Try 3Dcafe or perhaps WarriorDL as he is running a SciFi orientated Poser site. As for 3D packages there are a variety of packages that you could use. 3Dstudio Max (Mid-Top end app used mainly in the gaming industrythat is very powerful and very expensive approx. 2500, be sure to read all the lic. agreements reagrding this software app and be prepared to have to purchase expensive plugins. A first class app but a bit expensive. Owned by a big and monied company it has good support, although the parent company has been known to do a metacreations on its users before) Lightwave 3D (again a Mid to top end application used mainly in the TV and film industry with a strong background in gaming. This app is level with 3Dstudio and provides excellent output. owned by a smaller company. Approx 1600, plugins aplenty again, but usually not as expensive as Max's) Inspire3D (lil bro to Lightwave, approx 300, not as many plugins for this one though this is slowly changing) Carrara (Midrange app ex metacreations product and future unclear, a step up from RDS and InfiniD. A good package that will prob survive through a new purchaser. Not much in the way of add-ons or support apprx. 300) Truespace (mid range app Approx. 400, see philC's stuff to see how good it is)Lots of free plugins and community support. Quite similar to RDS although v4 has radiosity etc. Cinema4D (mid to high end app. approx. 170-1600 depending on version. see steveshanks work and his site poserworld to see the kind of output) RayDreamStudio (low-mid range app approx 149 good for beginners although no longer supported.) Rhino3D (powerful Nurbs modeller, No inbuilt animation engine though...good if you know CAD, see rhino forum here (especially Denzils, Spikes and Axes work) to see quality of output. Pluses are the multitude of commands allowing stuff to be built in various ways. Minuses output from nurbs to mesh can result in large files and rhinos own format isnt especially space saving. 500 Good learning curve on this app. Pixels3D (mac only, no idea about this one) Infini-D (no idea on this one, although ex metacreations line, so maybe good to learn but you wont get muchany support) Nendo $99 different approach to modelling takes a bit to get used to but can produce astounding results. MAYA (if max is out of your budget so will this be, along with softimage and the new ones being exported from japan, although you could opt to pay for courses instead to get your hands on this baby) Blender Free but requires purchase of lic. (approx 100 i think) to unlock extra features also free are anim8or, spatch and a few others HASH animation Master about 3-400 and can produce excellent organic and landscape results..see www.hash.com Bryce 3D (ex meta now corel owned. Good landscape generator and good renderer, doesnt output to much and is difficult to produce an image (landscape) that other users will not be able to imeadiately be able to say its bryce. Approx 2-300 Look out for older version of programs and upgrades as well as cross grades. Try the demos and then make a decision for yourself as to what feels best for you and how much you can afford. These are just a few to get you started but there are plenty more.