Recently, gothique posted an idea about increasing info and XP rewards for missions if ran in more dangerous areas. This gave me the idea for a more radical change:
Right now, reaching the max level of a district means free choice of the neighborhood to start a mission. After you've made it to level 25, there's no need to disput yourself with aggressive gangs because you can simply do the mission less threatening part of the International District. And at level 33, additionally everywhere in Richland/Westview.
My suggestion is: Once reaching the max level of a district (or rather overcoming it), these districts are to be restricted for standard missions until you hit level 50. That's the point where you finally have the possibility to select the mission area. So after level 33 (or as a little accomadation, maybe level 35), Downtown should be the only district where you can start a mission.
I know it's already possible to do it without the necessity. I can still create a new charcter and move to Stratford Campus after acquiring standard missions, but in my opinion, it's still a large difference.
So if there is a necessity for the challenge, you think "OK, this is going to be hard, but you have to go though it".
If there is none, well, "I could try it, but why waste my time avoidind all the mobs outside and indoors if I get my stuff much faster and easier here in Richland?"
I'm at lvl 35 myself, and I do enjoy my "privileges", but being forced to dangerous areas all the time to 50 would significantly increase the motivation to hit level 50. Level 50 is, then, the big release from this burden and makes you feel to actually having made it to something of value.
Of course, two weaker demerits of this idea:
First, standard missions lose their absolute necessity at level 50 because I heard the mobs in north Downtown are equal info deliverers.
Second, less mission help for newbs. Although there would still be lots of 50s around to help them.
Of course, this should only affect the standard missions.
The neighborhood contacts should be still accessible at any time even if you're so far above their areas' threat levels and should stay around their location (would be dumb if you go to Hypatia and then are sent to Park East, wouldn't it?).
And then the story missions of course. Although they contain the most mission enemies and actually are a bigger challenge than standard missions, they're still there for the story, and being sent to dangerous areas would stand in this purpose's way. Let alone they inevitably contain escort tasks -- and it's basic knowledge protecting NPCs is rather frustrating and pointless than just a "good challenge". If the streets are bride enough and the mission buildings not too far from those, it's still imaginable, but if there's no way to but to fight through one or two groups of street mobs, aborting the mission usually is the only rational choice.
In my opinion, the rewards for story missions are to be increased if being run in more dangerous areas (like gothique suggested), but they should be available everywhere at least from the current max levels on, if not even from from the very beginning on -- except, of course, if those concern certain local exiles or organizations.
Please add your thoughts to this issue 