Second Son is supposed to be around 120k for the main character http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/21382/article/infamous-second-son-used-120-000-polygons-per-character/
Erm, yeah you could get them in 00g, but you wouldn't be able to see much detail. Still, not much point going up in sizes for the sake of a greentooth plug!
This pretty much tells you everything you need to do to get good metal renders from max. http://mentalraytips.blogspot.com/2007/10/making-better-metal-with-miamaterial.html
I watched the 107 facts about the new Jungle Book movie on youtube, and wow was I amazed at all the detail they put into the movie. Can't wait to see it! Going this Sunday!
The second half of Rick Stirling's "How many Polys in a piece of string" essay covers this to some degree. http://www.rsart.co.uk/2007/08/27/yes-but-how-many-polygons/
there is a fair chance it is not a con, it was published in Journal reference: Science (vol 307, p 1952) which is very reputable and the peer review is hard as nails when trying to get into it. tpe
David JAffe posted the initial designdoc for this on his blog a little while ago, interesting read : http://criminalcrackdown.blogspot.com/2007/02/calling-all-cars-game-design-document.html
www.emmaalvarez.com/2007/10/top-best-50-freeware-for-design-and.html Starts off with the usual suspects, then delivers so really good tools I've never heard about.
yep breakneck is on the money... here's a good/simple exercise that may help you understand overlap better... http://fliponline.blogspot.com/2007/04/quick-trick-simple-approach-to-overlap.html