If I understand correctly, part of our current lag woes is caused by POBs. POBs sap the processer (FL can only use one) and thus add to lag issues.
What if POBs were replaced entirely with mobile player bases? The Barge could be a temporary model.
As time progresses, we could field different classes of mobile bases - class 1 (the most basic) to class 4 (most advanced). Mobile bases would have shields (a hybrid between the POB shield and Barge's current shield - durable, but unable to resist a full-on siege for more than 20 minutes), reinforced hulls (comparable to current POB hulls) and intrinsic hardpoints for defense (BS weapons).
Mobile bases would be very pricey, but on the bright side, maintenance would be unnecessary. Using the mobile base as a trading vessel would be theoretically possible, but so perilous and so inconvenient as deter such usage.
Players would be able to dock on these mobile bases. However, mobile bases would no longer churn out cloaks, jds and dms. Those would be purchaseble at permanent bases in game.
Current POB-owners would be reinbursed according to the base's core level. If all four mobile base classes were ready for implementation, then POBs could be converted directly to mobile bases.
Good suggestions? Fair to middlin´? Just plain poopy?