The issue with GY is the design. The game shouldn't be funneling new players into a single place. It makes them an easy target.
This is true, but since MO I have changed my PoV a lot. I didn't do GY cept like a couple days in 1... or was just like lol let's get the general RQ for luls. MC him or something. Not everyone is like me, tho, I'd say the grave yard is CLOSER to the experience of MO that most people want than say... exotic merchant, you know? Bandits are something, too (if they aren't hugely balled w/ magic/archers... huge step from GY to bandits wattafaq,) all good chances to get your hit boxes right and encounter other players. There just needs to be incentive, but NFI how... for players to work TOGETHER in places like GY. It's almost like GY should have elite enemies, too, like Tindrem Sewers level stuff. Remem that little staircase they had? Give a little bit more elite areas for people to be farming gy AS NUBS and be like hey let's go farm down there! Sure they might get ganked, but from personal experience, getting ganked while you are in a group ESPECIALLY if you spawn into the same town, is actually good interaction, builds character, friendship... get to decide what to do, go back out... go do something else together, try something later, etc.
But yeah, I do think there needs to be a place to fight right outside of town though so people can get fights. Like I said before if you're geared in GY then you are looking to fight as far as I'm concerned. I'd go there w/ trashy gear to feed to some roamers lol no fux.
The real thing that needs to be done is not necessarily to get people used to dying and getting bullied but get people used to the marathon that the game is and learn how easy it is to just regear and head back out.
People are super green in GY but even the majority of GY players I saw before I uninstalled ( lol, maybe caz the game is dead) were at least competent players who would prol fight you. Like I said before (again!) I think once people see the combat in action they will be happier with MO. Not zerg or hard grief the gy, but it's also a disservice to zerg to defend the GY. Let people have their pseudo-lite outside of town pvp. I think it's a necessary step. But yea people def need to know the GY isn't the place to go for gains unless you're just grabbing enough money to get a horse or something (and don't have taming.) Still, I think the GY should be a place for content for new players and bad to medium skilled vets. Small scale.
You got the new players... the people griefing the gy/ the people protecting it. It's WAI. Def guards in GY is stupid.