PlanetSide much? Also, permanent death is the most terrible idea I've ever heard. As if MMOs weren't masochistic enough already.
Anyways I had this idea for a game. An MMO space sim. Kinda like freelancer only on a much larger scale. And a more realistic model (with the exception of superluminal travel of course). An entire galaxy could be created, with a scale from enormous space objects, black holes and crap, down to cities and civilizations on certain planets that meet the criteria for life. You, the player, are some joe schmo from wherever. A citizen of the galaxy. You can become a mercenary, a freelancer doing odd-jobs, a criminal, drug runner, soldier, space policeman, etc, etc. When on the ground, it would play kind of like a futuristic GTA. Vehicles, people wandering all over the place, etc. In space it'd be similar to freelancer, with space being populated by random factions and other freelancers, civilians, corporations, etc. Or something.