And PvE really should be a focus right now, as this RPG/FPS is severely lacking in the RPG department.

I only started enjoying this game after I had found people to play the game with, and that's what really needs to be addressed with NPE.

Ignoring the nay sayers among this topic, I think it paints a fairly good picture of what dust 514 is to a new player.

It's not about getting "GOOD", it's all about getting proto. That's a HUGE contributing factor to winning and losing. And PvE really should be a focus right now, as this RPG/FPS is severely lacking in the RPG department.

Aurum gear has lower skill requirements (as intended and stated a countless number of times), but it doesn't give you any other advantages over equivalent ISK variants. You have 1500 likes, yet you sound like a complete noob.

I have 1449 likes (but climbing). You stated that AUR gear is only aesthetically superior to ISK gear (looks, I suppose, perhaps sound? However AUR gear could appeal only to the senses, I suppose.) So, then, in that case, in pure gameplay terms, it would really be rather worthless. When I point that out, you tell me how it allows lower-skill access to higher gear, thus it is intrinsically better, not aesthetically. You can't have the ball bounce away from you and toward you simultaneously. But I think I know what caused your original outburst.
No one wants to appear to be a cheater. Selling access to higher-experience gear (that's what AUR is) is In a very real way, cheating. If it isn't, you'd have to wonder why people would buy it. I mean, the advertising certainly couldn't be lying, right? So, CCP lets people cheat for money, and AUR is that cheat. CCP has monetized low self-esteem and cheating, but that's nothing new.

(bolds my own)

If the OP is trying to say that Aurum weapons are more than just aesthetically better, I have to deeply disagree with him.

Aurum gear basically only serves to save you ISK. I don't think there is anything bought with Aurum that isn't inferior in function to ISK equivalents.

It's basically paying for ISK but at a far worse conversion rate than cash to PLEX in Eve.

CCP's monetization strategy with the gear isn't that great.

Skillboosters. Yeah, that I don't mind paying for. In my mind it's fair, because you pay money, get more SP which is an investment in your character.

Aurum gear has lower skill requirements (as intended and stated a countless number of times), but it doesn't give you any other advantages over equivalent ISK variants. You have 1500 likes, yet you sound like a complete noob.

Potential514 is all that this game will ever be.
Unless, they ditch the F2P model and invest in a developer subcontractor to build CCP's vision properly for the PS4 port. I mean, if they won't invest in the product then why the **** should I?

Thank goodness DUST doesn't have any persistent areas with statues to shoot at.

I think the only problem with this game is the assumption, that CCP is delivering anything of their vision anytime SOON...!

When I got into the game, I read a lot about the promises or vision CCP had for this game. I thought well, maybe some months in the future things will get more interesting, PVE will come, more vehicles, suits and weapons...

NOPE they won't. It will take forever untill anything similar to the early trailers will hit our consoles. As soon as you accept the game as what it is (a very simple start into CCPs vision) you can have fun. You will need to have breaks inbetwheen, since let's be honest, the game is alpha as hell, and it only carries the most addicted players along for longer than a month.
If you expect anything polished or good, you better take a break for some month every now and then, come back and enjoy it for some weeks, and have another break afterwards.

That's just what is is, a promise that won't be fulfilled for a long time.

Accept it and come to peace...

The o button press is a placeholder for when we have hackable ladders.