Snowflakes collected may vary based on activity, but I am not sure it is that much of a variation. I am pretty sure I have already collected more than 6 after a long absence (some snow crystals giving more than 1 snowflake).
I realized, checking
@Flabbes calculations, that my initial estimation of 30/day was flawed because I forgot to take into account the 50 bonus snowflakes you get at the event startup. Though, not that much, because another calculation error in the amount spent on gift boxes (360 instead of 420, for 3 large gift boxes) almost compensated the first one. I made a new calculation, with my current data, I hope avoiding previous errors this time, which gives me a revised estimation of a bit more than 35/day (about 1.49/h, based upon 240 snowflakes collected from crystals over 6 days and 17 hours). I will consider 32/day to be very conservative.
What I am wondering about is why
@Flabbes seems to only consider 30 days of event, while my event countdown started on Monday afternoon around 34 d 11 h (which seems to correspond to the announced event dates spanning over 5 weeks, likely minus a few hours on day 1 and day 35)?
So my revised calculations would be:
Bonus snowflakes from startup 50
Snowflakes from daily quests 1190 (34 * 35)
Snowflakes from secondary quests (1-100) 4128
Snowflakes from spawned snow crystals 1104 (34,5 * 32)
Total "reward" & collectible snowflakes 6472, which correspond to 46 large gift boxes
Bonus snow flakes when opening gift boxes
13 % chance of getting 140 --> 837 (average)
7 % chance of getting 200 --> 644 (average)
Average total bonus snowflakes 1481, which correspond to 10 more large gift boxes
56 large gift boxes --> 1120 snow globes
@Heffernan
I think she might have got the first two grand prizes (not sure if she had enough space to build them), but not yet the third one, as she only could so far, as the rest of us, get 8 daily quest rewards and collect snowflakes from crystals for less than 7 full days.
I will check with her and get back to you.
Rechecking the French forum, I found a message where she confirmed having obtained the first two grand prizes and is working on the third one.
Here is a translation of relevant details she gave regarding the grand prizes.
Grand prize I: Snow Flake Mountain, 250 snow globes required
Grand prize II: Castle Snow Flake, 400 snow globes required
Grand prize III: Castle Snow Flake, 800 snow globes required
Detailed characteristics, depending on the research chapter you are in (last one in which you have completed the "Advanced scouts" research), are available in the main event dialog preview, or, if you are close to entering a new chapter, in
Elven Architect tables.
So, a total of 1450 snow globes being required, it seems, unless there is something really wrong in our calculations, that getting the third grand prize remains a matter of above normal luck or diamonds
...