For my game I would like to have a basic character model--something like Steve from Minecraft but something slightly more elaborate.
The reason I like Steve's model is that it's something I could conceivably make myself.
I'm looking for tutorials on model creation and model skinning.
I'm looking through the stickied threads here and trying different things.

I'm not sure why I have such difficulty getting used to 3D modeling when I have no issue building quake maps.
One of the things that gets me is the sense of scale for models.
Does it really matter how big a cube is for a model? Do the sizes of a line represent pixels or just relative size?
Frustrating! Where to start?

For my game I would like to have a basic character model--something like Steve from Minecraft but something slightly more elaborate.
The reason I like Steve's model is that it's something I could conceivably make myself.
I'm looking for tutorials on model creation and model skinning.
I'm looking through the stickied threads here and trying different things.

I'm not sure why I have such difficulty getting used to 3D modeling when I have no issue building quake maps.
One of the things that gets me is the sense of scale for models.
Does it really matter how big a cube is for a model? Do the sizes of a line represent pixels or just relative size?
Frustrating! Where to start?

You can always rescale after you're finished with the actual mesh/model.

Well I downloaded Anim8or and stumbled through some VERY basics.
I want to add a little more detail than my STEVE model clone, part of which I want the arms and legs in two parts.
I was thinking a basic rectangle type shape but with a pyramid like top to overlap with the previous part.
I got the upper arm as a mesh but I have no idea how to break up the face into a pyramid and move the resultant vertex out.

I think Anim8or is 'very' simple.

Although I don't like it myself, I would recommend Blender3D if you need to use a free modelling package. It's got much more complex tools and features. Insetting, extruding, connecting\cutting polygons and inserting vertices are a few of the basic polygon editing tools you need. You can't do without those.

If you have to deal with a freeware modeller, then Blender3D is worth the time getting used to the workflow. Invest some time on it.