I've been using 3D Studio MAX for years, as I needed a platform for both game development and Poser. It's got a good modeler-some love it, some hate it, others swear by it for some reason-let's just say for now it suits my purposes, and I don't have many complaints. With all the plugins available for it though, MAX can be a great application for high-end development, but as PhilC said, it's all a matter of choice... My best recommendation would be to get as many demos as you can and find the modeler you're comfortable with.