trust me, i know about hardness with creating MP games and about massive ones like EVE. but i have experience with MP also :P it's no problem to create something like this in MP. problems for me are more about models and levels but i find someone to take care of that later.

as i said i'd like to create MP battles around one planet or around a space base or even in asteroid fields with more players not just 1vs1

and fleet would be controlled with AI not by player. players should be in fighters, bombers, support missile ships and so. those fleet's big ships like cruisers will be shooting something like flaks all the way so the atmosfere of the game is intense. have you watched Battlestar Galactica series ever? i thought about creating something like that, only battles ofc

but i dont know on what way you'd like to control your ships. with mouse+keyboard, gamepad, joystick.
would you like it to be really fast paced or slower shooter?