Hi,

Just starting with 3ds Max and got something that annoys me, and that's the lack of edge thickness.

Is there any way to make them thicker, at least when they are selected? Because I can barely see them as it is, but if I have a background image they're pretty much invisible.

I'm using 3ds Max 2012.

If you run a connect through your object and use 2 segs pinch or side the sides together then that hold down the shift key and click on the polygon this will convert your edge into a poly then extude your edge. But if you just want to extude the edge then no.

If you can add a shell modifer to your object but the shell modifer applies it to the whole object

Anthony LCA

I'm not talking about beveling the edges or something like that.
I mean I want the wireframe to be more visible in the viewport.

if you add the image to the material editor then increase the diffuse number then this will brighten up the image once you have it bright enough then apply it to the background

For example, if I switch to Wireframe display then the edges have a decent thickness. Why can't they be like that in Shaded mode too?

which adds unnecessary edges and is NOT what the OP wants

I'm not sure you can increase the display size of a selected edge - I've never really felt the need to though, the red highlight is usually enough for me

If you don't add enough segs before you convert down then that's the way to increase the edge of if you have not convert down then you can just add a edit poly to the box.

if you turn off the edge faces then the lines that are displayed will disappear

The OP just wants to increase the DISPLAY size of the edge not the actual edge itself

Quote - I'm not sure you can increase the display size of a selected edge - I've never really felt the need to though, the red highlight is usually enough for me

Well, I guess I'm used to C4D where the edges are thicker. In fact I think from all the programs I've tried I only had this problem with Max. Maybe I should try changing the colors of the edges. That IS possible, right?

one thing you could try which I do a lot is to set the colour of whatever it is to black and then apply a dark grey material.  That can make the edges a bit clearer.

It might be possible to do it - I just don't know how :biggrin:

I’ve personally never had a problem viewing the edges but that’s just it…everyone is different and have idiosyncratic likes and dislikes. I for one would think having the option to change the edge’s size would be a good feature. I’m also thinking that screen resolution would have a direct impact on how discernable the edges are and so with that in mind I’m thinking that perhaps is the reason why I’ve never had a problem with viewing the edges at 1600x900 on a 24” flat monitor.

I could be wrong but as far as I know 3DS Max doesn’t have a dedicated feature to change the edge’s width. But I have read where if you go in the menu to customize: preferences: viewport: "configure drivers" in the "display drivers" section: and disable "enable antialiased lines in wireframe views", in the "appearance preferences" section that this would make it easier to view the edges but having attempted this several times...for the world of me I cannot discern a difference. But by all means give that a try and see if it works for you.

Along the same lines but different beast, I’m sure that everyone knows you can provide a mesh with a shader option that would render the mesh as a wireframe and the edge’s size there can be manipulated using the material editor: putting a tic in “wire” in the "shader basic parameters" section and then moving down to the "extended parameters" section and providing a "size" and applying the material.

On the other hand, if you can’t make out the edges because they are confusing because you can see through to the backside edges of the object then right clicking on the object and putting a tic in “Backface cull” in the "object properties" selection window will help.

I have also this issue with max, I am very nearsighted.I found a way to make the verts look bigger, but never the edges...