satfj, I use MAX and it is no "dead end" as far as a modelling tool goes. But I also purchased a copy of Deep Exploration, as I also am a committed Truespace modeler, and my partners work with Cinema4d and Lightwave, and our Japanese partners work with more things yet. So, I needed a good file format translation program. Deep Exploration would cost you about $180 USD, unless you are a student ($55), but it could be the best money you have spent in a long while. It allows you to capitalize on all your software. If you have Deep Exploration, you can take you MAX files and pretty much turn them into any other file format. For Vue, I have found that using Deep Exploration to make my MAX files into 3ds files is really the way to go - most of the time. However, it turns out a nice Obj file also. Apparently, the MAX 3ds file exporter is "peculiar", as are many of the other programs which supposedly generate a 3ds file. The resulting files are sometimes pretty flaky. But Deep Exploration fixes all the problems and turns out a very nice 3ds file. In fact, when I'm having problems with just a single file component, I often pass it through Deep Exploration to create the 3ds equivalent, and my problem are solved. I'd hate to see someone who has invested in MAX give it up, as it is one of the best programs around. But if you are making a lot of your own models, especially for Vue, you'll find Deep Exploration to be the best investment you can make.