I think the new economy is an improvement, but I suspect that is only temporary. I have enjoyed doing missions to regain my packers and will soon have my appartment. But after that ...? Dapper will again become meaningless and I never liked the old "gift economy". Equipment does not wear-out fast enough to be an effective sink, and if it would feel silly if it wore out any faster. TP's are not expensive enough to be a sink at the moment.
The real problem is the vast disparity between what a new player can earn and what a master can earn. No single system of currency will work for both ends of the spectrum. Perhaps the cost of tools and TP's should scale with a players total number of skill levels. A master should pay 100 times more than a refugee just arrived from Silan. Without such scaling costs only the creation of recurring costs like rent or taxes would ensure the dapper has meaning.
The real problem is the vast disparity between what a new player can earn and what a master can earn. No single system of currency will work for both ends of the spectrum. Perhaps the cost of tools and TP's should scale with a players total number of skill levels. A master should pay 100 times more than a refugee just arrived from Silan. Without such scaling costs only the creation of recurring costs like rent or taxes would ensure the dapper has meaning.