You are right that the work, when exhibited, is no longer solely the author's, but you are taking it to the point of exaggeration. This does not mean that the public has the right to interfere in an unfinished work. The creative process still belongs to the author, and he rightly says that he does not want this relationship of him selling something because people consider it to be theirs too when they pay a fee. He is doing the work willingly for free, I do not think we have the right to charge him anything, even if we pay him, I do not think we have the right to do so. A true artist will do something as he likes, not based on the expectations and desires of those who will come into contact with the work.Why is the dev so nervous then?
And as I said it's not about childish preferences and getting your will it is about consistency of characters. As the dev as admitted himself in his post he had moments when he contemplated changes.
Apart from that the idea his story vs my story is in itself nonsense. Not story belongs to the author in world literature in that sense. Once published it isn't his/her story anymore.