SCI Studio is progressing along well, and if I wasn't stopping along the way to make the decompiler, I could have the full VGA version done in a few weeks.
I really think the fast progress is the result of me being the only developer for SCI Studio. Because I planned it out to fit me perfectly, it's very easy for me to expand upon it. I can add any aspect I want, anytime I want, in any order I want. I need not worry about others modifying the same piece of code to work differently, and then having to rearrange my own stuff to accomodate it, etc. I am an incredibly fast coder now. I've been working so hard, such as rushing to have SS3 finished for the show, that it's FAR easier for me to write a bit of pseudo code and do a little planning, then burn my keyboard with my fingers than try to organize a group thing. I'm very dedicated, and very passonate about my projects, that I like to finish them as quickly as possible because I have loads of more projects that I'm excited to do as well (after finishing the current project).
Group projects on the other hand (with exeptions such as FreeSCI, of course!), very rarely get far along because many people join who just want to get their name in the authorship. Most people aren't usually dedicated, or if there are dedicated people, there are usually far more members doing nothing. The group projects often end up having more planning than necessary due to the fact than many people don't know where to start and it's difficult to organize everyone.
Certain things couldn't get done without group effort, such as a main stream OS, main stream web browser with all it's own up to date HTML/Java, parsing, etc. Other things like homebrew freeware on the otherhand, is much easier to do alone.
I made dozens of little AGI utilities and stuff for things here and there, and that was because I wasn't the author of AGI Studio. Now that I am the author of SCI Studio, all of the little utilities (version detectors, editors, compiler, help system, etc.) is all integrated. Other people don't need to make any other tools, because they can just email me (and do), and I add the feature to the all in one studio! Of course, we still need SCI Studio VGA, and then tools for the rest of the versions up to SCI32. However, and here's the biggie, it's only a matter of time. I have the VGA template done. I have the SCI1 compiler done. All I really need to do it modify the graphics editors to support the new file formats and the resource package handlers. It will be easy to do, and is just a matter of time. Every day it's closer to a release. I already did quick and dirty editors for all the VGA resources (view,pic,font,cursor,palette) a long time ago, so that being the case, (re)implementing them will be about 1/5th the effort!
So, SCI Studio will support all SCI versions eventually, and be an all in one program with version detection. There won't be an "SCI Studio EGA" and an "SCI Studio VGA", it's just going to be "SCI Studio" with support for EGA and VGA, and evenually, SVGA. Oh yeah, and I'll add sound support eventually too
