CompuServe Messages

Hi everybody. I am interested in getting 3D studio for my own personal consumption. I have spent MANY hours using shareware to create FLI and FLC files and while the results are OK, I never get that 'WOW!' effect. It's just too hard to specify EVERY SINGLE COORDINATE (sorry, exageration alert <g>) and get serious results. It took me four months to complete a 30 second clip and I never could deal with the ragged edges and not-so-real textures. Anyhow, is there ANY way I could get 3D studio for less than the price of my Dell XPSP90 machine? I'm not interested in profit but just my own 'virtual' satisfaction. I'm a Application Developer/Computer Consultant and spend MANY hours developing complete business and industrial applications, but I'd really rather be developing my own animations and games. Am I really going to be forced into sub-standard useless-interface lousy-rendered-animation three-months-to-get-crap aw-machine-lockup-again type development software, or is there a way I can actually enjoy the fruits of my labor? (Sorry. Lost it there for a minute.) Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks. Ron