cool. ta for confirming that for me, i thought mdl files were not for maya.

ha ha about the mdlcompiler thing. Ive been downloading it, but i cant get it to open. ive been round the houses and back on forums and ive tried all the answers but just cant get it to work, its always in the wrong directory. i try putting it where ive been told, and its now in about 5 different places in my valve folder structure - none of em open. im sure theres something ive missed, or maybe ive installed steam wrongly in the first place or something - it was doin my head in.

thats interesting about the xsi 7 trial, if the digital tutors guide is helpful. the noesis videos were ok, for explaining the layout, switching/expanding viewports etc, but as far as actually modelling, i didnt make any headway. ive still got too much of a 'if its not maya, i dont really have time for it' block. i know that would go if i perservered, but the noesis vids didnt really give me enough to perservere with.

In the interim ive downloaded a free gordon freeman model which ive chopped the arm off, its worked alright looks wise, but ive got to rig it, which shouldnt be too hard for basically just a trigger finger but then my rigging skills and experience is approximately zilch, so more headaches coming soon! ah, is there no end!!