Retopo - Which part is it worth?

Blackbox Corp

Hello everyone,
in the last few weeks I modelled my third character I've ever made and this time is the goal, to make it gameready (more or less). Im not new to retopo a model, but it is my first time with this high amount of detail.

First of all, I want you to show the two models.

http://www.polycount.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16934&stc=1&d=1398540407

http://www.polycount.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16935&stc=1&d=1398540407

Objects like the shoes or the top are pretty straight forward, but I have problems to understand the "connection". Let me take this stripes

http://www.polycount.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16936&stc=1&d=1398540407

How? Are they connected with the whole body or loose? Another example - these plates.

http://www.polycount.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16937&stc=1&d=1398540407

Connected or not? Which is easier to handle in baking terms?
Another example are the claws. Is it more effectiv to connect the singles objects with a solid mesh or not?

I hope you understand my problems.
Have a nice day

slosh

It all depends on what sort of poly count you are shooting for. If you have inter penetrating pieces, it will be easier to bake separately. Btw, is your high poly done? The pants look very odd and unnatural. You may have anatomical issues as well. I would get all that spot on before you move on to retopo or ur final model is gonna look very off.

Blackbox Corp

No, the model isnt done yet. This will be the "base" for the sculpt.
A bit offtopic here (I will a start a thread in the pimping section) - which part isnt correct?

Btw - this is the concept by madspartan013

My intention is to have a model with several subsurf levels. Low subsurf lvl for animation and the high one for rendering... nah, I dont really know what I want. Which level of detail is for a project like this reccomended? I think she will be never animated but I want to have still the possibility.