@mac1 said:
Sorry we will have to agree to disagree. I did some studies some time ago looking at MeshLab to address model simplification ref https://sites.google.com/site/sagesuwiki/tutorials/tips/meshlab#1+Meslab+Cleaning+and+Repairing+Filters.jpg?attredirects=0.
Unfortunately there have been reformats by others than the author and all graphics appear lost. At the time there were issues with SU / dae and now Su is nearly 100% compliant to it and results should be better since that was required to import to it.
MeshLab has a number of filters that can simplify the OP model, these are used in many other programs to form their basis of filters.
It will be up to the OP to evaluate the various recommendations included herein and select the approach he / she feels best meets the needs at hand.
The link I have shown shows some of the programs capability. If vertex tools has a simple solution why not show it so OP can compare?
I should have been a little more gracious... sorry. And actually maybe this is what he's looking for. I get stuck in this mindset that everyone wants perfectly flat planes (because that's what I'm always looking for!), so I guess it depends what kind of results he wants and whether he wants to move in-between programs.