Thank god you can earn PEDs for free also, so all those actions you listed are also doable for free (no deposit)
MA changed loot in past in mode that we do not loot curency ( peds, pecs ) any more because that could call authority to check if it fall under gambling or lotery laws. Hapened many years a go, except if you want call fragments and oils as curency.
MA is one who control ammount of ESI drop same as they control aviability or scarsity of any item and resource in game. Players did not cause scanergate for sure ect...
ESI MU is payer driven because of scarsity but MA is in place to control and balance economy.
PE / EU was newer free to play if you want to enjoy all EU content and all EU features.
For long years their web site addvertised it as free to download and not free to play.
Here i can agre that many addverstisments were misleading too like "Pe is sci fi futuristic game where colonist fight with robots and wild nature" wich turned out as just another PKing game where colonist are not against common enemy but against each other.
Then we had for few years "Is more then game" with personal development wich turned out as personal investment instead.
Then was time when EU turned as "Is not a game" specialy when comunity had questions about cost to play or comparisions with other mmorgs.
Well after all brain washing trought the years now EU is a game again, with deleted original sci fi background and history and reinvented Calypso as just another planet in midle of many...
Its not free to play, it could be free to hard work with uncertain paymet for one who dont have minimal fundus to start as he didnt deposited and that is not playing - is working and i bet many could find better job irl.
We need depositing players not workers and freeloaders.
Without depositing players nobody will earn anything - not traders, not so called investors and not freeloaders.
Without depositing playres there will be no EU any more.
We need consumers - ie players who deposit and pay for entertainment and not take out ers (we have enought "investors", traders and freeloaders already)
To avoid misleadings and semi lies in addvertisments and reviews wud be good start because pissed newcomer can spread a lot of negativity arround.