For Students: Rendering Edged Faces (Show Some Geometry!)

Showing off your geometry is an important part of showcasing work you've done on a 3D model. It helps others understand your technical skill and know-how. The way you used the geometry as necessary and to establish a solid silhouette for your character, or the way you cut the geometry intended for deformation are muy importante. You could follow any number of tutorials on the YouTubes or Googles covering how to add Edged Faces to your render, but only via Materials. Here is a quick and easy way of rendering those Edges out in your Render without having to resort to Print Screen'ing your viewport.

Look at those edges! If you're a rebel and like going to a tutorial only to end up doing something completely different, go to a different Chrome tab or just hit Print Screen with Max up and call it a day. Otherwise, let us continue.

Go to Rendering > Render Setup!

Under the Common Tab, use the scrollbar on the right to scroll all the way down. This should make the Assign Renderer rollout visible.

By clicking on the "..." box next to the Production track, you can select from a number of rendering engines. Quicksilver is included with 3DS Max 2012+. This rebel likes to use both your processor and graphics card to render things out quickly. Very quickly. Select Quicksilver and hit OK.

Everything has changed! Not really, but if you noticed, there used to be a few more tabs in this Render Setup window. Now that we've got Quicksilver active, we only have access to Renderer and Render Elements tabs. Under the Renderer tab in the Visual Style & Appearance Rollout, you'll notice something amazing. A checkbox for Edged Faces.

Check that bad boy, hit F9 or the Render button, and go to town. Bro Tip: Be careful when you save this render as a PNG. Depending on the object color of your model, which determines the color of the edged faces, you can alpha out your edges and end up with a picture of your model cut up into a million pieces.