: I actually like most of the detailing. I think the overall shape of the model
: is so simple that the detailing doesn't have me wondering what I'm looking
: at. Most of the detailing is just lovely and I also like the engine lights
: and the cargo bay lighting (they are the same thing I suppose).

: I think that strong simple shapes with detailing can work. It's not as if we
: have to spot and shoot the ship in a cluttered environment.

That's the key to applying detail right, really - you have to have a clear primary shape and silhouette and the detailing has to be in service of the design rather than overwhelming it.

Many iconic ship designs like Star Destroyers or Battlestar Galactica are full of little detail (or "greeble") up close but because the main shape is so definitive and the detailing is kept small enough, it actually helps convey the scale and doesn't turn the whole thing into an ugly mess.

On the opposite end of the spectrum we have of course the Didact's Metapod or the majority of the Multiplayer armors from Halo 4.