I have worked for pay AND have done gigs for free. I've always had the same approach no matter which. Create the best product possible, with a sense of urgency. I guess I expect the same of others. Silly me. He still needs to stop the killing of kittens.......
This is an apple-to-oranges comparison. Naughty has stated very plainly that he has a full-time job, yet has spent over 1,000 hrs on this passion-project. Exactly how much more effort should he put into this creative work? Until he loses his job, or loses touch with friends and family? And for what - to keep a handful of babies from crying?
I love LoML, and respect Naughty as a writer and as a person (based on posts here and Discord), but I wouldn't begrudge him anything if he stopped now and walked away from this - for whatever reason. Maybe it's an "age-thing" - I've waited, in some cases, for decades for books, movies, albums, etc. and it never occurred to me to publicly complain about it.
One other thing - unless a developer states otherwise, and makes a statement that could be considered a
quid quo pro, supporting someone on Patreon
et al. means that you're a patron - you're supporting them as an artist for the sake of supporting them and you're not entering into a transaction. You're literally giving them money because you like what they have done and may do in the future, and that's it. It's a reward and a thank-you, not an implied contract.
He doesn't owe anyone a damned thing...