So your argument is that as complexity goes up, the tools required will become easier to use? I can see quite a few flaws in that assumption
Alright, consider this:
Can you write a directX 7 3d engine with Assembly? Sure, but it would take insurmountable effort.
Nowadays, we have higher-level tools such as c++, B3d, etc.
In other words, the level of complexity we are able to acheive has gone up, but the tools have become easier to use.
I see no reason for this trend to stop anytime soon.
What makes you think we will ever reach even close to perfect photorealism?
At the rate we are getting there, I can't believe you are even saying that. ;)
We'll get there. Probably soon too, at this rate.
(I'm only considering the visual side of things. Animation, AI, refined interactivity - those will all take much longer to achieve.)