We need gameplay loops and sooner the better. Tangible things to do. Asteroids for exploration and pvp. Territorial warfare , energy production and the automated mining thingies JC talked about. Pirate NPCs that give bounties or resources or both. In the interim till NQ can deliver on those things more manually placed nuggets for people to explore for or fight over could be a good stopgap. Basically we all play in this universe NQ have made and it has the basic walls and things you need but after a short period of time you quickly run out of things to do.
IMHO we need destruction. We need destruction for entertainment. We need destruction for accomplishment. We need destruction so there is a new reason to gather resources. We need destruction so there is a reason to produce new things. We need destruction so there is a reason to buy and sell new things. We need destruction so there is a reason to design new things. We need destruction to create and fuel rivalries. Destruction fosters life as it gives people so many new purposes.