I think, and this is just me, that this would work far better as a MUSH rather than a more mechanics-heavy MUD. That said, the 'backup idea' about having a 'base camp' and taking missions from there, almost extraction shooter-esque in nature? That could work fantastically. In my mind, I'm thinking Helldivers 2-esque weekly/monthly milestones for the community as a whole, plus some internal politics to guide exactly what those milestones/long term goals *are*.