From my perspective I expect to be able to do the level of things that I can do in any "normal" MMO. For example... I expect to be able to run standard dungeons with a group of randoms for instance, while knowing that the very highest level of guild raid dungeons that require the highest level of gear will be out of my reach. In this game, that would mean that I should be able to have a "reasonable" PvP ship and be able to participate with a group of others, even though I would stand no chance in a one on one fight with someone with the best elements on their ship. I'll list a few of the more obvious issue's I have with this game.
I should be able to build my entire empire from scratch by myself even if it takes "longer" than a large guild. "Longer" has to be reasonable, it should not equal more time than I have left before I die from old age.
PvP needs to have an option to be done SOLO. Sure, I may just be the mosquito that does nothing more than annoy the big guilds ship, but being totally excluded makes this game pointless for me.
Building needs to be able to be done in a "virtual" mode where you can have whatever you desire to build with and you leave the virtual space with just the blueprint of your creation. How exactly does a new player in this game learn to build a usable ship if they won't be able to replace one if they crash it? We are already at the point where no one is going to risk an expensive ship, this game is too buggy to safely fly now, who wants to risk losing a 400 million q ship after you've crashed it one too many times?