Some advice for the dev...
First, I commend you for two things: 1) You're learning and applying that new knowledge to this project; 2) You are taking pride in your game and want it to be the best you can make it given your skillset.
However, I want to caution you in a couple of ares: 1) Risk vs benefit. The risk side of the equation is becoming larger and the benefit side diminishing because of these restarts. It's to the point that you need to continue the game and if you come up with a new idea or coding tactic that you think will benefit your project, save it. By that I mean incorporate it into your next project. You're starting to deplete any good will some folks have toward your project because of their frustration; 2) If you make changes, be quick and thorough in explaining them. Don't leave people guessing as to what to do.