Attached Link: http://www.cfrye44@bellatlantic.net

I have been a computer programmer for over 33 years and I have always learned from manuals, I had no problem with the Poser 4 manual. The manual that came with "Carrara" sucks, I have read it 3 times and still can't use the software. Please advise me on tutorials "QUE manuals" etc. that can teach me how to create basic pp2 and rsr files. For example, I would like to create a basic "funnel" or basic sword, the Carrara manual dosn't explain how to do this. I paid $400 for this, did I buy the wrong software? My goal is to create "props" to import to "Poser4". Is there a better software product to accomplish this? Thank you in advance for your advice and help:)

pp2's and rsr's are created by Poser from imported props when stored to the library. Carrara exports OBJ format which can be used by Poser. All you have to learn now is how to model in Carrara, then export to OBJ format. You can make a funnel in the spline modeler in about 30 seconds. Start on page 142 of the Reference Guide and dig in deep. -JH.

Modeling is it's own particular art form. From what I have seen, there are principles that are common to most modeling softwares, once you familiarise yourself with the interface. What Carrara seems to be is a fusion of several different features. I confess that as a previous user of RDD 5.0 It took me a while to properly familiarise myself with the interface, but many of its properties are strongly shaped by its heritage as an outgrowth or the RayDream family. Any manuals or Quickstart guides for Ray Dream studio will give you a good deal of background.

Part of the problem is that the manual just tells you about the features and what they do. When creating a model you have many, many ways to accomplish the same effect, each with its' own advantage. The best thing to do is to load some of the "Free Models" that you bought on the content sampler, open them up, ungroup the parts & "jump-in" on them to see how they were created in there respective modelers. If you are completely new to 3D & Carrara know that Carrara was formerly known as Ray Dream Studio. Almost all the tutorials for that program will pertain to Carrara. There are some name chages (like Free Form Modeler now is Spline Modeler) and the shaders are fairly different. Other then that, spend a couple weeks looking through the links below. Here's about 30 tuts (some dead):http://members.xoom.com/raydreamer/ More here:http://www.3dcafe.com/asp/tutorial.asp And:http://members.xoom.com/RDSO/tutorials.htm Then ther is:http://diralg.com/ Also check:http://www.3dlinks.com/tutorials_raydream.cfm

you may also want to check out a program called nendo to model in. I have found that I am really getting to like modifing models in carrara but I am not up to the task of making them from scratch in carrara. You will be able to make a lot of stuff very quickly in nendo but at lower quality. Then once you have a base you can import the models in to carrara and texture them & modify them. Carrara is sort of a pain in the butt but compared to max and lightwave its a breeze. Just a day or so ago (see my post below) I was totally frustrated like you...now I can swing the camera around and texture my models...later tonight Ill figure out the earth modeler :) Not bad for just a couple of days!

opps...heres the link to nendo... http://www.nichimen.com/nendo/index.shtml

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I am sure this will help me out.