Well, i would just recommend you to try the last Blender version
if you don't like old interface, but the mecanics remain the same.

Once you learned Blender, you feel at ease with it !
Try the last version and you'll see you'll have all the essential tools in hard surface modeling : loop select, loop cut in left menu.
For making bones, weight painting, action editor timeline, once
you have followed a tutorial , after some uses, it becomes so easy and natural.

In fact for Blender the question is : do you have the strengh and motivation for invest yourself learning it step by step ?
Even more ask even on 3DGS forums, people like me will help you

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For Gmax, it is evolving today ? can you use it for your own commercial work ?