not really sure why the size of the program is a 'discouraging trend' - why is that a bad thing? - and i don't really see why that should be putting you off.

Obviously whatever field that you go into, you should expect to always keep learning new techniques or new advances in technology... and the fact that something is hard to learn - well what isn't? I mean if it only took you a short time to learn than there wouldn't be that much to the program and you likely wouldn't use it.

Furthermore, it's not like you have to learn the whole program - some people are modellers, others are texture artists, some do particle effects, some do animation, etc...

it's not completing a character that's important - I am sure that everyone here has dozens of unfinished projects - you don't learn anything by completing a character - you learn by making mistakes and starting again.

anyway, sorry for the rant...