[CS:GO] - Testing, publishing and using custom resources

Hi all,

I have a few questions regarding CS:GO specifically and more in general. I am working on a map for the competition (won't be finished in time, but either way) and I am currently half blocking and playtesting while I am also trying to create some "standout details" using brushes. I have finally gathered a good overview of good tutorials for most of the Hammer related things I need to figure out, which is good. My questions are mostly related to the next step, when the block/greybox is starting to be completed. So here goes:

1. I have been mapping on and off since Duke3D, but people's expectations of how things should look is at another level now, obviously. I am a bit afraid of the first impression of a half-done map being played by many people. So does one create a WIP workbench entry for the greybox, that you use for development, and then create a new one when the look is more final? If so, won't you lose subscribers to the development one when moving too? What's best practice here?
2. I feel that to stand out the map needs custom textures. Is there any stats on what maximum overall size of the map one should aim for? Considering it has to be downloaded by anyone who wants to try the map?
3. What kind of version control are people using, is the one in Hammer any good? I recall with dread old level editors completely ruining a level beyond recovery so I am in the old habit of saving in steps. I am thinking git will get quite bloated and slow with files like this.

Thanks. I guess if you have something smashing looking then people are going to spend the time downloading it even at 200MB, I'm not quite there yet Good to know though, I'm aiming for custom skybox and at least a good base of custom textures. From what I could see it quickly rises in filesize when added to the map.

Also, more Hammer specific. Am I right in understanding that when you cut something you never weld anything back together? Things are just grouped, and you have to texture the individual parts?

(I guess since any new faces would have nodraw anyway so there's perhaps no negative effect on performance at least?)

Quote from jackophant

You are correct. However, the new faces aren't necessarily nodraw as it depends on which faces of the brush are textured when you cut. Hammer has a way of working it out, but I haven't found it to be reliable and just opt to check and texture to nodraw to make sure.

If I'm right in saying, when a face is completely covered the compiler doesn't render it anyway, but I don't know how this affects the filesize.

Are you sure about the last part? I would gather it doesn't light it, but the face might still be drawn by the GPU? Or does it figure that out too.