I disagree... ok I added that to get a response in fustration.  I just have been down this windy road a bit too long.  :)

RobinsVail: Very helpful comments.  In thread same forum "Desperate for Results" I explain some of my trials and issues.  I have /do use Blender quite a bit but early on when the docs were more sparse, I got involved with other approaches and use blender to convert of explore compapatability.  I probably am overlooking a valuable tool under my nose.  The "-Cookie" need to google that ... Oh wow. Cool. Nope never been to this Tutorial page. :)

Regarding the real studio pipeline and the base app. It always seems to comeback to autodesk. Just seems no way around it unless you can figure how to pull off miricales with Wings or Blender.  I thought ZBrush would be up to the task, it probably is but its certainly not as easy as slapping some polypaint and export... not for something that will be extensible in multiple rendering apps.