Did you just not like the Vera Controller.
No I liked it.
I am very impressed with what could be done with a base OpenWRT / LUA automation controller which has it's roots in a firewall.
That said it is limited a bit by the CPU / Memory / hard firmware on the device. It is an amazing device.
The Vera device was one of the first in firmware based automation controllers a few years back.
I have been playing here today with multiple tiny microrouters (1" X 2") that have similar CPU/Memory base. You can do automation with them via the serial ports or USB ports or network or wireless already built in to the tiny device.
Just recently (always wanted a clock) installed a tiny RTC and 1-Wire temperature sensor in one connecting to free GPIO ports. (you can also connect serial and USB devices to it easy enough). Got inspired here by the Rasberry Pi (which has a bigger footprint).
Here is the one of a kind Almond Plus which is a combo Router, Firewall, Access Point, Automation Hub and touchscreen based on the OpenWRT OS (like the Vera) that I have tinkered with. (Ie it does Zigbee, Z-Wave and other wireless automation). It today can be utilized via a cloud connection or not.
Before purchasing the Vera (sometime in the 2000's) and around 1998 had started to use Homeseer software which allowed for multiple hardware controllers. In the beginning it was only X10.
IE: Homeseer connects to 16 serial devices and 7 USB devices via one USB cable. (all Digi stuff).
(relating to lighting automation it had X10, Insteon, Z-Wave and UPB and today I have introduced Zigbee).
I tinker and software allows most flexibility for me. Automation in firmware is not as easy to tinker with.
I do not know or have read of anyone here on the forum modifying their OmniPro 2 / Elk firmware to date.
Easy today to modify firmware for an OpenWRT (it is nice and tight) based router and you can purchase these today for as little as $10 USD.