Originally Posted by
Anduril
This is not a comprehensive answer, but it hits the broad strokes of your questions.
Equipment drops are usually tied to either specific enemies at specific levels or specific missions on specific difficulties. While there is some equipment that is farm-able at all times, top-tier gear is usually tied to the highest difficulty on Emergency Quests (EQs), whether it be because they only drop in the EQ or a trade material from an EQ is needed to obtain the gear.
Emergency Quests are missions that only appear for a certain amount of time (typically 30 minutes, but some can extend up to an hour if they have phases) and they can include caps on the number of times you can run them in that time (for example, Raid Bosses can typically only be fought once during the EQ period). The newest EQs are where you'll typically find the newest gear, and those are usually schedule-only, while older and Seasonal EQs can appear at random on the hour.
As the game is now, and assuming that it is the same on NA release, you can likely get from LV1 to two capped (LV90/90) classes in less than a week if you try to power through it quickly, but if you take your time, it will probably take like a month (though there is currently an equipment requirement to get past LV75 that may make it take longer because of it being a new server). The Free Field content all unlocks within the first 10 levels, with all other content (different mission types, higher difficulty levels, end-game non-EQ missions, etc.) unlocking at certain levels or by completing certain Story Quests.
Around the end-game, there are certain missions that are solo challenges, but other than that, if you get the mechanics down well enough, pretty much all content is solo-able in a reasonable amount of time. However, if you are focused on loot over challenge, due to EQs being available only for a certain amount of time, you will most likely want to join MPAs (Multi-Party Area groups) for them, especially if its an EQ that has no run cap. Mind, you do not actually have to join a Party when you play in an MPA, and can basically be running solo alongside other players in the same mission, though the game does give you a boost to EXP, Drop Rate, and Meseta for being in a Party.
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