Beta should not be compared to eve 0.0
It, at best, could be called low sec..

With that in mind I do agree that it needs to be more lively but that isn't possible until we get more depth.

The biggest problem for Beta population is that we don't have NPC bounties. So it makes no sense to rat on Beta if you don't make it back to terminal and/or Alpha.

Look at it this way:

In EVE I packed a BC/BB and left for 0.0. Roamed around empty systems and killed NPCs. I could make up the ship value in bounties in a few hours when I was carefull. Any loot I got back to safe markets was a bonus.

In PO, I can roam and rat on Beta, but to realise ANY profit, I have to make it back to a terminal or Alpha. Coupled with more difficult escape when chased, this makes the risk evaluation skewed towards Alpha NPCing.

What would help is a plasma transfer module, that would transer and sell the looted plasma to the nearest terminal for a 10% tax or so. Make it limited (only able to transfer 4k of plasma or so) so you can't run around indefinitely (ok you still have to restock ammo). You can even be required to register the module at a terminal and have limited range (say 6-7km from registered terminal).

Thank you Yohey I didnt noticed that aspects but thats really good suggestion, I surprised about that.
Maybe the solution isnt so easy, but I also always find the solution, beta living. I hope that will solved and everything will be good about betas.

Hugh Ruka good idea. But still has alpha near the same NPC -s to all beta. (i mean new alphas)

its not magically - i was already sugessting portable matter transport devices instead of portable teleporter.

both sides would benefit: the PvP crowd cannot complain that their prey is jumping away infront of their eyes, and the farmer/miner cannot complain about losing their bot, as they have still the fruit of their work.

I wanted this as outpost feature with tax and stuff, so hauling is still the better option but not the only way.

Incoming wall of text. . . .

I think the plasma transfer Idea is a good one, this could be really useful for NPCers but I think it may not fully solver the risk issue between alpha and beta. On alpha you can still gather way more plasma for no risk. The biggest advantage of beta is the kernels if you could transfer kernels also it would be viable but then where do we stop transfer minerals also?

I think there is several solutions for the low player population and I have been on both sides of the fence on this dilemma. Either the islands are too crowded making it to easy for roaming groups to find mining or npc farming ops or there too empty and the pvp crowd complain that there is no targets because no one wants to go to beta because the risk is to high for the reward.

I have come to think that the best option at this point is to have an explosion of new islands I think there should be 30 to 40 islands (beta) total with 10 total or so alpha islands many of the new beta islands would be passage ways to the others but I really think the size of our play space is chocking the population. Even at the influx a few months back there was 500~ ish people online, if evenly spread through all islands that’s still 40 is people on each island and I think for a beta that is to much. Beta should be more of a “wilderness” than a populated city. 

For corps big and small esp. small to grow we all need breathing room. I think a small corp should have a chance to move/sneak out to a beta island and build a small presence in an “unknown” location and maybe by chance be caught by a roaming patrol. As it stands right now small corps and new players must cow tow or at least have some loose connection to larger corps if they want to realize their potential on beta because space is so limited.

I do understand that the pvp crowd will say “ wtf I don’t want to spend 4+ hours roaming to find one target” I say tough pvp should not be shooting fish in a barrel, it should be a real hunt.

@ Arga My post was directed at the OP, and coming up with alternate ways that beta could seem “further” away from alpha and agreeing with him that going to beta should be a journey not some 20 to 30 minute exercise to do every day. The section you pulled from my post was a comment on the post Ruka made, I missed where Ruka announced a topic change. 

@ Yohey , I agree beta is to accessible and to small the current map could stay that same with no changes to teleport paths but we need new islands that connect and expand out from the existing ones. I think this will help encourage people to live on beta.

There is not topic change, because the topic is about making beta more lively. The OP suggested a way to keep people on beta for longer by making the travel mean something. I.e. you are less likely to move back to Alpha if the journey takes long.

However the OP missed the whole point of WHY should one go to a beta island in the first place. That's where my idea slots in.

You see, making the journey more tedious only keeps people on betat that want to be there.

Also in EVE, all you ever had to worry were jump gates. With a bit of attention, you were totaly safe during your travel. This is not true for PO. You can be intercepted anywhere and everywhere.

"Insta cash\loot transporter" thing won't solve the stated problems imo. A to B access still remains too easy and people can easily live on A while occasionally going to B for ratting which will become a lot less risky. Also noninsta transportation of valuable cargo on yourself with risk of being killed is one of core aspects which musn't be changed.

Not sure about "making more islands". Current player base is really small so adding more territories leads to more areas void of player activity which is against the main idea of the topic. Such changes should be made very carefully by DEVs based on current server population and average online. Look at Domhalarn for example. When I wanted to sell some plasma on B for better price I was told to go there because... well noone's there so risk of getting killed is much lower. If there are still big empty areas I'm not sure if it's wise to simply add more.

On the other hand if you create maybe 1-2 new islands but really BIG ones or merge current ones into 2-3 but twice or thrice as big that's a different thing. More land and less ports mean more traveling time and risks to take. Journey from the farthest reaches of those BIG islands to A port will mean something and won't be that easy and common. To make it worth your while to take those risks better resources must be available to those who live on those far ends. You can live near port and earn less for less risk, you can live far away have risks and potential of greater profit.