thanks,

at the moment Milkshape and Fragmotion are perfect tools for low poly (I need <500tris) animated character creation. very easy to learn, and having features all I need currently (modelling humans/animals from sketch, creating custom skeletons or using bvh mocaps, rigging, bone weighting, lod creation). only the skinning features would be a bit better, like in UltimateUnwrap3D.

but maybe for tileable building modelling, what I plan to do a bit later, I will need Blender. but I hate when I'm forced to use shortcut keys, I prefer clear menus. I don't know why an AutoCAD like command system is not used in 3d modelling tools, it would be more logical - for me at least (I worked with autocad for a couple of years)-

Take for example the import of bvh files
In general the skeleton of the bvh files and the one of your model are different
Fragmotion allows you to link the bones of the bvh file to the ones of your model in simple way
I dont know whether blender have a similar feature but one point is clear to me
Fragmotion and Milkshape have been designed for game programmers
Not only they are user friendly they supply also specific features which you may not find in high level package
Again, it is a shame that these software are bound to die because of emotional choices of many game developers
People may feel smart to use Blender but 90 % of its features are of no use

Fragmotion and Milkshape have been designed for game programmers

Yes, but some programmers are successfull using Sculptris for example, a very simple to use sculpting tool.
But for retro games or minecraft style , yes why not ?


People may feel smart to use Blender but 90 % of its features are of no use
It depends on people and what they do.
People making advertisments or short films , renders etc ... will use lot of features indeed a game programmer won't use.
But i can assure you i use a good amount of it's features :
-Modeling
-UVMapping
-Texture painting
-Rigging
-Animation

I recommend really Blender, it's not so hard once you get it, it becomes very very repetitive.

There is for modeling cool tools for programmers like :
- Google Sketchup
- Silo 2 (cheap price and great features, very easy workflow)
- 3D World Studio (BSP modeling and lightmapping)
- Metasequoi modeler
etc ...

well, of course, People making games
About :
- modelling
- UVMapping
-Texture painting
- Rigging
-Animation

Any real advantage using blender ?
I dont mean for the 1.000.000 polys models for movies
I mean for low ploys models suitable for Indie /casual games

I dont think so, not at least to that extent
Definitley Milkshape and Fragmotion have not be upgraded but this is due to the fact that they are not supported by the hobbyest game comunity

For low poly :1000-5000 pol(even tablets supprots such polygons now, power don't stop increasing)
Blenedr has incredible usefull tools :
-cut middle
-cut loop
-select loop
-extrude face
-extrude region
-editing in 3D view directly
-Merge vertices
- etc ...
In Milkshape that's just a pain to work on more than 4 faces ylinder sides !
You loose so much time, and even can't work directly in 3D solid view ... It's for nostalgic people !

Blender is FREE, and is continuously maintained and evolving ... not like Milkshape that is very old abandonned tool.

Silo is powerfull, you should try the demo, you should find it as easy as Milkshape and lot lot more powerfull; you'll modelise things 10 times faster staying in same 3D solid view
even skecthup will od as good and better than milkshape and lot more easy and more fast to modelise.
But for newbbies and beginners, people that realy ony love that tool , why not milkshape, you do as you like.
For very Low poly (<1000 polys) for some retro or old cubic games , why not ...

the features quoted by you could be easily implemented, relatively speaking, also by the Milkshape developer
They are the ABC of a 3d package
the point is that MilkShape is dead due to the fact that many hobbyist game developers take emotional rather than rational decision