Hiya.

For me, Unity let's me (mostly artist, barely programmer) get my stuff into a 'working' environment quickly and easily. Some people have said that A7/8 has a much easier programming method. This may be true, but if I have to fight with the asset import/export, level editor, lighting, etc. in addition to trying to learn the programming...well, I'd rather go with a program where I only have to worry about the programming curve because all the rest of the stuff works easily.

I hate to say it, but it feels like Conitec has pretty much thrown in the towel on the whole game-engine thing. Looking at the choices out there now, A8 seems WAY overpriced (reduce the costs in half and you'd be in the right ballpark, IMHO). For A8 to get back into the game, Conitec would have to do a serious re-write of a lot of things.

1) Re-design the layout/workflow of the level editor (GED/WED should be combined). Optionally, look at the one or two decent 'level editors' out there and write 'modules/plugins' for them (I'm looking at 3D World Studio and QuArK in particular).

2) Drop MED and integrate it's basic import/export functions into the level editor. A8 doesn't have it's own 2d graphics editor, nor does it have it's own music or sound editor...why have it's own model editor? Pointless.

3) Develop SED to be more, or, better still, find a way to integrate it into MS Visual Studio somehow.

4) Write specific COLLADA import/export plugins for the major 3D packages out there (Lightwave, XSI, Maya, 3DS MAX, Cinema4D, Blender); if they have the time, or it's 'easy', toss out some for the lesser-used programs (Hexagon, Carrara, TrueSpace).

5) Design a kick-ass PDF users guide, and keep it updated, and available for free download for anyone (not just 'registerd users').

6) Drop the multiple-versions (Free, Commercial, etc) and just have one single version with three different licences; 'non-profit' (cheapest), 'single-title' (low), 'unlimited' (expensive). Price wise, if all this was added, I could see the prices they kinda have now; $50, $350, and $750, lets say. Maybe work out some kind of 'studio' pricing for multiple licenses.

I'm sure there is more, but that's the major things I see. Anyway, I still keep my eye on Conitec, but I haven't seriously used 3D Game Studio in years, opting for more easy-to-use engines like dxStudio and Unity.