As I said - factions do not look for players, they do look for veteran players who would instantly know everything and be good members w\o any investments from the faction side. Factions need to invest into it's members as well as members invest into faction they are part of - it's logical. However it's different. I guess the problem is going straight from the "fat" years where there was a lot of players and not many factions - factions were not able to take everyone willing so they began to roll various limitations out. Or maybe they are just lazy assess who wants to rule the faction while doing nothing rendering own activity to skype chatting... well, I can't say it's correct vector of actions.
Back when I was joining there was a lot of players. And of cause as a new blood here I was looking to buy myself a battleship at first. But I was taken into the official faction, recruited right in space, and it was a turnout for me - while I was trying to gather cash for my shiny cap I learned from my faction experience that cap is not always an answer - moreover - it's usually just a useless chunk of crap. It's better to feel it on own skin you know. Like when your faction run 3 bombers and you ask in emergency for cover. And, of cause, battleship arrives to cover the bombers from a couple of fighters. Or some similar case - there is a room for imagination. So in the end, when I actually bought my first cap, I was already aware of it's limited usability and didn't used it much.
So my answer would be to change the factions and their attitude towards players on the server. You can't be just a taker - one need to be a giver too since it's of a mutual benefit for all sides.
