I am finding it a real nuisance to reposition and scale items in the 3d viewport.
Is there an intention to bring back the scale and repositioning GUI from Game Guru classic?

What specifically are the issues you're having with repositioning and scaling of objects in the 3D view port?

On some objects, there are no re scale options appearing at all (they're greyed out) and the RGB right hand handles that used to appear when the object is clicked like in GG Classic are no longer there.
Its not an insurmountable problem per sae, but its a real nuisance having to type numeric values rather than being able to move or rotate objects by eye.

The MAX UI and navigation in general is bizarre- a letdown on some levels.
Maybe the only thing worse is CopperCube6's map navigation?

MAX UI/ navigation could be fixed very easily and very nice and tidy with probably just TWO or THREE minor but important changes! As it sits now it's not a happy experience. I avoid it at all costs. I grudgingly open it maybe once a week to check on something. Last time I opened MAX was 4 days ago to verify height maps worked. Yes they did. Just fix all this UI "nuisance".

Developers (designers, engineers, creators of all sorts) can experience Creators Blindness. This results from a singular idea, a narrow vision from oneself, esteemed with pride and stuck with no matter the cost or feedback.
Will they...
A> ever re-consider what they have created and consider user input to revamp the UI/ navigation?
B> ever actually use the software continuously themselves for real-intent projects?

Just watching a youtuber who has managed to get the handles appearing.
My installation must be suffering some sort of bug.
I need to have another inspection

You can view the "Widget" which I think are the handles that u r talking about in the settings under the developer tab.

With the latest update, to get the widget to appear, just press F1. With the widget present, you can switch between translate, rotate, and scale by pressing F2, F3, and F4, respectively. Pressing F1 again dismisses the widget and gets you back to smart placement mode.

I haven't checked on github, but are there any issues with the widget? Sometimes it shows up and sometimes I have to click around. Thanks!

With the latest update, the widget appears to be working properly. You have to have something selected else the widget is not visible. If you have something selected and you click up in the air, the widget will disappear (as if nothing is selected), but clicking on the object again causes the widget to re-appear.

Yes, this turned out to be the issue. It is very odd to me it was hidden under the developer settings.

I hope the old interface is brought back?

Not true. the widget is only appearing when the advanced settings -> developer controls -> enable widget checkbox is ticked.
Which is proving annoying in and of itself because its not allowing me to delete unwanted objects when this is checked so I'm having to switch between the two.

Make sure you have the latest version installed (2022.04.08). If so, you don't have to go to Settings to activate the widget. You can press F1 to activate it and it will stay activated. Pressing F1 will deactivate it again, should you wish to return to smart move mode (or whatever they call it). When the widget is activated, you can then use F2, F3, and F4 to toggle between translate, rotate, and scale for the widget, too.

And there should be no issues with deleting while the widget is active. I use the widget 90% of the time or more and delete objects while using it.

I think it's called "anyone's guess" mode.

So, gonna make a game, the player will have to find the widget. lol

When developer mode is activated, i find the trashcan keeps moving away from the cursor if i try to drag the unwanted item back into the inventory.

Perhaps it's because I am tired, but I don't understand what you are trying to do here. Why are you dragging an unwanted item to a trash can?

If I'm understanding you correctly, I think you're talking about that trashcan icon that shows up after you've selected an object in the Level Objects list? Is this correct? If so, all that's indicating is you can click again, in the Level Objects area, to DISMISS the object BEFORE placing it in the view port. Doing so will "delete" it before placing it. That way, you don't have to place it and then delete it if you didn't want it to begin with.

So, let's say you have a loaf of bread in your Level Objects and you've clicked it to place it, then you decide you actually don't want to place it. You can then click again in a blank area under Level Objects (or even under Current Objects, etc.) and the entity will be dismissed so you won't have to place it.

Notice, your cursor gets the trashcan while over these areas. When over the view port it loses it because once you're there, you can place the object. If you decide you don't want to place the object, you can move the cursor back over to the left-side, the trashcan re-appears, and you can click to dismiss your selection, freeing you to select another object to place.

I dont know if the iteration of my install is the same as yours, but when you drag an unwanted item back into the inventory, a trashcan button appears near the cursor which you click to get rid of it?
At least thats how i've been doing it till now.

In MAX, you can click+drag or you can click, release the mouse, and move the cursor to place an object. Both work equally. If you click+drag, move your cursor over the view port and decide you don't want to place the object, you just have to move the cursor back over the Level Objects area and release the mouse button. That will deselect the object so that nothing is placed and you'll be returned to the cursor so you can make a new selection.

If you've clicked on an object in the Level Objects area, released and dragged into the view port, then you need to drag the cursor back into the Level Objects area and click again (when the trashcan appears) to deselect/not place, freeing up the cursor to select again. That's all.

You don't have to "drag" anything back anywhere.

Everybody should get on github and push to have the Smart Placement system removed completely - since that was added building levels is not the slightest bit intuitive or user friendly - in fact it is anything but Smart

You can chime in here if you agree

OldFlak....

If you want to dismiss and object, just press the del key.

Just bring back the system from Game Guru classic, if its not broke don't fix it.