Has anyone ever used this software? I’m just wondering if the animation tools are user-friendly or not. I cannot understand blender’s animation and armature/bone/ika setup worth a damn.
If you can’t figure out blender’s tools I don’t think you will be able to pick up Animation Master’s. The modeling tools in Animation:Master can be a pain too. Also Animation:Master has a history of being unstable. As an experienced users of both programs I would say save your money and stick with Blender.
TorQ
I agree here.
Specially for some animation features that are not only planned but in the works 
Indeed, I found blender bones and weights the easiest part to learn of Blender…maybe as that part is pretty similar to other animation packages -comercial- I have handled before…
Some years ago maybe not…but in this precise moment. I’d stick with Blender.
I am told Hash is FAR from easy . very powerful though. But the today’s fact is that Blender is now very powerful too 
The problem for example for realtime games is that AM hasn’t got a real smooth shading preview in viewport…you can subdivide, and you can work on flat , peaked pacthes so that at least you see the model in flats, but…is no way good. As they key in games is guess all the time the thresold angle between faces to not provoke a smooth shading crease, or do it when wanted.
make it temporarily curved patched want either give you the visual information you need.
The good thing in that package related to games is…it has an x plugin…Obsidian games made a very good one. But again, the problem is in the art production for realtime. If yor engine is pacthes based (ie : The Westerner game) then, it’s your tool.
That x plugin, which seems the only contact with realtime 3d games, is coemrcial and you also have to buy it.
In comparison…I think AM hash better and more powerful ik and kinds (for all the doc I have read and people that I have asked…) of bones features…
But…the constrains near to come related to bones, and many we already have, and the speed in handling it all, competes very well withhash. Also, we already have an almost ended x export plugin, md5 exporter, md2 exporter, ongoing neoengine exporter, torque exporter, cal3d exporter , in the proccess NWN exporter…etc.
Bones, weights, character animation, walk cycles…are comples in every sofwtare. That’s a fact.Reading the doc it’s all doable, though.
I am one of those who says Blender is not the total best tool in the world,and know several weak points, but is very good tool, advanced, and is free, and also, I think you can do with patience anything to compete at least.
Thanks 4 the long reply! I don’t have any real problems with blender’s animation aspect except the rigging process. It drives me nuts!
Blender, as a modeller, is much more flexible and generally more powerful than Animation Master, however Blender just doesn’t compete when it comes to character animation.
Hash’s bones, posing, actions, NLA, interface - everything about the animation system is ‘better’ than blenders in my view, but I agree with previous posters than A:M is unstable, and in general I much prefer Blender.
Still, if character animation is your one and only thing, you can’t really beat Animation Master. If you are a character animator, you owe it to yourself to try it out, it really is a wonderful tool.
However, Blender is improving quickly, and even though I miss Lightwave/Animation Masters slickness, I feel that Blender is the way forward, and I intend to stick with it.
Me too.
everyone is pretty much spot-on, here.
Animation:Master’s character tools are really great, but in pretty much every other aspect, I would choose Blender. Let’s not forget that Blender is pretty darned stable.
However, if you have a few hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket, for only $194 more than Animation:Master, you can get SoftimageXSI:Foundation that comes with $200 worth of training DVDs.
XSI’s character tools are phenomenal.
That being said, TorQ is absolutely right. With all of the available Blender documentation and tutorial resources at your disposal, you should spend the time with Blender’s animation tools to familiarize yourself with the general processes involved in character rigging and animation. Otherwise, any commercial animation software that you purchase will most likely end up a pricey shelf filler.
Unfortunately, this rigging and animation process is a complex aquired skill, no matter what software you’re using.