if i have a shape i can not wrap my head around. i just go in and draw a wireframe over it. starting with the more detailled parts to see how much resolution i would need in the simpler elements. a ring is always easy to upres
With mutiple rings moving inwards like that you can optimize as you get away from the edge as well. So 24 on the outer ring reduces to 12 in the middle reduces to 6 in the center ...
when you crease your meshes you have to work a bit differently from using classic support loops. poles on edges can easily shade poorly, you should always make sure of clean loops/rings on edges otherwise you have these spots jesus why are these images so huge? @@"Eric Chadwick" ^^
now what i want you to do is, try that on a whole body chainmaill armour ;) max can't handle the amount of objects and will hate you for throwing so many polies at it, one chain is fairly simple that way but a whole lot of rings will kill max, and i'm talking about thousands not a few hundred rings ;)