If it's awesome items you're looking for there are two ways to go about getting them. Putting the boss armor drops aside, everything great is player crafted. But those crafters need the best materials to make the best equipment.
First source of the best materials is the excellent and supreme harvested mats. They are usually only available during certain seasons and weather, and often in very dangerous areas. Obtaining those is quite the reward in itself, let alone the equipment that can be crafted from it.
Also, if you'd rather go right for killing, the named and boss mobs have equivalent high quality mat drops. They of course need teams to take down but are fun and rewarding too.
I think like Jyudas said many people are not used to the type of gameplay Ryzom offers. They are used to others that tell players what needs to be done next and where to go. Here, your entire experience is what you want to make of it. Hunt, fight, roleplay, trade, harvest, craft, scout, socialize, whatever you envision. There are no instances and therefore no quests to save the world that every player goes through. Ryzom has one big story that is unique and never repeated, but needs everyone to play their role, whatever you choose that to be.
Want to be an explorer and scout? Start learning to sneak. You will die. Lots. But death penalty isn't that serious. Learn the behavior of the mobs as you do it. Learn the aggro ranges of the carnivores, the barely safe passageways between hordes of baddies. Watch their movement, sit and wait for the group to move out of your path, many animals in the wild migrate. It's harder, but a lot more rewarding then running away from a bunch of stuff too slow to catch you.
Personally, I don't do lots of missions, but I will pick some up and do them as I run around doing other things I enjoy. The rites in the enclopedia can be rewarding when the time is taken to finish one. This stuff isn't your goal in the game though, it's extras on the side to help progress in what you're really interested in.
Some of the most exciting things in this game are the large treks between the lands. While it is technically possible to sneak, that takes way more skill than many players have. So players band together and form caravans to travel between the lands sneaking for part of it, but fighting when it's unavoidable. Players who've been to all the lands a thousand times join these to help the new ones and for the sheer enjoyment of the travel.
Whatever you do, the more you get involved in the world and the story and with the community, the more fun you'll have. There's a lot of big stuff happening on the horizon.
I'd say get to work learning about the world, making some friends, and making a name for yourself. You can do that here. This is a game of freedom to do what you want, not one that directs you what to do.
I notice that rant was a bit of a ramble, but I hope it makes sense.
