I'm also disappointed without new content, but comments like this make it even worse. You so easily classified developer as greedy arsehole... Just imagine every day going to the daily job, every night implementing your own product that costs years to develop for the team of 50 people. You don't want to starve to death so you can't skip job, and the job is the reason you can't do your product faster. So you are trying your best shipping even updates without new content, but with lots of other stuff done just to keep in touch with your community and to remind, that project is not abbandoned. And here is a dude in the internet saying for the whole auditory "nah, your efforts don't deserve my very own 5 bucks, you greedy bastard".
I feel comfortable among pirates, but don't make them believe that they are doing the right thing
First of all, Pirating and Downloading, playing a game in development is a lot different.
Pirating = Stealing by force usually for profit. Example : Burning bootleg DVDs/Blurays and selling them at the mall.
Playing a game, not yet finished, (maybe never finished, some of these so called devs) = Downloading and playing a piece of software not yet finished.
The issue is that the Developer becomes the extortionist. No longer developing because they are good at it, desire to build something, creating content because they are inspired. Instead they threaten, no new content unless I get paid. What artist gets paid before their art is exposed.
I am a developer. I write code, for a living. If you want to do that get a job writing code. However if you want to develop a game, that people want to play, enjoy, and are willing to pay for, stop being a dick, and be inspired. Create and attract. Find a way to make money while doing it, and do not expect people to pay you to "write code".
NOBODY cares that you want to eat while you write code.
NOBODY wants to support you like a charity.
NOBODY is gonna give you money to get POSTS about how your development is going.
The reason so many developers "a hem", extortionists are frustrated, is because they are no longer inspired to create a game. They want a regular job. If that is what you want, fine, nobody is making you do this. Go get a regular job.
Otherwise SHUT UP, be inspired, create something awesome. Let people see it. If it is great, you will inspire someone to pay you for it.
Ok. Ok. Soapbox returned.