@Op,
As plenty of other people have mentioned, modifying the UI to be used with a controller will increase the costs significantly, as well as reduce the complexity in game mechanics. You give examples of games like KOTOR and DA:O as games which were successful on consoles, which is definitely true. However, Project Eternity aims to recapture the mechanics of games like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment and Neverwinter Nights.
Are you aware of the fact that the games you mentioned have been inspired by these games? Better yet, pick up one of these games on GOG, and try it out on your pc. These games are significantly more complex than KOTOR and DA:O. The reason is because those games were released on console, the combat mechanics were simplified.. Which is EXACTLY what the developers and us, the backers, do not want!
You say that bringing this to consoles will help popularize the genre? With all due respect, I believe that will not happen. Just ask the current younger generation of gamers to play a game of Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, Neverwinter Nights or Icewind Dale. Almost all of them will stop playing pretty early.