My two rough cents:
If you are targetting old players to return, one thing you should ensure is that they have a good time on the game and that once the server is closed, they have a competitive character to play with. In other words: don't make it a grind fest.
It's especially true for PvP, but also for PvE. I'm not sure returning players will be thrilled at the idea of having to grind like crazy the same instances they probably know to get a run in the more challenging ones they have yet to encounter.
PvP Suggestion:
- Disable most teleports even through itemshop
- Grant every level 80 T2 PvP gear and a sufficient amount of AA to get All the primordial stuff. (I'm really thinking a **** load more than the 80points you're supposed to get).
- Add objectives far from rezpads to take and protect
- Reward players fighting against the odds. Currently dominating is the way to go. It's fun for a couple of days but then it becomes utterly boring.
- Add a guild ranking system based on it's domination in PvP events, their numbers, their average K/D ration, their number of kills, etc.
- Add guild objectives. Such as: make 300kills on guild X that is dominating. Or contest an objective held by a stronger guild for X amount of time.
- Rank players based on K/D, W/L ratios, Classe, Level, etc. and add quests rewarding killing a better ranked player.
- Make death count near rezpads in open world but not kills (?)
- Lots more....
Mini-Games
- Change the rez system so fighting two meters from the rezpad isn't possible.
Several options to do that. Add a buff to the FC making him déactivate his rezpad for his team mates if he's too close to it (might be good to combine that with activating a secondary pad further away). Or make the flag dropping X meters from your rezpad return instantly to it's original place. - Change the end of game pannel. Have it show different objectives such as: Preventing other team of winning under 5/10 minuts. Scoring while losing on kills or killing ennemi FC x times. Graphics showing the evolution of the fight kill wise and when the flags where scored. You could also imagine having an estimation of your win chances made based on the W/L ratios (pondered by amount played). Say 6 out 6 on one side lose more minis than they win, they should be rewarded if the team they are facing has a positive ratio.
PvE:
Don't make it a grind fest. I don't want to do Acheronian Ruins 50 times to gear up for PvP. I don't want to fight people who did that either.