As a Train Simulator object designer and route builder it is incredibly frustrating not being able to import Collada (.dae) objects into 3D Crafter. So many of us cannot possibly afford 3D Max or any of the other similar 3D design tools, and many of us are quite adept at using Sketchup. If we could afford 3Dmax we would not need 3D Crafter for most objects. While there are intermediate steps that can be done to import from a .dae file, they all create more problems than they are worth, and in most cases textures get lost in the process. There are wonderful models of building, landmarks, and even some vehicles in the Sketchup library that would save so much time and trouble. 3D Crafter is certainly easier to use than Max, and certainly easier than Blender, and has many features that make the job easier, but importing a full or partially finished model would save enormous time and frustration. There must be an easier way for the rest of us.
I think there would be a huge interest in acquiring a plug-in or other tool that would accomplish this task. Maybe I’ll but it in my letter to SAnta. Thanks for your assistance or comments.
Doug