[MDL ED] - Required Naming Convention for Scenes With Skeletal Animation?

[TheGreatCthulhu]

Hi guys.
I'm trying to figure out how to successfully export a rigged model (with skeletal animation) from a 3ds Max scene to a dae file. I know Max can be a bit problematic when it comes to this, and I know most of you are using Maya, or Blender, but my question is not really 3d package-specific.

I tried my best to follow the rules found in various tutorials, but I might have missed something. Basically, when I assign the animation file in model editor, and then try to test it, the engine crashes, and the first function in the stack trace (the one that apparently crashed) is "hpl::cBinaryBuffer::AddString()"...

Now, I know this requires in-depth knowledge of the engine source code, but maybe you can still help me: the stack trace leads me to believe that there could be some naming convention to be used for the mesh or the bones - so, is there?
Or should I be able to name the objects in the scene whatever I see fit?

Meanwhile, I'll try to find out more. Thanks in advance for any kind of help.

[TheGreatCthulhu]

OK, apparently, the 3ds Max FBX COLLADA export plugin doesn't really work well... The model editor is able to import the model, since it ignores animations (but crashes when it tries to load an animation), which hides the problem.
I tried to open the exported dae file in another app, and it crashed - which means that the export doesn't work quite right.
I tried OpenCollada, but during the Z-up to Y-up transformation, the model points one way, and the bones point the other...

Has anyone been able to successfully export skeletal animation from Max?
Anyone knows of some plugin that works correctly? Or maybe that can convert from some of the other formats Max can export to, like *.obj?

Also, the original question still remains.