I'm a truespace user, but I have to disagree with you Agent Dink about Wings 3d. Which in my opinion is a lot easier to use, and even has a better setup when it comes to uvmapping. The only draw back to wings is it doesn't like missing polys. I do most of my modeling in truespace, and then export to Wings3D for unwrapping.
Your statement just doesn't make sense, considering it's interface is a right click away, that gives everything you need. Truespace, if you don't know the bind keys or the interface layout, it takes some time to learn it.
The most hideous layout I've ever seen is Blender, and next to that is 3DS max. But using max at uni, i just memorized the key bindings and used full screen exclusive mode, so i had a bigger viewport. That's one thing I wish truespace had. At least Wings' interface is hidden and must be activated with a right click or a key shortcut.
Delfir: Unless you want to keep your game pure 2d, look around at some of the cheaper modelers, even the free ones. In my opinion, 2d is harder then 3d, in many aspects. It's going to take the same amount of effeort to learn Gimp, as it is to learn any 3d package.
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