I'm a bit late to the party, but here goes.
...I guess most people will come across it in the context of a game engine search,...
This is what got me here via google. It wasn't until I read the entire forum, what I could anonymously, and tried out the software that I decided to make my purchase.
..."3D" seems to refer to rendering only, and not the game engine. Think Ogre3D
Engine has no negative connotation in my humble opinion,...
/agree, the reason I stumbled upon this "engine" was in seeking just that, an engine, or more aptly an API. But I digress, see next.
...Even if its Leadwerks3D you will have to explain that its a 3D engine on the webpage so you still have to use the term "engine"...
Absolute must in my opinion. Or go with a name addendum or slogan that includes the word 'engine'.
"Leadwerks3D Game Development Engine" or something of the like but simply call it Leadwerks3D.
...Leadwerks3 would be confusing when there comes version 3.1 out...
Undoubtedly. Leadwerks3D sounds better, to me at least; while it does have that visual appeal as Josh mentioned. A 3 could even be slightly tilted to the left, aligned and slightly overlap the gear icon on the logo, while shifting that latter part a few pix to the right for good effect.
...if Josh wants to start version numbering from start again, then the first version would be Leadwerks3D 1.0...
Starting back at 1.0 may cause those stumbling upon the software to think it is in it's infancy and not well developed yet. It would really have to be flashed up on the page saying it's a new and improved rewrite of LE 2.5. A drawback of that is convincing them that LE 2.5 was really good and this revamp will be even better. In my opinion, it's not a bad idea to go to 1.0 with the rewrite, you just don't tell them the version number and increment it later at the next price point.
...I think anyone who comes across Leadwerks already knows that they're looking for. They won't mistake Leadwerks Engine for an automobile company just as they won't mistake Leadwerks3D for a computer animation film studio...
Very true, but the search words, add words, key words, et al have to lead them to the site.
...Leadwerks Game Studio...
To me, that sounds kinda cheap. A knockoff. For the past decade or so Studio has been thrown onto just about every type of software.
