The real reasons behind DNF's troubled development cycle will never be truly known.
As, they are only known by those that experienced it.
Some, don't want to talk about it. As they respect the people they worked with and don't wish to put a negative light upon anyone.
Others, left at different times, and their experiences differ greatly from others who stayed on.
But, as for 3DR trying to do it "cheaply"... no.
They self funded the game, were as most studios get funding and backing from a publisher. 3DR didn't.
And, besides, George and Scott have already publicly said people at 3DR weren't making what they could've been making at other studios.
They were also trying to make the game with a very small staff, a fraction the size of most studios.
In the end, unless George and Scott sit down and detail the development cycle... we'll never completely know.
We've heard stories, gotten single sided views of events. And I've chatted with a few different people, gotten some insight into the development and heard how some felt things could've or would've gone better.
But, the one thing I've always heard from the people I've talked to... they believed in what they were doing completely.
They didn't want to jump ship for a bigger paycheck. They didn't want to cut corners and just dump it out. There was a real sense of love and respect there.
Problem that 3DR just didn't evolve as a studio to handle what was needed to get the game out the door properly.
Of course, just my opinion.
I enjoy DNF for what it is. There are problems, and things I wish would've been done differently. And looking back, I see things that I just can't help but think were better on paper. But, it is what it is.