Tool for reducing polygon count in models. Is there one?

[scratt]

I am a programmer, not a modeler, but I have a need to work with some fairly high polygon count 3ds models..

Is there any kind of tool or filter out there for producing low polygon count models from existing ones..

It does not have to be perfect.. I simply need it for load testing / LOD control.

Eventually I'll get a proper grown up modeler to do this all for me.. :)

[Brad]

I'm not a 3DS expert (I last used it ten years ago in high school), but a Google search turned up this tip:

How to reduce the Polygons of an object in 3ds max easily (http://emalik.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/how-to-reduce-the-polygons-of-an-object-in-3ds-max-easily/)

[scratt]

Thanks for that.. I'll give it a shot.. Sounds like it should suit my purposes until someone with artistic flare comes to the rescue!!

I am testing a couple of apps I found today..
Cheetah3D.. Pretty nice to use. Feels very Apple-esque.
But I can't find an optimizer for that.

And AC3D, which does have an optimizer, and is cheap.. but is actually more confusing than Blender!

Just thought I'd mention those in case anyone hits this thread and is looking for modelling software on the Mac.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Actually, I've used some of the Blender Summer Of Documentation (BSOD) to start learning the Blender interface and do some basic character animation. Once you start getting the keyboard shortcuts under your fingers you can really fly in Blender.

[scratt]

I have no doubt Blender is good...
I always have an up to date copy on my machine...

I guess I am put off at first by the interface, and secondly by the fact that you need to dig around for plugins to get various imports to work...

I also found that those plugins don't always pull in .3DS files or .LWO files very well..

But I know a lot of people who swear by it, and other than those niggles above, when I have used it I can feel that it's a competent program..

It's just that when I jumped into Cheetah it was Aqua, and I felt like I pretty much knew where everything was right off.. Plus it imports and exports .3ds without any problems.. For me.. a totally non-artistic programmer, that's all I need!! :)

I guess it's a it like the difference between iMovie and FInal Cut Pro.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

I only worked strictly with Blender data. Sounds like that caused you a bit of a headache where I had none. This could easily explain our difference of opinions on Blender. I haven't tried Cheetah3D either, but will admit that many commercial 3D programs have more intuitive interfaces when starting out with them.