The negative effects need to include the downstream impacts of the change to the animal blessing. This change in itself has a dramatic negative impact on battle and defense in that it is now extremely difficult to purchase blessings and procure mercenaries. I refuse to now purchase trade good shipments ( which was how I generally acquired the diamond) until I have the required two diamonds; this means I either have save my diamonds and hope the are not the spoils of an attack, or spend them ( as I Do) on the weapon or fortification blessing. Since the change I have not been able to save or loot enough gold to acquire a SINGLE upgrade and I blame that entirely on my inability to field a completely filled mercenary camp and array of blessings, directly a result of destruction of the animal blessing. Even though I have completely maxed out enlighten economy, I have continues to backslide in both medal count and resources.
What does this mean? To a player like me, who only has limited windows to play and would only purchase $20.00 worth of crowns every two weeks, it has made what used to be a very enjoyable game into an extremely frustrating game, when more powerful opponents, who had the advantages ( now taken away from newer Players) a distinct advantage. I now find that I now spend less and less time playing, which means I will now spend less money on the game. Eventually it wall fall to wayside like several other games that I played that employed the same model of luring players in with what was a great fame and then making it nearly impossible for new players to rise to the top.
I know that Nexon / Big huge games is mining their players usage patterns - the had jobs posted for experienced data analysis employees a few months back. I would like for them to post real data defending the recent changes and how it improved anything about the game. Share the statistics about the purchase of shipments; blessings; mercenaries; crowns ( never going to happen).
Defend these changes, please. Tell us, your user community and your livelihood, how these changes, has drawn more players to the game.