Luftwaffe bombers

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by Buster_Dee

I don't think high-poly models are over-priced for the work that goes into them, but I do question their usefulness.

In regard to gaming industry, very detailed high-poly models are often used to generate texture, shadow and normal maps for a low-poly variant of the same in-game character. This technique rarely used for mechanical objects, because in their case, it is easier to do by hand in 2D editor.
But for "organic" models, like humans, animals, etc. this hi-to-low-poly modeling is preferable technique. Plus, the "left-over" high-poly models can be used for making pre-rendered in-game cut scenes with those characters form the game.

And, offcourse, there are a lot of other applications for the high-poly models outside the gaming industry.