I think the next gen in Space MMOs should be similar to 3D RPGs like Mass Effect, in which there are things both to do on planets themselves as well as the usual space exploration and combat. Almost like 2 games in one. The planetside development could be even more elaborate than in Mass Effect, integrating land and space trade, mining, building businesses, or focusing on research, construction, and so on.
Some planets might be more oriented toward combat quests or simpler functions like mining or sightseeing. But there should be large core planets which do everything and are huge environments in themselves to explore, on the scale of GTA or more. A real sim which allows hard core gamers to have fun.
And just like in Freelancer and many other games, there are carefully graded zones of safety where beginners don't get wasted by high level predators all the time.
The space travel portion could extend that notion of safety zones, varying levels of PVE, and then an occasional PVP zone for those interested in that. Team space combat could also be implemented with the establisment of clans or guilds, allowing interstellar battles and such. However, when players land, they can interact with a more sophisticated planet that extends the activities and organizations that existed in space, to the planet. Or they could simply sell stuff they salvaged from space and quickly lift off to the space sim part of it, allowing them to focus choose their own depth of game.
That way people could exist as nomads, soldiers in a trade or combat, or with work, influence and experience, become the admirals of guild fleets or become the captains of planetside business, or titans of both.
I think that would be cool.
The grail here would be to fully integrate planetside business, mining and production, with space trading and the building of large guilds in space that have the freedom to focus either on trading or combat.
