I agree with the OP about the old Gambryo system. It's where I started, and I definitely miss it. I miss the odd sounds, the players hanging out, the friends. I also miss the brightness of the game back then. I could completely do without the day/night cycles. It brings and unnecessary concept of time.
I know when I first started playing, I would totally lose track of the time. Whoops! Been playing 11.5 hours! Guess it's time for bed. No more. As a marketing concept, the day/night sequencing in EU was like putting a clock in a casino. No casino has a clock, and for good reason. Now, when it gets dark, I find myself many times wanting to take a break.
I think, however, that the biggest thing that has broken the community feeling among the players is vehicles. I know we all seem to have strong opinions one way or another when it comes to vehicles, but just think about what we lost when we got cars, pitbulls, and sleipnirs. When I was new, I ended up making my way to swamp camp. I had read, prior to joining the game, that it was important for me to collect the tp's. As it turned out collecting them on your own was hard. Dangerous mobs in the way, and not always obvious where you were headed.
As a noob, you NEEDED to make friends to survive, and get around. You NEEDED help to find all the important bits. We were drawn together by necessity, and we made friends who we wanted to hang out with.
Why does anyone need to make friends now? Buy a sleipnir or helicopter, ask for some directions, and you're off on your own.
I know some of the dryness of the game is natural for anyone who has played for several years. We befriended people who were beginning at the same time as us, and we befriended people with higher skill because we found them interesting. As we have progressed in the game, those people have dropped out one by one, and we find our friends lists increasingly empty. If, however, we were making new friends as we went along, this wouldn't be as much of an issue.
We do not get that list replenished because there is no reason for the new bunch to make many friends, unless they are naturally friendly, and really, I doubt the friendliest of players survives the lonely starter mission you're shoved into in order to get to Camp Icarus.
What's the solution? I could think of a dozen. In fact, I already have, and if I wanted to spend the time going back through my old posts I could probably link them all here, but frankly, I've run out of energy for it.