You get VPPs for contributing to the pot when it leads to the rake. Most games, there's no rake if the hand resolves pre-flop. Then, when there's a rake you get VPPs whether you win the hand or not.
As you'll see on the status bar at the top, you have to complete a level to get starcoins. You can see your progress through the level as you play. If you play lowstakes games and fold alot right off or before the flop, you'll accumulate VPPs very slowly. Which is fine. The starcoins are your rackback bonus and the system is set up to encourage you to bet more to get levels and starcoins.
When you pay to enter a tournament, you do get VPPs for that entry fee. For a $1.15 entry fee you'll get not much for VPP but you do get something; maybe the tournament entry fee is $1 and the "rake" on that cash tourney is ten or fifteen cents of your entry fee. So your VPP is based on that rake contribution, hence very low for a tournament.
You'd have to play a ton of cash tournaments to notice the VPPs you get for those. But you do get them.
It's not the case where you get starcoins accumulating slowly as you play. That is what you're assuming intuitively, but it's not correct. You get starcoins for achieving levels in your status, bronze or chrome or silver or whatever.
So I can appreciate how you think "I just spent $1.15 on a tourney, shouldn't I get back a starcoin or two?". But that's not how it works.
VPPs only count towards your level advancement. You don't cash them in for anything. Starcoins come from advancing levels, and you can trade starcoins for cash. You can exchange 1,000 coins for $10 in cash since each coin is essentially "worth" a penny.
I use my starcoins to play The Deal, or save them up for cash. You can also use starcoins to pay for tournaments, but I don't think that's a good use of them.