I am a very new player I, just started last night. But after reading these forums for about 6 hours, it really seems there is a problem with unbalanced PVP. Which I experienced first hand last night, getting slaughtered 6 times in 3 hours or so, and starting over each time with nothing, was not my idea of fun. However eventually I was very lucky to meet 2 nice players that were looking to help new players, and they got me a tent and frankly if it were not for them I was very seriously thinking of quitting the game and not coming back.
Anyway the point I was going to make is that for all those saying about PVP, well this is the wasteland, and its tough, and deal with it, really its kinda total B.S. Because seriously you cannot draw comparisons between thieves and murderes in this game, and how it would really be in the wasteland. Because if we were to say this is how the wasteland would be, then actually you are totally wrong. The reason it is unbalanced now, is because you give all the tools to murderes, gankers and theives and non to the people trying to be fair and honest. You give fair and honest people no tools to protect themselves with, other than to stay in a protected town all day.
In all reality if we are drawing comparisons to a real wasteland, then the fact is that the powerful towns / factions such as NCR, Vault City, Brotherhood, etc would be out hunting down murderes and theives. Why do you think there are no longer any Pirates (real pirates, not somalis) trolling around the carribean? Because they were hunted down and killed. Which is exactly what would happen in the wastes. Theives would not be allowed to enter towns / cities because they would be well known, and probably shot on site. Highly travleed routes such as between the mines and shady sands would be heavily patrolled and protected.
Basically there would be a lot more 'Good Guys', militias and patrols around, and a lot less theives and murderers simply because they would be getting killed constantly. Do you think a powerful city or faction would be content to let a known murderer or robber to simply "hang out" right outside the gates of the town? which is basically what happens now. Fuck no, they would be sending out patrols, talking to villagers, etc, and hunting the person down. But In this game there is nothing to stop a player from murdering whoever they want, as long as they are stronger.
As of now, its far to easy to prey on weaker players, it needs to be rebalanced, and a bit more realistic. IMO
One good idea, which has already been mentioned I think, is to make a bounty system. Which would represent the factions / towns seeking justice. Any player who kills innocents should incur a bounty, which goes up with each killing, or robbing. They can pay their bounty off at certain areas, and it should be expensive, or at least expensive enough to make it worthwhile. And if they dont pay it off, then anyone else should be able to collect it, by bringing in the perpatraitor's head.