Extrude text adding new face?

HI All,

Not sure if this should be a PS ? or not.... I have often heard if you can do it PS you can do it in AE.

I want to change the face of my text. Not color as with RGB selection, but with a pattern or texture.

IE: Billet Aluminum face with rivets or Diamond Plate look.

Normally I would matte it, but I also want to Extrude it   For a "fat 3d look"

Any suggestions? PS or AE?

Matte is not a renderable option using 3drt, Cheating it, using an alpha add mode and an alpha track is not getting a render.

Is this a job for PS to create my text as a 3d text and then import it as a comp? Or will I lose 3d like in AI?

Cs6 btw...

Thanks

nc