What 3DGS could have done is improve a lot it's BSP system, with lot more tools, alowing any shapes, with lot more fast compiler (even if it has very progressed nowadays).

It was the speciality of 3DGS , no modeling package was needed on the old days to make levels, apply textures, lightmap all that on WED.
If it had improved this BSP system a lot , and made shaders applyable on BSP easily like you apply textures.
That with the lightening engine combining Lightmaps and shaders; it owuld be a big winner , even today.
I think they would have a very successfull engine today

(we can see Unity users asking for some BSP system in the forums, one have begun to be made , but have been somewhat abandonned )!

Too bad ; they don't have kept that direction in priority.
And actual 3DGS BSP system is really outdated, don't support easy to apply direct shaders, modeling with BSP tools of ED is not easy at all and friendly (specially for complicated stuff where tools like Extrude, Cut loop , divide , push vertices by brush etc .... would have been helpfull) !

Caus very big engines use BSP like Source or Unreal Engine.
Perfec Dark Source

Source Engine
But the last updates of A8 that uses some Users contributions like the new GUI system are for me the new big positive orientation
One guy can't program all things needed for an engine, too much work, debugging etc ...
E can just hope users to bring up lot more addons to A8
to make it better each time !
Next , why not a complete terrain editor for WED ? (i'm kidding )



What it lacks for me is a real solidsite like Unity site.
Up To date, even the dark and red theme of A8 looks not that pro.
Why not using some lot more white site, more clear with black character texts ?

And why not some month quick newsletter, showing what is going on the engine and forums (different from AUM that is
not news , but more tutorial oriented).


I think it's like Dark Basic Pro or Irrlicht free engine that have there own people
3DGS have his own people also.



Just my point of view !