Hi Merrie,
Dennis is right ... get in the habit and a way of thinking in low polygons when you create.
When I started creating for VRML I had to always be concerned with polygon count (2mb video cards with no acceleration!!). So I got into the habit ;-)
There are some things that you should always be thinking about.
For example will the surface be seen?
If you are making a temple with perhaps twenty columns ... if they sit on a floor the base underside will never be seen ... so you don't need it. Delete it. That underside will proably show up as *1* surface in AC3D but remember it is made up of triangles (which in vrml each count as seperate polygons). If column tops fit against a roof or some other piece of geometry ... do you need a top? And twenty columns suddenly have a lot of triangles that can be removed ;-) Same thing with doors and crates ... bottom probably is never seen
Another example .... Is it a solid object? If it is, can you make it single sided surfaces .... does your game program require drawing interior surfaces that won't be seen?? If not ... set surfaces to 1 side.
Another example ... Is the object you are creating going to be inspected closely ... or just part of the ambience? You can often save polygons if it is something that will be quickly walked by ... as opposed to something closely inspected and which needs detail. Can you use a texture to give a 3d look as opposed to creating geometry detail (example wood panelling, doors crates)??
As for polygon reduction programs ... be careful. A lot of the low end software will destroy texture mapping ... you will have to remap it to keep textures.
Regards,
griff
