Whether or not you like to make casual games, there is alot of money to make from them (and especially if the browser plugin is done!!). I predict playing small funny games from browser will be a true cashcow. People can spent how much they like, and if you do this clever, you can let them keep spending on the same game . They really pay the amount how much they think it's worth.

But that casual games can be cashcows, doesn't mean that other types can't. To create a big quality title, you really don't need hundreds of dollars. In fact, if you are a programmer, then you can achieve a tremendous amount of (graphically good looking!) work by just doing research to latest techniques, and don't be satisfied by average movement/animation results. If you can create "self-learning" movements and take in account the physics, then you barely need an animator.

But who of us already tried to achieve this? Barely half a hand full of people are researching in the innovation field (like ChrisB with his procedural terrains and Slin with his research to over 6 different physic engines!), but I think most of us just look and stand back, watching what those few other can do. I agree that the look of models and environment are important, but seriously, a great textured environment looks just as good as a "stuffed together" environment with detailed particle effects, lensflares and waving grass everywhere. Those aren't artiscian jobs, those are programmer jobs. New revolutions in the 3d world cán be implemented in lite-c, and google is your friend