hi all,
finally started learning XSI exp 3.5 !!
i have been working with 3de(max) for like 15 years and have been happy developing skill and knowhow.
now however i feel as i have hit the end of max and need some challenging new possibilities which seem to be more than available in XSI.
The reason of my post is that i will have some very basic questions whilst learning the very first steps in XSI.
Obviousy it will be thing i cannot find after severe searching, i will try not to bother you with easy to find stuff (i hope).
First questions:
1. [solved] how can i change the color of the background on which a model is rendered (in max this is the environment bg color)
2. does XSI have a maxlike 'shell modifier' ? this is a modifier that can give a thickness to any poligonal surface (very usefull for cars,thin organic shapes etc)
3. can i comb hairs in realtime (paint stylus ?) not by adding vectors but just combing in the viewports
4. how can i 'target weld' vertices (in max u select a vertex, pick tweld and pick a target vertex, the first the snaps to the second while welding (bit like collapse but keeping the second vertex position)
5. how do i add a bumpmap to a material
6. is there any cool fluid tut out there (or cloth)
7. how do i make a particle system become renderable ?
8. after a render, the renderwindow dissapears, how can i make it stay ? (in max=virtual framebuffer)
9. [solved] can XSI render directly to a mov or avi (like max) which is very handy for previs anim renders.
10. i really mis the max material editor, is there a way to see all the materials of a scene in 1 editor/layout.
plz be gentle, i have just degraded to a complete newbie state. total ego-killer 
thx in advance for any help at all.
regards
soontekk