its irrelevant if the engine is rewirtten.

if you sticky that then people will find something else.

Wether or not the engine is the same is irrelevant, its the game you make in it.
This is just one point of contention people will pick up to complain about.

In reality it is not the FACT that the engine is based on the OS2 engine. Its that they dont like the idea that it isnt exactly how they imagined it in their head.
Almost any complaints about the game not beeing "Baldurs gate enaugh" are a smokescreen.
Theres no point adressing those arguments since they are all bad faith arguments.

you cannot win.