What do you guys use to, create load and display your 3D models?

Wings 3d (and a combination of OpenGL + SDL for display), although take that recommendation with the touch of salt that I'm yet to release any game using 3D models

I do that too. It's good for beginners. Please, DO NOT ATTEMPT MAYA, STRATA OR BLENDER UNTIL YOU HAVE A BASIC IDEA OF HOW TO DO THIS. Thank you and good night. (on drums, the famous tune) *du, du, ching*

I have used Wings. It's nice. I second the opinion of SDL and OpenGL for displaying. Very effective.

Blorx2, Maya is actually fairly easy to learn and use. Sites such as simplymaya.com and digitaltutors.com have easy to follow free tutorials (along with ones that cost money). Complexity doesn't reflect difficulty. I picked up Maya in the last few weeks.

As is some of the older versions of blender. Or that may just be me...
Try cinema 4d, apparently people like it - according to the hype it gets at the apple expos over here (in london anyway).

I can only use stuff like Wings, that's why I reccommend it...(between you and me, I suck at 3D modelling)

Welcoming to our forum: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!! I forgot 3 times in a row! Ah well, welcome, Byron Clarke and enjoy your stay!

Thanks for the help, I'm feel like I'm just starting to get the tip of the iceburg (well one of the iceburgs) though I have a feeling I'm going to be dazed and confused for awhile ;-)

I use Blender to do modeling, UV mapping, and animating. Photoshop for texture work. Blender has a built-in Python interpreter that can be used to write plug-ins for exporting. I use .obj for static models and .md2 for key-frame animated models. Haven't looked into skeleton-based animation formats yet.

I finally figured out Blender...It's worth it

You are supposed to buy a Blender manual, right? It seems rather confusing without one. Did you buy it, Blorx2?

There are web tutorials which are OK.

I didn't do either...I figured out on my own while exploring stuff ...it's all meta based

They have a lot of good beginners demos for Blender.
http://blender3d.org/cms/Tutorials.243.0.html

I suggest Wings, if you're on a laptop. Blender is unusable without an external mouse, and, since I get 99% of my work done in coffee shops ( and I'm too lazy to bring an external mouse ), I use Wings3D which is perfectly usable with a single-button trackpad.

But then, my requirements for functionality aren't too high. I don't do UV mapping, since my game's style is mostly solid wireframing.

What I would like, though, would be for some sort of robust way in wings to do poly count reduction. Might have to suck it up and use blender, then.

you done need more than one button for blender.. I manage perfectly fine without one, and I know lots of others who do aswell..