[awild]

This advice applies to the TF community or otherwise. I think you have answered your own question; your best bet is to just get your game into peoples hands. Hoping to be compensated for your first work is one thing, expecting is a whole other. As you might expect, neither you or we have any idea what your game is worth until we play it.

Your wavering motivation tells me that you don't know who your "labor of love" is for. If its for yourself then to hell with what other people think or consider your game is worth. Find motivation in other projects that inspire you and spur you on.

If your game has always been for the masses, then the goal is to start building a reputation for yourself as a developer. Donations are one way of gauging your audience, but another way is to build analytics on who likes the game. I say offer both, add a like button to the game that informs you when someone clicks it, and sends them to a webpage that suggests to donate. Once you have a positive reputation, you'll have a lot more leverage when you want to seek compensation for future work. This formula works time and time again.

You have a day job so you wont starve (I hope) if this game doesn't produce what you expect. Consider this project pro bono to get your name out there. Monetarily or no, positive feedback will be plenty of motivation to continue adding to this project or the next.