Hmm, very interesting. I agree with what Kayden said, that MB feel is an aspect that is sorely missed around here. If you really want to recapture it, a feature for the new server could be a world chat tab. One of the things that made MB so "cozy" wasn't just that Hydlaa was the only place you could go, it was that we could all communicate where ever we were. If it becomes too unruly, you could always just ignore it.
Sounds like what we are really talking about here is an RP server and a PL server. I know it's not that simple but at least that's how I think this is going to play out. So wouldn't it make more sense for the new server to be RP since people can then not have to start over their high level characters? Eh, just a thought.
Anyways, good job with this! I think it's a good move. I look forward to checking it out.