[JGZinv]

Is there a simple way of merging a model with 62 objects in Max7,
or is it basically all done by hand piece by piece?   

I got a hold of a large detailed ship model that I'd like to convert and it's assembled
so it looks proper... it's just the multiple objects will prevent me from moving it to the next
step of getting it in FS2.

Also the ship has lights (pinholes, engines) on it using volumetrics, can I keep those or will there be a conversion problem?

The ship file is fairly large, so I won't be attempting to post it.

I'm looking around - but I have yet to find good beginner tutorials in regard to these questions.

Thanks.

[Nuke]

attach or attach list

[Scooby_Doo]

If it's a very high poly model that you want to clean up... first off don't attach everything into one piece!  Do it piece meal, take one segment, do boolean or whatever to cut from the main piece, do your optimizing then repeat for the next piece....etc

[JGZinv]

I'll assume you mean the list of objects...

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/GuardianZinv/Tachyon/Objects-List.gif

The list there shows "turrets" - but frankly I think they are just spots on the hull.
They are not turrets as we might think of them on a functional ship.

Scooby - I'm not particularly looking to get the ship ready soon, it's more of one of those
where you'd like to see it in your lifetime deals. So I'm not against piece-mealing if it's a vast improvement.
On the other hand, 62 objects is a lot. Do you have a link to a tutorial handy?
Photoshop I'm decent with - Max7 my experience is about as far as Nuke's texturing and
baking procedure (thanks again BTW).

It is a very high poly model, all 650,000 polys. 
I realize that's a huge amount compared to what I've read on other ships.
I don't even care to put turrets on it to begin with, just some engines and minimum systems
to get it in-game eventually. If it runs as slow as maple syrup, I wont really care.

[Scooby_Doo]

I've seen worse models.  Some that won't even display properly in max on this computer. 

Check those subobjects.... it looks like quite a few nozzle can be deleted (i am assuming their small details, which you can probably fake using texturing).  The hanger looks like could be attached together as is, and vertex welded together.