Questions of things I just don't understand

Fap.

Why are you punishing yourself for wanting a base? The devs certainly aren't punishing you.

You have the option to form an SG, and you have the option to create a base.

Base building takes work and time, but the current prices are roughly 10% of what they used to be when I built my small SG/batman-esque type batcave. (Avenging Aggrobats on Virtue. I'm particularly proud of the giant penny homage in the Aggrobatcave.)

Anyway, if you want a small SG so you can have a large amount of say in the construction of the base, accept the fact that either your base will be modest, or expect to put in a lot of work earning the prestige. If you want to be part of a large group with some kind of uber base, then you might want to join a larger one whose playstyle, rules, and requirements are aligned with your tendencies.

I agree that I am looking forward to new visual aspects and items for bases, but I'm not overly distressed about the prices of functional items. Again, it was once way worse.

Besides, how hard is it to create a functional Batman-esque batcave?

The classical batcave did not feature a medical teleporter, or a teleporter of any kind. If you must have a telepad, one with two beacons, say to Kings Row and Brickstown would hook you up with Gotham City-like areas, one conveniently next to the Yellow Line, one not far from the Green Line.

If you must have medical, the baseline minimum should be enough.

Create a room to decorate (I usually go for a workshop) put in some tech decorations for the batcomputer, turn down the lights, make the walls dark with a texture that isn't too wrong, and you're 89% of the way there.

Then make a giant "penny" by stacking two CoT eyeball windows back to back.

best regards

and puppies will rule the world! please, continue to lie! do it for the puppies!