It is kinda weird, since they are already using AI art. But I guess since they don't care about this project that much and have that other more important main project no one have even heard about, it's understandable, no time or resources to do so.
Now try not to be too mean 😅 Roundscape is the golden child, it does have a very dedicated and equally grumbly fanbase. The main issue between the games however is that Starmaker settings wise is a complete opposite theme (Fantasy > Slice of life) it will make it hard for the games to share visual assets and as a result require more time spent implementing content in to Starmaker. A lot of suggestions and feedback has been introduced into the game since 1.1, and I will expect we will see more before it is complete.
Kal does make money through Patreon subscriptions and through the sale of the back catalogue of games on Steam. This allows him to focus on his games with no commitments to publishers, this is a healthy approach to game development. An area where I will agree with you is on the analytics, Starmaker does generate the most interest of all of his projects, which is evident in the engagement on his Patreon and X posts. Though at the end of the day the choice is with him, though I am sure he is aware if he wanted to follow the money a game like Starmaker is where it is at.