I haven't said anything about the state of the sub yet. Now's as good as a time as any, I guess.
I think we need to stop trying to figure out or "solve" why the sub is losing traffic. Not everything needs a complex explanation behind it. This is what happens to any community based around a game that doesn't have a constant stream of new content. DDLC was a really good game, so the community has been strong and enduring. However, every well runs dry eventually. The slowing down of the sub was inevitable from the start, and anyone who thought it was going to last forever was only fooling themselves.
As for how the sub has changed... well, it has. I've been here since my birthday back in December and, at that time, it was a lot more acceptable to make bulli memes. I've never had a genuine problem with bulli and I'm pretty sure most people were in on the joke. Yeah, you commented "CEASE," but it was all ironic. Yes, you picked a favorite Doki and loved them to death, but you also didn't tear people apart when they said something not-so-100%-positive about them.
As time went on, people were less ironic and more serious. Mere memes garnered genuine downvotes and responses of hatred from those who couldn't take a joke. At some point, this mentality took over and the sub mellowed because the ""offensive"" memes died out. However, because the sub congealed in this way that conformed to the waifu-worshipping type of person, it became the new normal for this sub.
Now, the popular posts are Found Fanart which dozens of people coo over every single time. I never felt right being one of the people to do that, but I gave it a go a few times. Yet it still didn't feel natural, posting "<3" and "I LOVE NATSUKI!!!!" on fanart so much. So, despite my rather lengthy burst of activity on this sub, I think that is why I was never recognized around here. Because that just isn't me. Honestly, I'd rather leave a comment complimenting a piece of OC Fanart, a video, or a poem that someone personally made for the sub. Even memes I value more, because those at least require some level of wit and/or creativity to be done well.
I say all that about myself to show that somebody from back then doesn't necessarily fit in now, and to prove that great change has definitely occurred. Don't get me wrong, I haven't made plans to leave. But then again, I don't think anyone should do that. You just stop participating when you don't feel like it anymore. When I leave this sub, I won't make a big deal out of it. I'll just go.
Oh, and I do think that NPT was an iffy move. Partly because of the principles behind it, but also because of the fact that it doesn't really gain anything for niche creators as much as it just takes everything else away. But that's another rant.
With all that said, this is still my favorite sub probably forever. Even if it changes more, I want to continue to be a part of it until there's nearly nothing left. As a bare minimum, I am holding myself accountable to remain active every Free-Talk Friday and Writing Weekend. And I will be watching Talking Doki each time that happens. By no means do I loathe the place the sub has become; I have just accepted that it isn't what it used to be and that I don't really fit in the way I did before. Though, if not fitting in stopped me, then I wouldn't do anything. So no worries there.
TL;DR: Washed up vet of the sub writes a book to complain that things aren't like they used to be, but isn't forsaking his favorite community.