I think that it is bad to see a lot of account for very long time in v-mode , but at same time you have to think that usually these players decided to put account v-mode, instead to delete while thet are waiting to find new time/fun to play or to give account at other person.

So if you fix max duration of v-mode probably will happen this:
or any x days they will login in account to reset countdown (or remove v-mode and then put again v-mode)
or delete their account

I see very hard that you will be able to force someone to play if he don't want, and at same time I see very hard that you find some expecially with big account that decide to leave his account as a farm, more easy he decide to delete it (I personally don't like to help other players, so if i decide don't play i put in deletion account).

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I add an idea:
after 10 days of v-mode, planets become special.
Outside these planets will appear with 0 ships, 0 defense, keep all the research and construction and will start with 0 resources. Mines will start producing normally, in the deposit capacity limits. So will be possible to spy and attack these planets without acs (no other kind of missions).
Why did I call them "special" ? Because in real they are still in v-mode and this want to say that the owner when it will remove the v-mode will have nothing changes (all defence, ships, etc ........ and resources will be not changed).
I'm thinking if to add a special rules to prevent ninja by owner ......... so if there is an attack incoming he cannot remove v-mode

In my idea, owner of account continue to have all effect of v-mode and prevent to lose something (but also don't increase something), but at same time his planets can be used as farm.

Thinking that to attack these planets will be very easy, then I propose a second version of idea . In this version, any 6 hours there will be an random event and server will decide if put in production defences and/or ships using resource existing in the planet (event for example could be make so : choose between 0% - 20% - 40% - 60% - 80% -100% ......... this number want to say how many resources will be used to production of ships/defences ........ of course if event say 0% , then nothing will be put in production; after to have decided investement , then always random server will decide what to create). Will not possible to send IPM , but possible to use ACS.

Sometime all V-mode was changed to last 2 days to make it a bit harder for players to abuse it

Maybe increase it to 3 days to prevent abuse, some kind of balance needs to be found so players don't abuse it instead of fleetsave and that can be discussed to find the right balance for it

Great idea.

It is probable that the current state of V-mode increases the rate the universes die out. It is possible that if there was no v-mode players would have more incentive to stay and sustain their account thus breathing more life into the universes. I think it would be really cool to release a universe with a special mod, similar to no ACS mod, that either removes v-mode or restricts it to 7 days -- obviously it would need testing but it is possible that players would prefer universes without v-mode similar to how most players seem to prefer speed universes.

Automatic vmode removal is a no go, that thing won't come. Just something like TGWo suggested is a possible idea that could be done.