In truth I tell you that what slows me down it's not the polygons reduction itself

I'm using 3dsmax 2009 I apply a MultiRes modifier and choose the % of vertexes/edges/whatever.. to weld.

The real problem is that:
1. I have to re-export modelx
2. re-export modelx_ao (different mapping coordinates) which i will extract later from the mdl
3. re-render a different ao map since it's based on automatic unwrapping (different number of polygons means all the mapping is re-arranged)
4. re-import the modelx
5. re-assign all textures according to shade-c order (imagine a model tiled with 10 different textures, multiply that by 3 because you need to add a normal map and a mask for each texture)
6. re-import the ao mapping on a second uv layer
7. rotate/center the whole thing to axis according to the type of model

if it's a character:
8. rename bones (according to the glorious combat features)
9. rename frames


and in the end:

10. load everything and pray that it works fine (for example if i exceed with a certain number of polygons - it seems fine in med and than screws up everything related to the second uv mapping in-game)

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Now imagine the amount of work for simply exporting just one model, multiply that for each lod of that model.

Have a scenario with, I don't know.. 30-50 different models (so multiply that by 4)

And tell me how unbelievably patient I'm supposed to be.