Sounds like this project is being managed with careful intelligence, which makes me feel really good about where Starfarer will be in the next few months. I like how expectations are hopeful but cautious.
The more I think about, the info ramp-up really does seem like the more likely (and better) road to take than my "info-burst" assumption, which wasn't really backed up by realistic research.
I know how the fans are feeling, though: eager to see this become a big hit, but maintaining a strong desire to exercise restraint to guarantee the best possible results.
If their alpha was filled with on-screen debug text or didn't have sound or in general was lacking polish, then I'd agree with you 100%. But the current alpha is very polished for what it is, and they've outlined their intended features quite clearly. I'm not saying that they should rush it, only that there may be a large amount of positive feedback even if they only show off the combat / missions.
No, you're right. The first alpha we're playing is fantastic (my expectations were much lower), looks great, sounds great, plays great -- I definitely agree with you that it's a tough game NOT to enjoy, even at this early stage.