not so much a matter of skill, but of a huge amount of time ...

Anyway about M2-model detail, stick with Rome's models and tweak them to look medieval, than dress them using M2's textures, you're much better of that way and with much less time .... (if you do port M2-models to Rome than my advise would be to (partially) use 2nd level lods from M2, they look as good as the 1st level lods but with much less vertexes/faces)


You can buy 3D-Max 2nd-hand for often pretty interesting prices, just keep an eye on some local Inet market ..



G