Where do I go to control Max Standard Subdivisions?
Is there a way to bring up coordinate axes for xyz to diesplay in 3D mode?
Is there a command, keyboard or otherwise, that allow you to drive a sculping command in a straight line, or along a specific vector?
are there tutorials that provides step by step instructions on modeling simple objects?
more questions to follow to be sure
Scrappydog
You can go as high as your ram and processor allow
Click the “floor” button on the right side of your screen.
use the lazymouse feature (shortcut L) in the stroke menu turn on “lazymouse” then “backtrack” then “Snap to track” this will let you draw a line of a stroke then backtrack over your line to actually lay down the stroke. also try using the different stroke types (plane, line, spline, path) to see what works for you.
Try the pixologic “zclassroom”
Unless you just have an awesome computer, it is better to not touch the mem setting for subdivision lvls (Zbrush automaticly checks for the best mem setting for your setup). Instead, when you get to 1-4 mil polygons (depending on the specs of your computer), HD subdivide a couple of times, bringing your polycount to the double-digit millions without crippling your RAM, which will only display when you need it to by pressing A with the cursor over your mesh. Worked for me. It used to stop me from subdividing anymore when I got to around 4 million polygons. Now, stopping at 1 million polygons and just HD subdividing a couple of times, I have been able to make 30 million polygons large sculpts.
I believe there is a plugin that will control xyz axes but it all depends on what version Zbrush you use or, like Killershade said, you can just click the floor button.
I usually just grab a brush that allows backtracking to make a straight line. Cant remember those brushes right off hand (its good to play around with all the brushes to see which ones are the best for your style of sculpting then turn on custom UI (Preferences>Custom UI>Enable Customize)under the preferences option and drag the brushes you use the most from the Brush option at the top (not the popup that displays when you click the brush window. Dunno what the difference is but for some reason you cant drag and drop those) down below the canvas by pressing and holding ctrl and dragging, then letting go of ctrl to drop it onto the area below the canvas window (or anywhere else you wanna put it for that matter (if you have turned on Custom UI)) so you have easy access to them without having to open that brush window (which sometimes has trouble opening up once you have got your polycounts into the upper mills). Just make sure, once you find a setup you like, to save your UI settings by clicking the Preferences>Config>Store Config. That way I stays that way every time you turn on the Zbrush.
As far as step by step tutorials, you can look at zclassroom, but if you are like me (some of them confused me more than they helped me), I learned more from Youtube tutorials (Screenwriter805, Windowdesign1, and PictureBandit channels are what I used) and/or 3rd party Tutorials (Scott Spencer’s Sybex books/dvds and Eat3D dvds are what I used) (if you have the money to buy them or a means to get a hold of them) But be warned not many ppl make videos off making “simple” objects in Zbrush. To make “simple” objects, most ppl just do a base mess in a 3D modeler and then export them into Zbrush. (actually I can only remember one video I have seen that taught you how to make a simple object, in that instance, it was how to make a chair. But it took more time to make a chair in Zbrush then it would in a 3D modeler. (As for me, for simple objects I use Google Sketchup and export the mesh then import it into Zbrush (dunno I just find it easier to do simple objects in Google Sketchup than in a 3D modeler. (Which, to someone that has never been taught how to use a 3D modeler, is like learning a new language.)
Is this feature available in 3.1? I don’t seem to be able to find it either on the right side of the screen or in the draw pallete
Thanks
Scrappydog
Not sure if it is available in 3.1
Unfortunately it isn’t …
so how then would you ensure that a stroke is parallel to an axis, colinear with a specific vector in space? Let’s say I want to add zspheres from a parent that is parallel to the y axis?
Scrappydog
Hey there,
first you have to start to think differently when it comes to ZBrush. Luckily this is not CAD 
But there is one thing you can do for the ZSphere example that would work in 3.1. Go to Transform/Modifiers uncheck xyz and pick one of the axises. This will constrain any placement or movement to that axis until you change it again.
About the brush question in your first post. Those features have been implemented in the new Brush system of ZB 3.5.
Hope that helps