I am posting this here to build upon my previous posts related to PvP and PvE players and options for them available in game.
Let me preface this post by saying that I do not know the limitations of how much you can customize this game for your servers, some or all of what I am about to describe may not even be possible. But this is just an example, even if nothing like this is possible, maybe it will provide some inspiration on how to encourage players to want to engage in the other play styles, even if normally they would have no interest in that sort of play, by means of inspiration and reward, rather than limiting/tailoring the in game options to force them into it.
For this posts example, I will be using mechanics used by one of my all time favorite games, who I felt did PvP INCREDIBLY right, and I will be putting them into ArcheRage terms. Again this is an example, but the overall ideas might be of some sort of benefit for brainstorming at the very least.
Setting the Stage:
Let's say that you are able to add a new dungeon... (if not maybe you are able to modify an existing one?) This new (or modified) dungeon, consists of bosses that drop high end crafting components, high end regrade components, costumes and plans for things that are normally very gilda expensive or available only in the cash shop, the current cash shop chests with chances for costumes/mounts/regrade mats etc etc... just examples, but you get the point... We will call this dungeon... DungeonMart!
Now, lets say that you can add a small fortified area to each of the PvP zones, every single one of them... build it out of the current castle components but more along the lines of a "keep" in size. Make these "keeps" able to be controlled by a guild in similar fashion to the current castles in Auroria, but not on a set raid schedule, make them always open to attack. In each of them, place an end-game raid boss level mob that aligns to the current owners faction. This will be the "Keep Boss". Bonus: spawn in high dungeon level mobs to patrol the area inside the keep walls, also aligned to the current owners faction.
The Mechanics:
Normal PvP Zones:
Player guilds can take ownership of these keeps, by killing the current "Keep Boss". Each of these Keeps in the various PvP zones, has a specific buff tied to it. 20% more reward for pack turn-ins, 20% to all exp gained, 10% loot drop chance, 20% increased harvest yield, 25% reduced growth time, 250 focus buff etc etc... or if it would be better maybe they all had the same minor buff to multiple things, but stacked cumulatively based on how many your faction controlled... again you get the point. (just examples, not thought out for balance or anything lol)
Whoever controls the keep in a given zone... their ENTIRE faction, gets that keeps buff for as long as a guild from that faction controls the keep... (in this example, giving the buff to the entire faction is paramount as it ensures that players of all play styles will have some meat in the game and a reason to want to participate)
Possible Extra Mechanic:
The level of the mobs and "Keep Boss" can be boosted (or maybe just given strong buffs) by turning in packs (trade packs, material packs or both... just an example, we are tying both PvP and PvE players to roles of import and promoting cross style participation) at the keep. Any player from the owning faction can turn these packs in.
Auroria:
Whichever faction controls the most castles in Auroria... that faction has EXCLUSIVE access to DungeonMart! (only members of the faction controlling the majority of the castles can enter it)
One final mechanic... whenever any mob from the above keeps, comes under attack by members of the non-controlling factions... an alert is broadcast to each of the major/capitol cities of the faction that currently controls the keep. (don't need to worry about the other zones... word will spread... and fast!)
The Result:
For this I will let you use your imagination... but just think about what would happen, if you told a bunch of farmer players, that they were about to lose their 20% harvest yield buff because the other side was attacking the keep in Hasla. Or tell a bunch of players who primarily AoE farm mobs or run dungeons that they were about to lose their 10% loot drop chance buff because the Halcyona keep was under attack... What would the castle sieges be like if every player regardless of play style, knew that they risked losing access (or gaining it) to DungeonMart! and those oh so precious regrade mats, high end gilda designs and rare item shop drops etc, if there were not enough defenders at their current castles, or not enough attackers hitting the enemies castles
You wont have to limit any of the PvE content to PvP mechanics, you wont have a need to take out options from one side or the other to "nudge" more players into that part of the game, you will have never seen so many pitchforks and shovels being waved around and swung in Hasla, as you will on that day! You might even see hardcore PvPers running packs to keeps and such...
And again, this is just an example, (I know full well the insane amount of work it would take to implement something like I described!) this type of... thought process, could take many forms, I'm just giving a detailed example for visualization. The main point is, don't limit options for either type of player, the more options overall, the more attractive the game is to everyone. Give them reasons to WANT to participate in the other play style, give them something to gain, or defend that has high impactful meaning to their chosen style of play. The risk of losing (or gaining) that (if its desirable enough), will get their blood boiling! (or their donkeys moving!
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