Wavefront material data
File type: Graphics file
Files with mtl extensions can be mainly found as files related to Wavefront Technology graphics.
Found 4 different file type records with the same mtl filename suffix.
File type category:
Graphics file
Date updated: October 14, 2024
File extension mtl is mainly known to be used for Wavefront format.
Wavefront Technologies was a computer graphics company that developed and sold animation software used in Hollywood motion pictures and other industries. It was founded in 1984, in Santa Barbara, California, by Bill Kovacs, Larry Barels, Mark Sylvester.
They started the company to produce computer graphics for movies and television commercials, and to market their own software, as there were no off-the-shelf computer animation tools available at the time. In 1995, Wavefront Technologies was purchased by Silicon Graphics and merged with Alias Research to form Alias / Wavefront. It is now is owned by Autodesk.
Material library files contain one or more material definitions, each of which includes the color, texture, and reflection map of individual materials. These are applied to the surfaces and vertices of objects. Material files are stored in ASCII format and have the .mtl file extension.
The mtl file differs from other Alias / Wavefront property files, such as light and atmosphere files, in that it can contain more than one material definition (other files contain the definition of only one item).
Use Adobe Photoshop, or other tools to open .mtl material data files.
Use compatible tools to export .mtl to other formats.
Software applications that can open mtl files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Multiplatform
Software apps that import mtl files:
Microsoft Windows
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: October 20, 2018
The mtl file extension is associated with the Mastercam, a CAD and CAM solution for Microsoft Windows operating system, developed by CNC software.
The mtl file stores mill tool library for Mastercam.
Use Mastercam to work with *.mtl files.
Probably can be exported to other formats.
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: January 28, 2019
The mtl file extension is associated with Men of War: Assault Squad 2, a real time strategic computer game for Microsoft Windows operating system.
The mtl file stores some kind of material data used by Men of War: Assault Squad 2.
You cannot open this file type manually, it is accessed by the game automatically.
These games files cannot be converted to anything else. However, sometimes modding.
Software applications that handle other tasks involving mtl files:
Microsoft Windows
File type category:
Game file
Date updated: October 7, 2026
Transport Fever is a railroad and transport management simulation developed by Urban Games for Windows and macOS. The game uses .mtl files as part of its 3D model resources.
An .mtl file contains material settings for a model, including information used to determine how its surfaces are rendered. It works with the model and texture resources that make up vehicles, buildings, and other game objects.
This is a game-specific material format used by Transport Fever and its mod resources rather than a general-purpose 3D interchange format.
Transport Fever loads .mtl files automatically when they are referenced by the game's model resources or installed mods. The file is not normally opened separately through the game's user interface.
Because Transport Fever material files are text-based resource files, a plain-text editor can be used to inspect or edit one on Windows or macOS. Changes should be made only when the file's structure and the related model resources are understood.
There is no general-purpose conversion that turns a Transport Fever .mtl file into another material format while preserving its game-specific settings. The file is intended for use by Transport Fever.
To use a material in another game or 3D application, the material normally has to be recreated using that program's material system, with the associated textures assigned again.
Software applications that handle other tasks involving mtl files:
Multiplatform
Language
