Welcome to GameStudio, mmelo!

1 and 2) The trial version is based to the Extra edition, I believe. Certainly you won't be able to do reflective surfaces with it (sorry ). All versions of 3DGS should look "vibrant" if you have good art but a lot of cool effects are disabled in the trial version.

3) If the tutorial is outdated it might tell you to click File>Add Script. Since 6.40.something this has been replaced by File>Project Manager, "Add" tab, "Add Script" button.

4) The turbulence textures change a lot of the objects' properties, which are hard to hunt down and return to normal. Among others, the block becomes Passable in a weird, impossible to undo way. You might want to put a normal block inside the turbulence one, that will cast a shadow and keep players from going through it.

Good luck!