Best way to use dev textures?

Badger_

L1: Registered
May 4, 2019
13
29
I've been playing with Hammer for about a month now and still getting to grips with the program and mapping but I've noticed when I see others use dev textures it always looks neat and easy on the eye but most people seem to use them differently.
I see maps with orange and some without, some with grey and some with the reflective texture.

I'm basically just looking for advice on when and where to use specific dev textures and how you might go about applying them effectivly.
Thanks!
 

Crowbar

Spiritual preprocessor
aa
Dec 19, 2015
1,455
1,297
Quite a few people might specifically advise against the orange texture or the darker ones or something else, but mostly, it will look good if it's consistent.
 

Badger_

L1: Registered
May 4, 2019
13
29
Yeah I've heard that before and can probably guess it's due to how harshly bright it is.
I see a load of maps and every one seems to use dev textures differently and I just wanna know the best uses for the different ones and why people may use them over others.
 

DrSquishy

we've all had better times to die
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Feb 10, 2017
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974
Everyone has a different style, and it's all about what you think works and what doesn't work. For example, I'm obsessed with having greygrid floors, doorframes outlined in a contrasting dev texture, and team coloured highlights increasing as you go further into the map. Other people really like to use the same dev texture for everything, and some will go all out into making everything look nifty and wonderful with little different shades for each element of the map, even if the things don't contrast much. Just do whatever you'd like to do and think looks good with them
 

Badger_

L1: Registered
May 4, 2019
13
29
That's very relieving to hear, thanks for that!
 

Heili

L3: Member
Jul 21, 2016
114
59
Large shapes are important in the beginning stage, and placeholder textures make for perfect silhouettes.
You have to resist being attached to your placeholders and focus on the outcome, I used to be obsessed with dev textures and never moving forward.
If I had to start over again, I'd keep bright walls (ref 70%) with a dark grid floor for contrast. Important gameplay features (team colors) are given brighter attention (ref 90%) or a different color.
What's fun about this stage is getting things to look good without textures, so experiment yourself and even load up other people's alpha maps.

Here's my own recent example, I use custom Unreal textures because it helps me focus on large shapes, not details (Insurgency, same engine, same application)
overlook_silhouette.jpg
Broad strokes, color to focal point, dark walls with a bright floor. Expanse below darker for contrast.
overlook_river.jpg

Final from similar angle.