Welcome to all the newcomers!
Message to Sinopa:
I have to give you a little speech that I give to all the people who try to work with a software other than Blender.
Simply put: don't. Learn Blender. You will have to use it anyway to export your Ages for Uru; and while it is tempting to use a software you already know and then to import your work in Blender it will prove to be a source of frustration and of bugs. The import features in Blender are not always great, and most of the time the only thing you will be able to import properly will be the geometry. Textures and UV mapping don't always go through so you'll have to redo them. So my advice is that, unless you have some really complex modelling/mapping work don't use a different software. (Except if you are willing to redo the UV mapping). That said, AFAIK importing OBJ objects from Maya has never been tried so it might be worth a try.
Blender is confusing at first, it has a very 'unique' interface, but you will have to use it to create Ages. So you might as well go all the way and do everything in it. It'll be much easier for you. If you had the skill and patience to learn another 3D software (especially Maya) you can surely learn Blender.
If you haven't looked at it yet I suggest starting with the
Wiki. It will give you all the basic knowledge you need to know to create Ages. Also you should take a look at [urlhttp://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro]this site[/url] which will give you the keys to Blender's interface and basic functions.
