I agree the bonuses and penalties need to be adjusted, and also delivered in a more overt way. Part of the perceived-issue with the optimal rank system is that there aren't severe penalties for wearing equipment outside of rank. The game developers should strive to make these details clearer before writing off the system as a whole.

But anyway, the visual motivation is not something that is needed, in my opinion. Obtaining the gear should be the motivation and reward itself. Grinding the SP just to wear it is little more than a chore. (Why do some humans find this fun and important?)

Is advertising one's own SP-grind for all the world to see so important that you would sacrifice everyone else's freedom for it?