Not sure if this is the intended place for suggestions for pob related features/commands too, but here goes anyway:
1. Things to make POBs less ugly:
a) When deploying a pob, add an option to deploy it in an exact position (the xyz and rotation coordinates that will be written in the server side pob ascii file). This will let people test exact positions (for example neatly attached to another pob or npc base) using a private server, also with how higher core models will look once they are completed.
b) When deploying a pob, add an option to only deploy a pob that will survive 1 minute with no or little material costs. This will let players see how their future core 1 base will look exactly when deployed, and where it will be. Maybe this can already be done by giving it very few starting hitpoints, with the need to give it crew+alloy+fwo soon after being built. (also see 2b)
c) Add an option that will move pobs to an exact xyz/rotation that is not too far from the current position, for a price
d) Let players buy custom pob models after the pob is built (like they are already used in events) once a pob has been placed.
2: Things to make POBs easier to manage in an environment-friendly way
a) Let players de-activate weapon platforms without destroying them. One way could be for the wps to not shoot if they are placed too close to or inside the pob model (simply placing them inside still lets them shoot in some angles because pob walls only seem to block from the outside and not the inside)
b) Divide the crew (and fwo) requirements by 10 (or 5 or at least 2). This will allow players to have more disco time having fun instead of shipping stuff while trying to avoid interactions. This will make the implementation of 1b easier too. Also, the current models dont looks like they can even fit the current crew requirement
c) Add a defense mode that lets you white list or blacklist IDs/IFFs instead of names/tags. I think you already did this but its not yet implemented?