I'm currently using Figments 3ds Max 2012 v 353 plugin in order to import skinned meshes into 3ds max. It imports Skeleton nifs/bones correctly, however this plugin has bugs on exporting that have to be fixed every time (weird colors on export, 4097 not set on BSUV, UV scale needs to be set to 1:1, etc). So it "works" but it just takes a LONG time, and if you have to make any adjustments, you're just gonna have a bad time, especially if your mesh has multiple parts.

Wwix's 3ds max plugin exp: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/40209/? exports properly with the right BS UV sets, however even though its based on Figment's source code plugin: it doesn't import/export bones correctly for me. For some reason the bones get imported as dummies instead of...well, bones, and then when I export them to use in game, the model doesnt animate at all.

Is there a way to get the best of both worlds? Is there an ini setting that I have set incorrectly in Wix's or something? For whatever reason no matter what I do, the bones import as dummies and dont animate after export. So I'm forced to use Figment's plugin in order to do any form of skinned meshes. Can this be fixed at all?

Hmm, I've been able to export bones properly, though I'm not sure if I was using Wwix's plugin or Figment's. Could you post your .nif?

I remember there was one version I gave a try which imported all the bones as dummies, and I ditched it like a rocket. I'm currently using v373 and getting bones importing and exporting okay, I also have issues with BSUV and sometimes vertex colours. If I was you I would stick to a version that doesn't trash the bones and just put up with other issues, the BSUV is just a minor nuisance and even though I haven't checked it out yet it might be worthwhile seeing if the wild vertex colours happen if you haven't set them in 3DS before export because most nifs I import do get their colours exported properly.

Worthwhile noting that (even though I'm doing FONV materials at the moment) that the export can trash the materials on occasion (well it's doing it for me anyway).

Have you ever been able to export it and have it retain the texture paths from the materials? It always remaps the textures in the .nif to /textures/[texturename].dds, forcing me to go through and replace all of the paths.

No I haven't had that problem (sounds really annoying), I get it trashing specular and emissive from time to time, which means I have to check all of them. I think my problem comes in when I have multi-materials / meshes.

Edit... Do you have texture paths setup the same in both 3DS and Nifscope?