So, this section...

[StarSock64]

Without sprite comics and animations that drive the community, what do people have to work toward? I'm open to suggestions, because those were great times.

When I sprite, it's usually for game ideas or even fake game ideas that I don't necessarily intend to complete. Having a framework like that is a good way to make a variety of guided stuff that's more inspired than you might make just aimlessly spriting.

People don't have to do what I do, though. There are other communities, like pixeljoint, that I'm not necessarily a fan of, but they show that you can make some fun sprites or scenes that work as standalones.

what can we do to encourage people to make more ambitious stuff, especially if they're just starting out and don't even have a grip on the basics yet?

 I want to say something like "lead by example," but I don't have time to put money where my mouth is, ehe.

I don't even think it's necessarily important that beginners try to be ambitious right away or anything. Really, people don't have to try more complicated things if they don't want to in general, not just beginners.

My issue is that it seems like it doesn't even occur to people here that it's an option, and it seems like the people who would theoretically like to try don't know how to make that leap. I'm afraid that people are making some little bubble on this site where everyone thinks that this is as good as it gets, and that they can't or shouldn't aim higher than what people are doing here. If it were me and this was my only exposure as a young artist... well, that's depressing to think about.

To answer your question a little more concretely, the competitions and stuff are pretty good because they're getting people to produce things they might not otherwise. The whole community aspect is also a pretty good way to motivate people to have fun and challenge themselves. I kind of wish they were more challenging, though.

Ton's suggestion is also very good... but I can't really deny that it's become incredibly tedious to try to give anyone advice. There's not a lot about the sprites here that I can even tell people to improve. I would probably just end up suggesting they do something else entirely, and I have incredibly low confidence that people will care enough to give it a try, so I end up not doing anything.

I guess what I think people need would be more learning resources to broaden their horizons and at least present possibilities to the people who want to take them. It'd also be nice to have examples of people who can reassure the others that it's not some daunting and impossible task, but that requires people to take initiative.

And on another note, characters like Scott Pilgrim, Steve (the Minecraft character), and the folks from River City Ransom can go by despite being simplistic.
I dun get it.

Coming from a spriting novice who's posted nothing but Mario-related sprites during his entire stay at this place, I'm feeling really ugly right now...

Woopsie I didn't explain something very well

I probably should have narrowed down the categories in my little calculation. My point isn't really something like, "never do Nintendo!" or "never sprite Sonic because he's been done too many times!" Well, it is true that it'll be hard to stand out in those cases, but it's not like you're automatically doomed to bore if you decide to work with these things.

The issue, I think, is more that these sprites are like, "here is a sprite of Link standing with his arms at his sides. Okay." Or, occasionally there might be like, a little background set or something, like those Mario tiles that people have done 10,000 times

And sometimes these sprites are okay to do. They can be a pretty good learning tool, and it's important to do what you think is fun.
 
But... it doesn't have to end there, and I feel like people forget that. If you want to make those types of sprites, that's great, but after a certain point, shouldn't you move on to something else? At the very least, isn't it worth trying to take those concepts to a higher level? Like, there are some cool animations of the squid girls from Splatoon in that compo thread, and some posed ones and some functional-looking ones.

And I get that people are all "we're too busy to sprite" and whatever, but you don't have to sprite every day to get any good at it. You just have to make use of your time by doing things that will help you improve. This can include more careful observation of existing sprites, and I can't recommend that enough because I've improved even without spriting for stretches of time just by studying other peoples' techniques.

In the end, though, if you want to get better at something you're not very good at, then you can't avoid doing that thing and there's never going to be a time when you're magically good enough to do it without trying and doing poorly first. You'll improve a lot faster by just doing those things than by spriting Mario standing over and over, hoping that some day you'll feel the right spark to make Mario move.

I mean I guess I get that people enjoy being praised, but let's not forget that challenging yourself by doing something you know you're not going to do well, then getting advice and jumping up several levels in skill can be really rewarding. Anyone who's talking about wanting praise all the time should probably reflect on their idea that challenges and criticism need to amount to suffering, because they don't have to if you remain open-minded and change your way of thinking.

[Shawn]

did someone call for an inspiring artist

[Shade]

did someone call for an inspiring artist

No.

Spoiler

yes please, hey Shawn please stay a while and inspire us to sprite harder

[LightningTH]

For me, seeing the Mystical Forest Zone break apart is what bummed me out as it was the largest Sonic Spriting comminity. I was part of a project called ModGen. We were working on a major project of making Sonic characters in this style akin to the Genesis games.
But the site's forum went down after the new owner claimed he was revamping it, which never happened and the site finally died last year. Well, he's pretty much the blame for destroying what was a great community. Sucks too, because we are lacking in custom Sonic content.
Everyone from MFZ have since been busy with their artwork and blogs. Can't remember the last time one member visited here.
Heck, who knows where the sprites are archived now, as the private Dropbox that had the wip sheets is gone too.

During that, I've mostly been focused on drawing, playing games, going to conventions and making sprites privately. Some of which I do plan on uploading once i feel they're ready. Many ones I've still yet to finish. Including incomplete rips for here.

Even visiting Deviantart makes me cringe when it comes to anything over there. Including sprites as there's a lot of shitty Sonic Advance edits and I fucking hate the style because of it, even avoiding fan games that uses the style. Rarely anything in Genesis style.
And that's sad too because there's this guy here. Those are some of the best Amy Rose sprites that aren't her modern design.
Oh, and another thing thing. As much as cool some of the sprites at Deviantart are. They seem to share the same boring old stock palette that looks like it came from Amiga games, despite the fact Amiga games are notorious for beautiful and awesome pixelart.

I feel your frustration and disappointment, Dolphman. After my four year hiatus from spriting I was welcomed to mediocre Sonic Advance and Co. sprite sheets (they are very easy to edit) and a ever increasing disinterest in anything related to said Genesis Styled sprites. As people in this thread already mentioned, the many that were contributing to the gaming community have either moved on with life or just became disinterested in the subject all together.

Now that being said, that will not deterrent others and myself from continuing in making "good" sprite sheets.
Especially since I started a new topic which I post my Genesis Styled sprite sheets. I think Cylent Nite is still pretty active and Xeric as well...

[TheShyGuy]

From those who did move on from here, don't forget those who now have a job as an artist. (Honestly, I can only name Shawn and Frario, but I'm assuming there were a few more).

[Shawn]

hey dont go speaking for me.

i can't speak for everyone since some people generally do work as artists but those 2 examples are pretty invalid. both micha and i pursued careers in fields unrelated to art. i only do commissions on my free time to help me pay for things until i'm done college and micha got into the whole jontron/ yotta kinda thing due to dificulty maintaining a job.

so i guess on that topic, one advice i can give to any artist is DO NOT MAKE ART YOUR IDENTITY. get other hobbies and interests, regardless of what they are they will greatly influence your artwork and aid your growth and prevent you from being some shitty uninspired stagnated artist. if someone asks you your interests and all you have to say are "art" you arent a very inspired or creative person off the bat. take up a sport or an instrument or gardening or whatever. no one wants a person who "grew up playing 8bit platformers and n64" because lets be real, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD did that. you arent special if thats what makes you unique.