I'd like to leave my 2cent on the double gardening reward benefit. First i would like to say that the change implemented giving the circumstances, I feel is done at the wrong time. I also feel that if players choose to invest their time in gardening they should be rewarded as such. Double gardening use to be twice a year, it is also very fairly easy to farm couch potatoes therefore the value of couches should be reduce to 500 crowns. Smart player wouldn't spent 1500 on one seed that's nearly 4 packs of much cooler stuff. I have no problem whats so ever with double seed being removed due to the fact that these are farm able crown items. For those of us fortune to share in previous drops and getting FREE twice the amount of seed etc, should be very grateful with getting away with some free stuff k i is stingy about giving, and for those of you not fortunate look on the bright side its farmable and u still get twice the xp and twice the snacks.ww
This is a late reply but as someone who has played this game for a very long time now, I can say from experience that this benefit has had a HUGE impact on gardening. Before this benefit, we would farm for Couch Potatoes in Grizzleheim and Evil Magma Peas in Avalon. It would take hours and hours of farming for one seed, but we would endure it. This is also the reason pet progression was so much slower in those days.
However, once the double gardening benefit was released, members were able to gain their seeds by doubling rather than having to grind out dungeons and mobs over and over in hopes of just getting ONE seed. This gave players an incentive to actually purchase a membership for these specific benefits. The more money conscientious consumer would not spend money on a membership before the benefits and would rather pay-by-zone. There wasn't much of a reason to spend money on something temporary when you could just have it permanently for forever.
Now that the benefit is removed though, it is just one less reason for customers to renew their membership. I would argue that membership, ever since benefits were released, has been the main source of revenue for KingsIsle. Members are the constant source of reliable income, and when the incentive to buy membership is removed, the profit margins suffer.
Is this the reason why people will quit the game? No. But it is an apparent reason why many paying customers are disappointed in the company that they are paying. Personally, it makes me less willing to fork over more money. It's rather disheartening because I really love and enjoy the game that has had such a huge impact on my life.
ww