So this has been done in some of the custom galaxies I think, but my idea has 2 parts.
Depending on galaxy size and fam size, each family has a set number of systems that cannot be expoed by other families. These systems would be the closest to their home system. There is even a verson of this where these systems could not be attacked by other families. This would reduce farming someone into oblivion.
When making an nap each family gets to select X number of systems that will be a “border” and cannot be expoed by the other fam. The amount of systems (X) will likely change round to round as number 1 above. This will reduce the amount of DPas needed and prevent bad blood from “unintentionally” crossing borders.
I don’t like the idea of hard coding any form of trust, diplomacy and hidden-agression out of the game.
I mean, the international nuclear arms deal is also based on watching each other and ‘trust’ (or the lack of it) - doesn’t mean we believe North Korea is not secretly trying to build a nuclear war head somewhere in a mountain.
So actually disabling a fam of doing something they shouldn’t do… I’m not a fan.
Although idea 2: making this as an option of a NAP, that could work. Leaving the option of ‘not-ingame signed NAP’, ingame signed NAP, or ingame signed with border systems.
I like the idea of automatically selected “suggested” core lists that are completely for show; but provide easy to access core lists that can just be shared or even seen in the map. They’re not enforcable but for new players to the game, it’s easy to explain “only explore within the green systems of our core” for example.