tbh the system culling that's been happening since .87 has been working pretty well imo. If we're not at a good place to stop now then we would be after like one more round. There are some systems I think are pointless, like some unnecessary buffers *cough omicron tau sigma* and other areas could use some shrinking, like how despite being culled by 20 some odd systems Gallia still feels too big. I wouldn't go as drastic as the OP suggests, but something more would still be pretty neat
Admins already tried to create "bottleneck" before - it did not increase the interaction by far because most interactions with current server pop is when someone intentionally goes to the other player, therefore the number of systems does not matter.
Cutting the systems would only lead to reducing the world and RP for exploration which is some people do, It also will likely lead to reduction of buffer systems and increased drama for building pixel empires because it would be more difficult to do.
I've looked at the data, and also have rebuilt a few disco systems in my time.
Let's look at some facts here: Deleting systems does not concentrate players. About 1/5th of players deliberately play in unfamiliar and under-utilised systems for the experience of doing so.
There will always be players who have some content interest in one system or another.
Each system is designed to be themed and different. If systems are repetitive, that is a fault of the creativity and design abilities of the System design team, not the number of systems.
Mathematically, we could afford to have up to 12+ extra (well-designed) systems and still have a reasonable oppertunity for encounters.
With certain rules in place (maximum distances between points of interest, minimum distances between bases and mining zones, Each base has some economic niche), we can make everywhere useful. This mostly hasn't happened due to development hangups. With our new team, this might happen. These rules have been tried and tested, and are in place in all discovery activity hotspots already.
What we need are better jump hole placement and better routes for traversal, such as fighter/freighter only thoroughfare systems and jump holes.
Discovery player engagement and activity always rises, and significantly so, by as steeply as up to 2/3rds more players in peak times when new gameplay content is added in, or old, badly considered content is fixed. Systems are not necessarily gameplay content, but can be if they bring something new to the table, or allow factions to interact in a new way.
THE SYNDIC LEAGUES
(A co-operative of Rheinland's Shipping Unions, retired from a life of piracy.)
making systems less gigantic would help some activity
LOOKING AT YOU 60-100KM CRUISES BECAUSE THERE'S PLANETS AND STARS IN THE PATH OF THE WORMHOLE/SYSTEM IS EXCEEDINGLY LARGE WITH WORMHOLES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MAP