I would be shocked not to see a PVP slider.
And by slider, I simply mean a system that will not force you into PVP engagement the majority of the time.
PVP zones would effectively be a PvP slider. And Id be surprised if we don't see it.
There's going to be too many people who will want to be left alone, and not interdicted and forced into combat all the time.
My guess Is there will be areas you go specifically for PVP content. While other areas are going to be extremely hard and tedious for PVP to be worth it.
The slider will be the routes you choose to take, imho. I ultimately believe people will have a choice to participate in most, if not all PvP.
The non-stop cries would be overwhelming and people would just get super toxic otherwise.
Perhaps we are not using the same meaning. The PVP slider was part of the initial design doc that was fundamental in matchmaking and would be a player control setting that allowed each player to control how much PVP they wished to engage in.
But you are correct in that the current implementation seems to be more a player choice in where they are and how they plan on getting to their designation and a reasonable expectation of its law enforcement levels to discourage player drive PVP moments while still not eliminating PVE combat moments outside of secure ports. While it will always be possible to have a random player attacking you in such locations such behavior should be heavily discouraged (not game logic prevented as armistice zones are removed) by both the reputation system as well as local law enforcement NPCs. So yes, there are still a subset of account holders who believe it will still be possible to be able to have a setting in their client that will allow them to freely travel everywhere in the verse without having the possibility of other players engaging them in PVP combat. We might also never see private servers given the large expansion of the verse but that one is harder to call.