Scene Creation

[philpense]

Presently going through the AutoDesk youtube tutorials. this video helps but does not get me where I want to be. Need to create a scene [underground subway station] from scratch. Need to create a raised platform, tracks, the train, stairs,and an arched ceiling.
Think I can continue to teach myself after about 3 correspondences. Hoping for a short term mentor.

Moderator edit: Fixed Youtube link. Only use the ID part of the url - ZI

[Zafar Iqbal]

You should watch modeling related videos - here's few you can start with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnj203Q5Mi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz1hpyB4yok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLu7u5w5EME - Curves. Could be useful if you want the tracks to bend.

[Hirazi Blue]

I must say, I am afraid also, you're watching the wrong tutorials or you're watching them in the wrong order (I haven't decided yet, which). I'd have to think about, before I'd recommend a different learning path,
but in the meantime you could take a look at the extensive list "our very own" Rork compiled here in the Tutorials section: Softimage Training Video Resources - Free & Commercial

[Chris_TC]

Yes, you should watch tutorials on modeling. Preferrably a somewhat "complete" set, not a few 5 minute clips.
If you're completely new to Softimage (or 3D in general), I'd actually recommend Digital Tutors because they have an extensive library of beginner tutorials, which can get you up to speed rapidly.

(e.g. these modeling videos range from 4 to 10 hours)
http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=3221
http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=3450
http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=3606
http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=3544

[Hirazi Blue]

To begin with, however, you might want to take a look at the ancient Legacy Tutorials. They were made for XSI 5, so they're quite "old" and they are in written form, but IMHO they're still one of the best entry-level tutorials that take you across the whole application in a few easy lessons.
Because they're so "old" there is one word of warning: some of the stuff behaves slightly differently and some of the stuff mentioned in the tutorials doesn't even exist anymore (the "old" particle system"). To quote myself:

As far as I can tell only the chapters 10 & 11 on Simulation are truly and utterly obsolete. The old particles do not exist anymore and I guess (but I'm not sure) the Rigid Body Simulation (chapter 12) in XSI 5 still was ODE-based, whereas later version switched to being PhysX based. But you still can work with ODE in Softimage AFAIK, so that shouldn't even be a problem...
There might be some other stuff that has changed/been improved upon, but I think that can be considered "minor". My personal experience is that while stuff changes, most of it has stayed intact, even if newer/better tools have become available additionally...
And you're better off with an old, good tutorial, than no good tutorial at all... ;)

(Quoted from here)
;)