Jelousy is the key word in this debate. Group players want better gear, due to them deeming that their method of play is more challenging. Solo players usually want equivalent gear due to player vs player interaction. This is where things get messy, but in the end it all comes down to jelousy.
If group players, raiders, etc, actually enjoyed this type of play, would they honestly care about the rewards? I think not. I believe that most group players know that in most mmorpgs, the best rewards are had by grouping. I also believe that most group players believe that when they engage a solo player in 1v1 PvP, that the group player should win easily due to having better gear that they gained while grouping. I call this the, I worked harder to get my gear so I should win every time, mentality or WoW mentality for short.
Its obvious that this WoW mentality is not conducive to a PvP environment. When people PvP, they want dynamic challenging fights where all players have the chance at victory. Otherwise, you might as well be fighting mobs. This is why I believe a gear based MMO will never truly succeed with the PvP crowd.
In the end it all comes back to the word jelousy. If you actually enjoyed what you were doing, you wouldnt care what equipment the people around you are wearing. Why does it matter that the guy next to you has equivalent gear, with out ever setting foot into a raid enviroment. It only matters when you have the WoW mentality.
