Yes, it is a shame that to build a commercial computer game from the ground can be very daunting, particularly as this game generated such excitement.
As I suggested on another thread several months ago, and has been echoed again lately, why can't there be an open source engine written? Scatter had a wonderful idea, but it doesn't have to end there...put the basic engine together and let the PlanetCricket community design the rest...if it fails, it fails and its put back on the shelf but, there are lots of talent on this forum.
As I have said previously, anyone who has Neverwinter Nights knows about the game designer powered by the Aurora engine...Tomb Raider Chronicles has the same thing...as have Tiger Woods Golf and Links 2003...and it doesn't even have to be that flashy to begin with.
Anyone old enough to know what Linux was like in its early days knows that it doesn't have to look flashy to be effective.
Just a thought...swear and throw fruit at me if you must.