Making custom sprites

[The Asylum]

I guess this is a two part question. First, making custom sprites. It's just as easy as making a regular ol custom texture with an alpha channel, right? If so, I can modify the render distance like the respawn room visualizer, I assume?

Second part, all sprite textures self-illuminate and face the player no matter where the player is, correct?

 

[Tumby]

The respawn room visualizer is using all kinds of proxies that control which team can see it and how the fading works. As sprites are a form of entity, the fading effect should be possible.
(Fading needs a entity in order to specificy the "center" from where the distance to the player is calculated)

 

[The Asylum]

Actually it's the respawn room associated with the visualizer brush that determines which team sees it. The no entry texture itself has its draw distance modified all by itself. I'd know, I've made my own vanishing textures based off of its VMT. </total skript kiddie>