I have been playing on this incredibly small server recently, and the owner had a really genius idea. Make a set amount of factions (Generally no more than 4). This discourages people going off and building indestructable bases and also makes diplomacy, teamwork, cooperation, and epic fleet battles. Require people to apply on the forums for a certain faction that they have to join starting off, and let the fun, commerce, trade, epic war, epic build, epic epicness begin. I have a few other in depth suggestions, zam, so pm me if you\'re interested.