I want to make a perfectly flat distant terrain for CAW. Because I wanted to stay with base game only, I decided to modify a pre-existing DT from a .package file I downloaded (rather than install World Adventures and use DT from there).

In theory, my goal is very simple. I wish to extract the model data from the package, open it in Blender, edit it, and then put it back. Basically I just want to be able to convert it back and forth.

I have wasted most of a day trying and failing to figure out how to do this. The tutorials I can find are convoluted, full of dead links, and direct me to plugins and software that require Crocodile Dundee levels of gator wrangling just to install. I wish I could be more specific about what I've tried and what I haven't, but I've completely lost track by now. I think I have every plugin installed and I still can't get it to do what I want.

Does anyone have a step-by-step?

You can use TSRW to open the package (Create New Project > New Import > Browse, and change the file type dropdown from .wrk to .package > find and open your package) and import/export the meshes from the Mesh tab in .obj format, which can imported in Blender.

Alternatively, for files incompatible with TSRW or just because, Milkshape can be used as a middle-man between S3PE and Blender by using meshHelper for Milkshape and WesHowe's Object Plugin. Those allow you to export MLOD/MODL in a format that Milkshape can open, which can then be exported out as .obj.

If you'd like additional steps for either of those methods, or they aren't working how you expected, just let me know

Thank you, thank you, thank you! All that time I spent, and I had no idea I needed to export from the Mesh tab. I was trying to do a regular export and wondering why it wasn't working.

And my follow-up question is self-answering, because I just need to re-import my Blender file from the Mesh tab.

I feel a little silly, but hopefully anyone else with a similar problem is able to find this thread in future.

Once again, thank you so much and I wish I'd asked so much sooner!