This red scrip system doesn't seem very casual-friendly..

[Fenral]

Nor do you "need" the current AF pieces to gather things arm because nothing currently ingame requires it

But when they patch in new nodes that require those stats, and there is still no crafted gear that comes close, where will you be?

I want to craft the new gear. There are no favor mats available. So yes, I am forced to grind out 11.25 hours a week of favor mats if I want to craft. Worse, because I need to get a guild member to do it as well, because 9 red gatherer tokens do not produce enough mats for 9 crafter tokens.

Hold up. That sounds almost like you're cooperating with other players to craft. In an MMO.

My condolences on the loss of your vertical-integration scheme, but considering exactly how valuable the new gear is to crafters, and how long it takes to get the scrip versions, I understand the devs not wanting players to be able to produce these pieces in any real quantity right at launch.