When comparing Polycode vs Crystal Space 3D, the Slant community recommends Polycode for most people. In the question“What are the best 100% free and easy game engines for beginners?” Polycode is ranked 29th while Crystal Space 3D is ranked 39th. The most important reason people chose Polycode is:
Polycode uses Lua and C++ to create native applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Mobile platforms are planned for the future.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Can create portable native applications
Polycode uses Lua and C++ to create native applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Mobile platforms are planned for the future.
Pro Free and open source
Polycode is free and open source (released under the MIT license). The source code is freely available on GitHub.
Pro IDE for 3D editing
Recently, the editor and its integrated tools have been released in compiled form. Features coding and scene editing in one application.
Pro C++/Lua
Polycode is distributed in a C++ form as well as with IDE. And there's an additional LUA-based scripting system.
Pro Scripting language bindings (via swig) python, perl, tcl
Scripting language biddings are available via swig, supposedly any swig target could be used If you are okay with building, and probably maintaining, the project for your own needs then you may be able to build bindings for your favorite scripting platform.
As noted in a slant "con", there are no binary releases, including no prebuilt bindings.
Pro Cross platform
Runs on all major desktop platforms.
Cons
Con Abandoned
The project does not seem to be maintained anymore: there has been no new release nor commit since mid-2015.
Con No mobile support
Doesn't have support for Android or iOS.
Con No binary releases.
Expect to compile this from source if your want to play with it.
Ubuntu has a package for it, but that package appears to be missing it's scripting language bindings. I expect the build is also quite old and i fear may be dropped in coming Ubuntu releases.