How can I reduce verticles without altering the mesh? solved

Are you OK with editing the bullet itself and then re-copying and arranging it again? That's the only thing I can think of to do.

As far as editing the bullet:

• If you simplify the bullets and take out the detail on the top of the bullet, that will reduce the poly count by a LOT and you could get the same look by using a bump (normal) map on the package, and shading the diffuse image where the shadows would be. At this size, I don't think that anyone would see a difference.
• Because around 1/3 of the bullet is facing the sim at all times, you could probably flatten the shape on that side, which would also make the shape less complex and lower-poly. I don't think that would show to the player, either.

And, I know you really don't want to hear this? But it would probably be a lot quicker to make a simplified bullet shape from a basic cylinder than it was to try to edit and simplify the existing bullet. :( 

I concur. Start over. The polycount is way, way too high. There is geometry inside the bullets that do nothing but add to the polycount.

You can easily avoid using decimate in the first place. Press T to open the side panel. Shift + A, add a cylinder. In the side panel, set the vertices to about 8, press T to close the panel. Add edge loops with Ctrl + R and scale the edge loops to shape the cylinder. Mark seams, unwrap the bullet. Scale the bullet to whatever size you want, then duplicate the it with Shift + D. Each new bullet you duplicate will automatically be unwrapped. If you do this right you can make your mesh quickly. And you can make the bullets a little wider; that will mean fewer bullets and a lower polycount.

If you want detail use a bump map.

I know you don't want to start over but it's worth it and will give you some practice.

— OR —

You can make one high poly bullet with the details you want, unwrap it and put its UV island in the bracelet section of the CAS map. Bake an ambient occlusion map and a bump map. Dissolve some edges to lower the polycount, then duplicate the bullet and place the duplicates in the 3D window where you want them. Ctrl + J to join each bullet. Done. 

That looks much better. You'll need to transfer weights—use a top as your reference as your mesh covers the chest, back, and shoulders—vertex paint, and transfer the uv_1. I noticed that you have three maps: a UVMap, a uv_0 and a uv_1. The uv_0 has nothing so just delete it and rename UVMap to uv_0.

You can try painting the mesh with 007f00 but it will not fix all problems. And if this won’t improve the situation, paint with black.
The shoulders are affected by shoulder bones and you can’t do anything about it.
The mesh does not work with all outfits because it is a bracelet. Clone a tank top, import your blend, recategorise it as a ring.

If the mesh deforms when you adjust the body, then it’s morphs (anywhere other than the breast). If the sim stands and the mesh distorts in places where bones are not doing anything, then it’s also morphs.

mauvemorn I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by "not doing anything." You mean if the sim is not moving? That would be morphs? Because I've seen meshes that shoot out in places and it's because of weights. 

lenalechou if the mesh is distorted when using the CAS sliders it's the uv_1. Your mesh isn't vertex painted the right color. It should be 00FF00. Also, you have a uv_0, a uv_1, and a UVMap. The uv_1 contains nothing so just delete it and rename UVMap to uv_1. 

"Bullets will not retain their shape while moving and morphing..."

That's right! I didn't even think of that.

Still not clear on what causes mesh distortions when the sim is not moving. It's slotrayinteractions, or rather, a mismatch in the information contained in slotrayinteractions? Is that what you're saying?