Normal Mapping

HL2 and Doom3 engines support normal mapping - you game dorks will know what that is. It's a staple in 3D game work now, and not that hard - well of course it will be an horrific can of worms like anything else in 3D which you assume will be straightforward, but the results are worth it and any TML mod must have normal mapping. Zbrush2 is the weapon of choice for mind-fucking modeling detail, build basic low poly model in LW, MAX or whatever (Skaffen will instist on cutting it out of cardboard because he read on "planetspanker.com" that's how the tough guys do it.) Then detail in Zbrush until you experience anal seepage, extract a normal map and go back to 3D app of choice and apply normal (displacement) map.

So your motorbike has fuck all polygons but normal mapping lets you detail the engine etc and add nurnies until you go blind, with no slow-down in gameplay. Robot detail out your ass. Everything can be rich as fuck.