Whatever date a new UT or expansion comes, it should be 2 things:
1. actually ready.
2. not competing with another major release.
Here are the biggest things I'd like to see:
1. A campaign expansion:
The campaign continues as the tournament returns, Reaper learns that Malcolm is entering, and he says something like "and I'm gonna make sure it's for the last time.." Jester should come back as a necris and Reaper should be forced to fight her at some point.
2. Some maps based in arenas with cameras and maybe actual crowds (if this can be done without hurting performance).. bring the announcer in as a game character during each map/mission, and he has unique lines, introducing the competitors, objectives etc. We've always heard the announcer, but actually SEEing him would be quite neat if you ask me.
Here is a suggestion of what the campaign could be to give it a tournament feel and keep it interesting. Make it a mixture of a deathmatch ladder and assault/gladiator-like missions (sort of like trial maps). You start by playing an exhibition deathmatch to determine how the mission coming up will play out. If you lose, you get a handicap that makes the mission much more challenging. The deathmatches become increasingly difficult and so do the trial maps. Beating this will qualify you for the final ladder in which you have to play a series of DM matches with a twist - there are unpredictable obstacles that will pop up on occasion, or randomized scripted things that happen like a beast breaking into the arena, or the lights in certain corridors going out and randomly flickering so you have minimal visibility... all the pickups and portals get randomized - you get the picture. Stuff that DOESN'T happen in the maps in multiplayer because it is scripted but AFFECTS how the campaign plays out.
3. Character designs should try to create a bridge between UT3 and UT1. Instead of all the Necris being Borg clones, make some of them dressed more like street punks or something in between. Raw steel could be reintroduced, maybe a bit more armor but I think it would be cool to have a faction that is all about the old school, wearing surplus gear that looks all scratched up...
4. A Warfare expansion which fulfills some of the promises of Conquest but also corrects some of the things that was wrong with it. New maps should contain Assaultlike objectives, and to reiterate an earlier post of mine, Some maps play out like current WAR, some like ONS (no orb), some like AS, some like WAR + AS, some like ONS + AS.. AS objectives being built into the gametype will give community mappers more freedom to create the types of maps that people enjoy playing in pubs... standard ONS, AS + race and trial maps plus remakes of stuff like C&C bring in big numbers in pubs and this would accomodate them all in one base gametype..
5. A great solution to tying the floaty movement of 2k4 with the grounded movement of UT and UT3 - Introduce "Tarydium airboots" (you make up a better name, this is a concept) as standard equipment. They handle every job needed by switching between different modes, but the modes available depend on the type of tarydium energy cells available in the map or gametype. A blue or red (matched to team) anti grav glow eminates from the bottom of the boot or boosters on the sides, depending on the movement performed.
Mode 1 - Dodge jump: makes a mid air dodge boost available in Warfare and vCTF mode, for more flexible movement. Makes dodging mantas possible again.. basically makes the movement more similar to 2k4 - again, for Warfare and vCTF only.
Mode 2 - Jump boost: Functions like the jump boots. Available in any gametype, only when a tri-jump cell is picked up (3 boosts). Possesing the tri-jump cell saves you from damage during a fall as long as you have a remaining charge.
Mode 3 - Hover mode: replaces the functionality of the clunky, out of place and difficult to explain hoverboard. You can do everything you can with the hoverboard including tricks and being towed, and you are vulnerable only when using this mode, as you are on the hoverboard.
Mode 4 - double jump. In practice, this is merely a cosmetic explanation for the ability
6. Additionally, all the obvious UI changes etc.
That's my perfect UT3.5 in a nutshell.