custom ground objects

[triumph1949]

building custom ground objects, for a single player mission.
in fsx/acc I can easily build a submarine pen, texture and place it.
build a sub texture and place it. have an ai sub travel a defined path.
attach effects.

but fsx includes a sdk, and a vast collection of tools, both payware and freeware.

cliffs isn't going to get an sdk. the chances of an exporter for commonly used freeware 3d modelling tools, is seemingly unlikely.

3dsMax is frighteningly expensive, and correct me if ime wrong. resale of used versions is forbidden. older versions are not supported. and a demo version has a too short usable time frame.

my choice would be gmax, good enough for ground objects. or perhaps blender, again freeware. but an exporter ?. exporting by hand, what what format the models. textures DDS, most likely..

ANY insights, gratefully received...jim