Recs.
Updated
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Runtime lightmap rendering
Lightmaps been efficient way to deliver lighting to your scenes for long time. But it comes with a cost of many large textures. PlayCanvas offers unique solution for a web platform, to render lightmaps during loading of an app in runtime. Which is faster than downloading Mb's of textures. And is much more convenient: simply switch your light sources to bake, and static models to be lightmapped, and engine will do the rest.
Pro Powerful assets pipeline
Assets and content delivery is very different on web platform comparing to native. So PlayCanvas challenges best practices to allow developers decide how their content is delivered and in what form.
Async Assets download - allows developers to load content as app goes, instead of asking to download all assets in advance risking users to simply navigate away while stearing at loading screens.
Formats for 3D models and Textures support covers all the popular tools. And workflow is as simple as: Drag'n'drop your files right into Assets Panel. And cloud will do the rest of the hard work optimising and converting your files into runtime-friendly and compressed data.
Pro Small app size
Engine itself weighs just under 150Kb, and it's always challenged to stay small. There is no extra weight that has to carried with your app, just your assets and scripts in runtime-friendly compressed form.
This allows users to engage with your content in matter of seconds, and event just under a second on good connection.
Pro Integrated physics engine
PlayCanvas offers users to easily add physics, using powerful Bullet Physics Engine (ammo.js).
Rigidbody and Collision components on entity allow to set up your scene with little effort. And real-time link between launched app and editor allows to preview and play with your scene without needing to refresh your game to see changed applied.
Physics is delivered as optional library, so by default being disabled it does not add any extra download size to your apps.
Cons
Con Private projects are only available for premium users
The free tier does not support any private projects. Instead, all the code and assets will be hosted openly. While not a problem for open source games and for developers who intend to make an open source game, it can be a deal-breaker for teams who want to keep their code and assets private.
Con Some features require a subscription
The PlayCanvas engine is free and open source. However some of the tools (such as private projects and native mobile support) are subscription based. Prices range from $15/seat/month for personal, and $50/seat/month for organizations.
Con Editor and Asset export only online
Makes local development and branch (git) difficult to do. The program also slows down at certain times.