This is completely solved in 2020. There is a new 'mode 5' which runs in the background and significantly speeds everything up. This command panel issue was known to the devs and it's been resolved.
Very good business idea, easier to test the water and/or float a larger project off the smaller ones. But have'nt indie dev teams been doing that anyway?
That sounds amazing! Coincidentally we worked on an underwater game for our games dev module this year, I'd love to see how you guys are going about it.
Basically the ones that just had no business applying, no serious art portfolio/ any portfolio. A lot of dreamers want to be in game dev, but it's work like anything else.