JimGale, If you can afford it, buy 3D Studio Max. It's not as difficult as lightwave, but it's not exactly cheap either. It all depends on what you can afford for what you want to do with it.As far as Bryce & Poser go, they are both great programs for what they are. I still love Bryce for doing landscapes & such, it's incredibly amazing for a $200 piece of software. But it's not a modeler per se, but you can do some very cool things with it. Poser is great for people and animals, but not for rendering, it's just a tool to use for specific tasks.Yes Bryce is in a different league than Poser for texturing and rendering. I would recommend waiting, and keep using Bryce & Poser and learn new techniques & tricks in them & just enjoy them for what they are for now. Animation Master Is tough but worth the effort, just keep at it, you'll learn the intricacies in the end. Good Luck.