I am reminded of a story we have heard before:

A group of people get together to make their dream happen.  they work hard, create a work of art, and the people love it.  now that the people love it, they want more.  but that requires time, and support, so the team gets investors to help them out.  the investors provide support, and the team gets to work.  Perhaps it happens right away, perhaps it takes a while, but at some point something changes.  the team's vision is expanded - but also expended, and soon the investor's vision takes over.  then the people no longer get works of art, they get products designed to burn their nostalgia as fuel.

The Tarn brothers had a dream to create a game.  they have never compromised on it.  they have worked hard for many years, mostly on whatever tiny support the people can provide, but they kept on working on it.  And now it has become something huge.  now it has attracted some support.  but only in support of their own vision, without compromise.

Dwarf fortress is the story of two brothers who entered a strange mood, and started creating something magical.  The game is built on depth and ascii.