Lie ton of progress is the scripts which are saved in the game... decompile the game and you got most of your game back. Just have to remake the character models. So I don't believe these excuses for a moment.
The excuse is a lie just unren the game and the entirety of the game of the game is all there except any new updates done before release to his patreons... just remake the models and done. This is an excuse and if your smart you won't support this developer in anything he does.