im looking for modelling software thats good...but i dont want to spend all of king tut's gold trying to get it. whats the best product?

Hiya.

No such thing as "best". Try demos of anything you think you can afford. See which one you like most. Use that.

Personally, I use XSI and Hexagon (I've been a Softimage owner/user since Softimage|3D version 3.7 was brand new), and playing with AnimationMaster again (purely for fun and the possibility of exporting animation data...AM's animation is really quite good...the rest of the program...not so much, IMHO). I also use UltimateUnwrap3D for my UV'ing, along with an occasional delve into my old BodyPaint3D for texturing.

Sub $1000 programs:

Hexagon + FragMotion
Softimage XSI Foundation
Lightwave 3D
trueSpace
Silo or Modo (but only modeling...no animation)

PS: I almost forgot. Blender (it's free...and very powerful...but also very VERY hard to come to grips with for most people).

i have blender...thats it..and ya its hard to come to grips with but it is powerful! these modelers are wildly expensive(for me) unless i get a job sometime soon i might be stuck with the 3dgs modeler...eeeek!