that is more themely.
Key is simplicity, easy steps first. I could go on for a while but I doubt I would get anywhere.
The fact everyone talks on MiRC, or other messenger systems makes it hard to keep RP, In-game, hence why people say radios are useless besides distress calls (which is lame). Bars should be built up bigger for large RP hangouts (guarded even in some unguarded towns, only in bars. add turrets?)
I really hate the idea of players cooperating mainly with people they can trust OOCly instead of ICly testing them and RPing it out. I would actually support any ideas that promote stabbing each other in the back and making it worthwhile to go solo or stab your friends in the back more often (not overly crazy but its ridiculous at this point). Its not the end of the world, zero-day was actually quite some time ago. Fuck fellow mankind.
After beta I suggest, limiting characters to 2-3 also per account.
I actually have a great idea for improving PtP interaction when it comes to dialogue to differentiate from the usual short msgs over chars...
Bring up the actual dialogue menu when you click on a character, skip the barter down the slider, just use the button here... (bars, trading mainly?)
There you may talk or /emote freely allowing creative RP between characters/players. (I actually would love a new pose command but that is futuristic)
Improving solo/small group possibilities is cool, that way people won't group up too much and it is a reasonable option not to follow the bandwagon.
I think faction bases should be attacked by GMs and or other factions once identified on their base channel on a regular basis (Bi-weekly?) That way factions must defend themselves (not just handed gear they may actually lose and enemy may bail with whatever loot they can get if they feel that way.)
The more people you have to trust, the more paranoid you should be. Currently its the other way around, harsh enough to forget about trust but not in a lame way so this doesn't turn into a post apocalyptic EXP/questing game instead of one of the greatest oldschool
RPGs we all loved. (Fuck WoW)
Sorry, hope that helps. I think you had the right target but you needed a scalpel instead of a hatchet to carve out your masterpeice.