Casual: Players who work, have school maybe have about 1-4hours to play each day or only on the weekend. Play for fun and enjoy the game. Have gear but not the best and is no where near endgame events.

Hardcore: Players who have lot's of free time, use there time getting the best gear, looking for best item, Learn how to play there class the best. Does the most endgame events use up there time looking around the world for item and goods. Levels up more class so they can do more events if they ls needed a whm they have it.

i don't believe that Casual players should have better gear then a hardcore player. But then again i play FFXI for hours a day 10+hours when i had no school and was no where near players who had best gear. It took me months to make the money for Kirin-body. But at the end i see myself as a Hardcore player but play as a casual because am more lay back then really wanting to get all the gear right away.

If you want top the line gear you have to work for it if it take you 10-20mins to do it, then i feel that i did not work for anything and it just other gear someone else would have.