third person help

i know this forum must get this question all the time but, i really have looked all over the internet (for 3 days) and have found the same results over and over again.

i have no knowledge of python and i am relatively new to blender as a whole, but i am a quick learner. i need a script (and instructions on how to use it) to enable me to make a third person camera control i.e. rotate the player around the z axis and let the camera look up and down, but not restrict the movement of the player object.

i would appreciate either a script for doing this or a detailed tutorial on how to make one.

the sort of effect i was going for was like the one in these: http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=113871 but i couldn’t use that because i needed a jump function and for some reason physics wont work properly on it.

i was hoping that if this thread got some good responses it could be used to help other people who have the same problem.

thanx in advance