Welcome. May I ask how you found us?
As to your question,here's what you do:
1. Make sure you have either 3ds max 7 or 3ds max 8.
2. Download the following: BFME mod SDK, coolfile's w3d importer, and FinalBig. They should be available in the articles here, I don't have time to check: http://www.the3rdage...pe=3&category=9 If not, just google for them.
3. Install the BFME mod SDK
4. Install the NDC's enhanced w3d importer: (http://www.the3rdage...tem-786?addview).
When you've done this, you should be able to import and export w3d files (the filetype BFME's models use) into 3ds max. However, you still need to extract the models from the game files before you can import them.
1. Navigate to your BFME installation folder (program files\EA Games\Battle for Middle-earth or similar).
2. Open the file called w3d.big using FinalBig, then go to Edit, Extract All, and choose a folder you want the game's 3d assets to be extracted to.
3. In 3ds max, import w3d from the folder you just extracted things to. Say you want to import Aragorn's model, you look for guaragorn_skn. G standing for Gondor (even though he's with Rohan ingame), U standing for unit. Similarly, you can find the Gondor Barracks by looking for gbbarracks_skn (the B standing for building). Aragorn's skeleton file is guaragorn_skl, his animations are guaragorn_idla, guaragorn_atka, etc.
Now, textures are not applied yet. They are a different story.
1. Open Textures.big (also in installation folder) with FinalBig.
2. If you just want the textures to appear on the model you import and you are not planning to apply new textures, put them into the same folder as you extracted the w3d files in.
If you want to edit textures, I suggest:
1. Extract the textures into a different folder.
2. Get a .dds importer for Photoshop (if that's what you use to edit images) here: https://developer.nv...adobe-photoshop
3. Install it.
4. Open texture, make edit, save as .TGA (because you cannot apply .dds files in 3ds max)
5. In 3ds max, select your model, press M to open Material Editor, press the Standard button, then select w3d from the list that pops up (will appear only if you've installed the BFME mod SDK properly). The popup will disappear. In the Material Editor, expand the Pass 1 button, go to the Textures tab, tick Stage 0 Texture, browse to the texture you saved (by pressing the NONE button), and then click the DISPLAY button.
Any more questions, just ask.
. You wrote such a detailed post for a 1st time noob. I'd say it's great but it's actually far beyond being great. It's absolutely fantastic. Thanks A LOT! 
Old game, old community, we need fresh blood.
