I was thinking it would be nice to have different game types. For example larger population servers seem fine with the 'conquest' mode, team based ranking/combat etc. but some smaller servers play for a week or two or three then reset, not really worth investing much time 'building up' for newer people to the game.
I was thinking an interesting game type would be some type of CTF, were you have planets set as 'key' resources, or even a port, that once controlled by a team gives that team an increasing advantage in one area or another. More money, faster planet growth etc, something worth taking the port/planet. These area's could be open war zones, so anyone can attack anyone in them, take planets, blow up ships etc. but the team with the (most?) ports would grow faster then everyone so it would be in your teams interest to take them as fast as possible. these zones would show up on everyones map from the start.
Also I was thinking even a shorter game type, like 'farmers tag' (we used to call it when i was a kid) were if you blow someone up (in there ship, off there planet, via SD etc) they become your team mate, and you go around killing people not on to your team untill you 'own' everyone. Sort of a 'BORG' approach to team selection
of course any 'no escape pod' deaths would have to be turned off as those people would be coming back on there attackers team.
These would be 2 types of 'quick' games that could run for a bit then reset vs the 'set it up, run it forever' type set up that exists now.