So, I decided to make this topic as I always see threads like "look at this, its made in XXX for the YYY, and then look at this A8 game. Don't you see that A8 just sucks?" (Ratchet, this is a thread for you!)

Before I start my rant against various users here, let me get this clear: A8 isn't perfect. It lacks some stuff needed to create an awesome title like Crysis, but(!) A8 is made to create games with different genres. RPGs, Shooter, RTS etc. The Cry Engine on the other hand is a pure Shooter engine. Its streamlined to serve this one and only genre, everything is optimized for this. Creating an RTS will be pure pain as you have to develop the very basic stuff first before you can even think about making the prototype.

Another thing I learned as developer: File some damn bug reports. It may sound obvious, but, as more people complaining about X or say that they want to see feature Y, as more priority gets said feature.
If only one says that he/she wants feature XY, its most likely will never implemented, even if you complain in other threads that the engine lacks those features. This counts for A8 as well as for Unity3D and even operating systems like iOS or Mac OS (there are bugs in iOS from 2.0 which doesn't get fixed because no one complains about it. Telling the press that this sucks doesn't help in any way).

Everything clear now? Fine, lets look at the topic. You want to make a game, probably you want to become famous and rich with the game so you want to make a good game.
The only problem is: A good game needs also good assets. No one will rate you game by its code, but what they can see! You may have the best looking source code (which is also very subjective), but your game looks like crap. Then your game _is_ crap!
Complaining about "oohhhh, everyone looks at the graphics, no one knows that this soooo hard work and we are just indies" doesn't help. You know that you also look at the graphic, you may see also some other aspects from the game that others may don't see, but you are a graphic whore too. Face it.

So, your very good game needs very good assets, this begins with textures and models. But where should they come from? You paid 200 bucks, so they better put some nice texture with the engine, right? Okay, lets assume that your lousy 200 bucks are worth AAA quality textures, you wouldn't use them anyway. You would says "well, they look nice etc. but everyone uses them" and you want to be different. Thats okay, because that is also a factor that sells games.
So, you need to spend another 200 bucks for some nice textures. If you want to be the only one who is allowed to use them (again, you want to be different), then you have to pay a lot. Even good artists need many hours to create something that doesn't look like 10 minutes Photoshop images made by my neighbor. You know that too, you also need time to write good code!
Think about what you would take for exclusive AAA stuff, and then think about what you think you have bought with 200€

This of course also counts for models and shaders. Someone has to spend his/her time for you stuff! I really don't know why you don't realize how much worth time is. If you think time is a god given gift, please read the awesome book Momo (german title, dunno if its also the same in english), to understand how much time is worth.

But now you say "Yes, you know, Unity3D" (and at this point I would normally either slap you in the face or stop reading) "Unity3D gives you this all for free. You know just drag the pre-built shader onto the tree and it will become a totally awesome uber tree" (I'm pretty sure you have mistaken pixie dust with Unity3D).
Yes, Unity3D has some built-in shaders, but have you already looked what Gamestudio delivers for free? Now you will say: "Haha, but Unity3D has better shaders (the one with pixie dust)". No. They don't have, you will also reach the point in Unity3D where you can't click anything together. Where you have to touch the dirty stuff. Where you have to do the stuff you won't do. You need to work to achieve your good game.

Writing shaders in Unity3D is the most fucked up stuff. I hear Slin everyday complaining about the horrible shader pipeline and how good the Gamestudio one is.

Programming with Unity3D also sucks (sorry that I always rant against Unity3D, but it looks like all of you see something like god himself in this piece of crap).
It might be easy to click some stuff together in Unity, but then you will reach the point where it just isn't enough. Where you want to be exclusive.
I said at the very beginning that everyone looks at your graphic and that you have to deliver good graphics. But thats only the half, your gameplay needs also to be good!
Take Gothic 4, it looks really nice, but its gameplay is not extra ordinary. It will sell some units because of its name, but not because it is good. And where is the problem? It lacks of great gameplay content. Just throwing textures and models together isn't enough.

And please don't post any screenshots from AAA titles or hobby projects with great assets and tell me that Gamestudio lacks those.
At first, the AAA titles have a budget. Not only 200€ from the last birthday, but much money. They can pay people for their time. You want AAA assets? Pay for it!
And what about those hobby projects with the nice assets? The may have not paid someone because its a hobby and made with friends, but as you are not a modeler and don't know anyone who can do this (forever alone), you have to pay someone. Thats it.
This has nothing to do with the engine, either you have someone who makes your stuff for free (having talented friends is the way to go), or pay someone who is able to do the stuff. Even Unity3D cooks with water, and once you realize that you can't create a game with a Palm, some Grass textures and a built-in normal mapping shader, you will see that Unity3D doesn't make your live easy at all. It just satisfies your inner graphic whore.

However, you will reach in A8, Unity3D, Cry Engine, Unreal Engine, [insert another engine here], [some more engines], [don't forget this engine], a point where the built-in stuff just isn't enough anymore. Where you have to tweak your game, where you have to streamline your work to let it perform well. The point where you stop clicking around in a nice UI and where you have to work.