[rhettro]

If you are more comfortable modeling in Wings then do it.  You can export Wings models as OBJ files into Blender and port to DAE from there. 

[Galemp]

I strongly suggest using Blender. The learning curve is steep, but it is free, extremely powerful, updates regularly, incredibly versatile (it also does animation, rendering, UV mapping, and post-production), and exports flawlessly to FreeSpace via Collada (thanks to Spicious.)

One of these days I should do a live Blender tutorial webcast on IRC...

[Bobboau]

god, how can anyone actually praise blender's UI, it's actively hostile.

[Vasudan Admiral]

If you're used to the hunt & click horrors of TS then yeah it probably seems that way.

You learn the keyboard shortcuts pretty quick, and once you know even the basics of them, you barely touch the buttons. The scary button-mania interface isn't the true interface really. Besides - the new version has redesigned the interface to cater for people who couldn't previously get past the scary look.

Nehemiah: If you want to stay with learning 2.5 that will be best in the long run, and there's what looks like a pretty good introduction video series here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BwptkZCWwU

However, because 2.5 is so new, there's relatively little in the way of beginner documentation compared with what's available for the older 2.49. If you're finding 2.5 too hard to learn for that reason it might be an idea to try 2.49 until you're comfortable with the basics. Stuff like this: http://www.blender.org/education-help/tutorials/tutorial-folder/blender-user-interface-tutorial/ is great for 2.49, but no longer fully valid with 2.5.

[headdie]

god, how can anyone actually praise blender's UI, it's actively hostile.

I grew up with MS DOS so grew up with many applications and games with no mouse support period even loading a mouse driver would not bring up a cursor on screen so apps like word perfect were all shortcut driven and even today I still prefer to use a 1-3 button shortcut to a mouse and hunting through menus and sub menus to find an option.

with a couple of days genuine effort you learn most of the shortcuts you use regularly and how they change depending on what mode you have it in.

edit:

just think of it like using the com menu in FS

[Thaeris]

I've noted this in several other threads before, but I'm a huge fan of AC3D. As a whole, it's probably not as potent as Blender; unlike Blender, however, it is almost instantly useable yet not limiting (unlike instantly useable yet highly limiting programs like SketchUp - the basic version is free, by the way). However, like every CAD/modeling program, the best way to determine if you like it or want to use it is to try a demo:

http://www.inivis.com/

Another one I'd suggest (despite not yet trying it for myself) is Silo. The program seems to be biased towards organic modeling and character art, but that shouldn't necessarily be a turn-off if you're not into those things. Watching a few videos on the site should give you a picture of what the program is capable of:

http://nevercenter.com/silo/about/

Now, keep in mind that both of these are NOT free programs - however, I'd say that if you can spend some money, these will be well worth the cost. I bought AC3D (I'm currently running 6.4.3) for $75 USD back in the day, and I couldn't be happier with the program.

[rhettro]

Silo is pretty nice.  Sort of a Wings 3D on steroids. 

[Klaustrophobia]

i'm not really sure why i ventured in here.  but as long as i am, does anyone use Solidworks?  CAN it even be used for model making?  It makes 3d objects, and I assume that's all models are.

[qazwsx]

Models for Freespace (and virtually all video games) are constructed from polygon meshes, so as long as you can export as some sort of polygon mesh, and eventually get your model to a state which PCS2 can read, you should be fine.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

i'm not really sure why i ventured in here.  but as long as i am, does anyone use Solidworks?  CAN it even be used for model making?  It makes 3d objects, and I assume that's all models are.

That's CAD software, and CAD models are very different from rendering models. Like qazwsx said, if you can export to a polygon mesh, you should ultimately be able to get it into FS; but you'll need to work a lot on it in an actual polygon-modelling program like Blender or Max. The mesh will need to be heavily cleaned up, textures are probably not great, hierarchy needs to be set up, etcetera.

[rhettro]

i'm not really sure why i ventured in here.  but as long as i am, does anyone use Solidworks?  CAN it even be used for model making?  It makes 3d objects, and I assume that's all models are.

It's been a while, but I have used Solidworks.  Its purpose is more for creating models of machines and parts for real world construction, so it goes above and beyond the needs of Freespace. 

[Thaeris]

i'm not really sure why i ventured in here.  but as long as i am, does anyone use Solidworks?  CAN it even be used for model making?  It makes 3d objects, and I assume that's all models are.

First of all, I just want to note that I hate and loath SolidWorks. Next, yes, with the proper conversion techniques and clean-up procedure, there's no reason why you can't produce a model in SW and port it to FS - the question is, do you have the patence to do so?

I will note that I've seen SolidWorks models ported to X-Plane, so there shouldn't be too much of a hurdle to overcome if you do decide to do something with that program.