Should I try to have 3ds give me a vertex list so I can use the model with directx or is there a better way?
Should I try to have 3ds give me a vertex list so I can use the model with directx or is there a better way?
Sure, why not?
You can (to my knowledge) export it as a .x file or you can write your own exporter with max script. Writing your own is pretty easy if you want just a vertex-index list, but I've found other things to be a pain such as UV coordinates. Whatever float your boat.
