Merging Vertexes
 

Used to live with this issue being that I kind-of used to live with it:

My method for creating 3d models always consisted of getting the shapes using primitives then deleting faces off and manually CreatePolying the either more optimized or better shaped polygons using vertex and edge snapping. This seems to create two problems: extra vertexes and unwillingness to smooth.

The 2nd I'm not as concerned about being that I can work around it and most cases the createpolygons are on planar surfaces anyway. (though if someone knows how to help that would be nice)

The major problem for me is how to physically attach the verticies together into a single mesh. Firstly -- in various points of my model that means 3-5x the vertexes necessary which from what I know about UnrealEngine and graphics cards its not polycount so much as vertex count which causes framerate issues; secondly, when trying to move vertexes around that means I need to do my edit, then snap all the rest of the vertexes (which should all be connected) to that single vertex.

So -- is there a way to make several faces share the same vertex so that Maya considers it as just one single vertex? (I'm pretty sure there is being as the primitives Maya creates generally share vertexes)

Sorry for doublepost -- I got it to work... for some reason "Merge Vertexes" never actually worked for me... and only after I posted the question did it. (I guess it was the tool I needed)

(seriously, I've been trying that tool for the last 3 months never having it merge the vertexes)