I am a newbie always looking for some help and being very visually oriented, I have several video and CD-ROM based teaching systems. If you are like me and this is a preferred learning environment, I suggest you check out the following, VTC learing site.

http://www.vtc.com/usa2.lasso

I recently re-discovered VTC. They are based out of England and sell CD-ROM software teaching sets based on Quicktime movies. I bought 2 in the past (Poser 3/4, Bryce 4), each having many hours of on-screen instruction. I am very visual and find this more motivating that reading. But each costs $100 (got them for about $80 each on sale). VTC has an incredible number of titles, and on-line you can virtually sample the first few chapters of each for free. I found this very helpful because they explain what the software is good for and introduce you to the interface and system requirement. I essentially used this to decide what to buy to be set up for animation. NOW the good news!

I just found out that VTC now has an on-line subscription system that really is slick and for $25/month you can tap into ANY of their teaching packages. FOR SOMEONE THAT LIKES TO LEARN MULTIPLE SOFTWARE PACKAGES, THIS IS A VERY, VERY GOOD DEAL. Many of these are 20-30 hours of instruction, but each QT movie unit is 10-15 mins and laid out as chapters, so you can skip and replay as needed.

They also are very eager to create new teaching units if you email them. So a strong Poser, Lightwave, 3dmax or other group can influence them. In one weekend an addict like myself did nearly 8 hours of Photoshop6, AfterEffects5, Poser3/4 (replay), Clean5, Final Cut Pro3, and iMovie2. And I have multiple books on these and I learned more with this $25 system. And they have almost anything you could imagine in 2D graphics, OS, business/productivity. The 3D is not as robust, but I wonder if that is not due to demand. So since they do not have LightWave and only one Poser unit, I was hoping others here would check them and at least email them to encourage more 3D.

Check it out, I feel the subscription approach is more cost effective since you can either use the system regularly or stop the subscription when you do not have a need or time for it.

Mick Glant

Nice commercial, and aside from the brief mention of Poser, it seems that this should be elsewhere.

I have no connection with VTC, just a happy user. This came to mind after reading the thread about Shamms Mortimer (I unfortunately bought some of his books). I have spent a lot of money on books about software and just thought other beginners would like to know. By the way the Poser 3/4 package was to me every bit as good at the Poser 4 Pro pack fx design book. M Glant

Yes, I have used them before and they are great, but make sure your computer is compatable with their CD's some mess up the sound file for some on using XP...Sharen

I found them when I was just beginning to pick up Bryce and Photoshop last winter and I've referred a bunch of people to them since. They're a real bargain at $25 a month, and I can do them at my own speed, which I like a lot.