In no way does having a designated artist and honoring them diminish what you've done. Technology, as a whole, is a significant process of assembly and reassembly. You curated what you wanted, worked with the acquired sets until they took shape, and delivered them in a way that expressed your vision at that moment. No painter invented colors, but they all use them to reach what they desire, a vision of something. If your "fix for the shortcomings" weren't productive, I wouldn't think it's good, nor would I have commented on it. So it's not a "fix"; it’s a path—one I’ll closely observe to see where it leads.
I’m glad to hear that Siege of Amal made a good impression. To give you a point of comparison, my "fix for my shortcomings" are rooted in historical/theological knowledge that enriched the universe with facts and processes, to reduce the impact of me not being able to implement all the gameplay elements. However, if you strip that "fix" away, it significantly reduces the content because my "fix" was to create based on extrapolating from history, science and geography. Certainly, when you played, you may not have perceived this because this is my path. ;) I hope the journey of Siham was interesting for you in some way.