[When gathering resources ie rock, wood, iron etc. The number has significantly decreased per swing how much is harvested. Example star metal tools are only giving 20-22, vs 40-44 with level 2 survival and kits on the tools.]
Why would FC half the official gathering rate? Thats poison for official servers. Ppl will play on private servers with adjusted gathering if they feel 1x is too low. Prehaps this is intentional. If FC loses player numbers logging into official, they may decide that there is not enough players to justify maintaining official servers. No official servers would mean no reports to FC from “the Complainers”. No more cost associated with server maintenance. FC profits would be higher. Then if ppl wish to keep playing, they would be forced to play private servers or rent one of their own.
Just my thoughts, no proof that this will happen. But, given how FC treats it’s customers, i feel it is not outside of what is possible.