.dds file alpha channel transparency

so I have a question I’m hoping someone here can help me with. I am one of many people in the process of modding Madden NFL 19 into a NCAA college football game. The people who are attempting to do this have run into an issue with a specific helmet type. It’s a helmet that has a metallic flake or sparkle in it.  the helmet file from the original game imports into PS in a .dds file, as it’s importing it asks permission to load the alpha channel transparency. If I do this, even without editing anything, and just save the file, the metallic shimmer is gone from the helmet we load it back into the game and is opaque in appearanc, no flaking in the paint job is present. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to maybe keep that shimmering metallic look, im assuming this has got to be an issue with the alpha channel upon import to PS because like I mentioned earlier, even with no editing it is lost upon saving. Any help at all would be tremendously appreciated.