Making a custom Smash Bros model?

Hey guys,

I'm going to start this thread with a story... *ahem*
My older bro and all our friends and family LOVE playing Project M, the Smash Bros Brawl mod... Well, except for me. I'd love to play it, but none of the characters speak to me that much. I think it's because the new Smash is teasing all of these exciting characters, like Pac-Man, or Little Mac, that I feel correspond to me much better.

SO, I decided that - since I know my way around 3D Modeling Programs and other computer concepts - maybe I could make my own skin for one of the characters? I've seen people do it before, so there's a tutorial or some kind of pointers out there somewhere, right?

I've searched what feels like an awful lot, but I haven't encountered some of the answers I'm looking for:

1. Are the models made up of several meshes packed together into an object, or a single mesh?
2. I don't have a commercial modeling suite - I can only really use Blender at the moment. On your website, it seems like the model for Luigi (the character I plan on making a skin for) is in a format that Blender no longer wants to support. I've tried earlier versions that DO support the COLLADA format, but they all crash or fail to import the model. Is there a workaround? Am I supposed to just model the character first and then fit it on later? Should I try to get 3DS Max or another free alternative instead?
   

Thank you for taking the time to read through!