I hardly ever look at manuals or tutorials for any software unless there is somthing specific I need to know. However, I've been animating professionally for over 10 years.
I am not a MAX expert- I use Lightwave. So for the team I mentor- 230- I make any new animator do tutorials before I will work with them. They need a foundation on the software to understand the direction I give. The beginning tutorials help learn the tools the mid and advanced tutorials teach technique. My direction is more Technique and Concept based and I make the students figure out how it applies to MAX. This is good because it teaches them how to learn and figure things out. This is the best knowledge you can gain from AVA and FIRST.
When we start a new year- I make the returning students work on more advanced tutorials. When we decide on an animation just after kick off, we figure out any new techniques that they may need to know. Then we assign a student to find tutorials or directions in the manuals to get it done. While others work on modeling and gathering textures, that person is finding references to help them.
Anyone with an aptitude to do 3D- can work in this manner. After a while the students don't need me to tell them what to do or how to learn. This years animation (
2005 AVA Entry) had very little time commitment from me. I would look over their shoulder once or twice a week and give them pointers and make sure they didnt forget anything- AND CRACK THE WHIP. Until the end where I stayed for the entire weekend to make sure things got done. The students also train the newbees- or NUBES as they are affectionately called. So its a self lubricating system.
SO THE MORAL: TUTORIALS ARE GOOD! (Then the curve isn't so steep)