You keep using the term illogical which explains everything that has happened in Harpoon community. Just because it is illogical doesn't mean it isn't happening.
You Also keep stating that you have nothing to gain financially and this means you have no vested interest. As I explained your interest is not financial but based on 20 years investment in the Harpoon system. This kind of vested interest is far more personal. Harpoon seems to be your entire life based on the amount of time you put in to it.
I still am of the opinion you want the game to fail because you do not want to lose your little empire and see it crumbling away. Quite frankly I do not believe you when you say you have nothing to lose. If you didn't you would not be pursuing this so vigorously.
Yes the devs did react badly when they first heard about your review and there were some knee jerk reactions which they seem to reject. Since then though they have been nothing but professional ignoring the stream of attacks fro some quarters. While I think their comments were wrong I can see how it happened when they were so invested.
On your comments about a 20 year old UI I have an alternative interpretation. Maybe, just maybe, the UI you have been using every day for 20 years is so completely 2nd nature to you that any other UI is hard to get to grips with. That doesn't make the new UI bad - that makes you inflexible.
On your comments about which is the best game I'm still unclear. You are very good at avoiding giving a hard answer so that you can't be held accountable for it later.
So maybe it is you who is the problem and not the game
As I said I have not played it yet but the attitude I see here makes me sick for the developers who have out years of work in to this labor of love. Maybe I am wrong and it's all conspiracy but enough of this just looks wrong to me to make me think at least some of this doesn't add up as you suggest.