I think you're right, Ventilator. Maybe with .ase, alternately.

Here's my art path:

1. Export my scene using .ase from Maya/PLE using the Unreal ActorX axmesh tool. This free plugin is also available for MAX. Cinema too? It's a great exporter.
2. Convert it to .3ds via something like Deep Exploration. Unfortunately at this point, DE loses the DDS textures and converts them into BMP.
3. Import the 3DS into Med 6.40 version.
4. Export the MDL and use your handy model splitter to generate the wmp.
5. Re-import the DDS textures into the new MDL's as needed. (Ug!)

It would be very convenient to go straight from .ase or .obj into the splitter, this way the object names could be retained.

Furthermore, with a naming scheme, it might be possible to imbed actions/behaviors into the new .wmp, for example if an object is named:

smokestack__dosmokeparticle__1__2__3__4__5__6

The WMP could have an object named Smokestack, with the action "dosmokeparticle", skill 1=1, skill2 = 2, skill 3=3, etc etc etc.

Of course this would require a lot more work, right? Converting the .obj or .ase into new MDL files.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ventilator's Model Splitter, it takes a multiple object MDL file from MED and converts it into a WMP level, with each object in it's corresponding location, each now a unique entity. It's a great way to make a WMP level out of a multi-object polymesh file. It's a must if you want to make your levels entirely out of polymeshes.

Best wishes,

Jetpack