The problem is changing things by making them more time consuming and more annoying. People can do the same thing they did before, but it takes a lot more time. Dont change things for the sake of changing them. Change isn't always good if its in the wrong direction.

I would suggest you make a poll before you implement some major change or after you implemented it to see the reaction. See what the players think and what they would like to have. If you run this game for yourselves, then go ahead and do exactly what you want, when you want it. If you run it for the people who play every day and night, then you should listen to them more often and stop dismissing them so readily.

Stop adamantly defending your every position even though the player base might be displeased with whatever changed. Make a poll about it, and quit puting up useless polls. Make a poll with something relevant like 1. Practicing system 2. Money System 3. Chargeset (the skill)
The polls you have had for the past year have been adressing NO meaningful issues, period, just the kind of crap you see on AOL polls for 12 year olds.

Take the ranger change for example. Fashion spear?!?! Please, who wasted the time to even code that? Survivalist..ok, sure, but i'd rather have 20 gold. Chargeset working when youre ensnared and cant even talk?! How, why? Shrug...Why not make some polls about things like that?

If player happiness goes down, it was a bad decision. Its that simple.