While PhilC's CD does cover modelling, it covers a lot more than just that aspect, so the modelling program doesn't matter as much. If you are comfortable making the mesh in another program, the CD is still worthwhile for learning the process. You need to be able to do is turn that mesh into .obj format, though. Amapi 3D does that in version 6, but I don't know about version 5. (I hope it does in version 5 as a free version of Amapi 5 is coming out soon on Computer Arts Magazine.) If you want to follow along with the full CD, PhilC uses trueSpace as his program of choice and you can get trueSpace 3 for free if you purchase 3D World Magazine, issue 32 or 33. (The mag is $14 in the U.S.) The only drawback is I don't know of a free .cob to .obj converter. There are a few tS plug-ins, but they work with tS 4 and beyond. If you like the tS program from the magazine, you can get tS 6 with native .obj handling at about 1/2 off if you order by 30 April through the magazine. Cheers! (Not meaning to be a walking advertisement ...) ;-)