But I think it would be more beneficial to discuss ways to increase activity on the forums rather than being bummed out about it.

A community game project could be interesting. Something "simple" and doable with low production value. And actually put it together not just mockup.

The game could be very loose. No need to put your million dollar ideas and art into it.

We could ignore style matching so that more people would get involved. I've always thought that WarioWare looked nice despite having lots of different styles and mediums of art mixed together. although each game feels coherent within itself compared to all the other games there is a large variety.

Another way to go would be set a very simple style. but that might not appeal to everyone.

Personally I'm not so strict with matching drawing types. Cute things can exist among violent things or vice versa. Just using pallets and number of lighting passes ties things together well enough.

The SMB1 topic seemed to generate a lot of conversation. But the game was Arne's alone. And sometimes its better to do a game by yourself or with a very small team. But It'd be interesting to lump together a game with lots of people. If every post in that topic said "hey this is what I made for the game" and attached something a lot of work would have been generated.

The challenges I foresee in random order:
1. Common Interest - not everyone has the same taste in games and art
2. Huge list of features - everyone will want to provide their own ideas. not a bad thing but good code takes time like anything else
3. Ownership - If I move to Kenya and sell for millions how will you find and sue me? or anyone else?
4. PipeLining - This is always a challenge. organization and communication.
5. Documentation - Google.docs is great for summarizing a game and listing tasks but who will have rights to edit? everyone? one guy? select few?
6. Foresight - like most things game projects need positive mentality. if that is lost the project is prone to die.

I can volunteer some game programming. Currently I have quite a bit of studying to do. Development would go a little slow. Making a "simple" game is still quite a bit of work.

It's just an idea. I'd hate to rob people of time. I'm extremely busy myself. And I understand why most people don't want to hand out free art. Its very time consuming and mentally expensive to produce. I understand if people have more important things to do like make money and eat food.

Press F1.

The help file will tell you nearly everything you need to know. Some of the English is a little off but it is very clear and readable with lots of pictures (depending on the section, but animation is covered with plenty of graphics).

Read a bit of it each day. Flip between reading and testing. When you are finished with a section apply what you know to an exercise. Make a few pieces of art. Compare them. If you have more time move on to the next section.

Almost every program comes with a help file. Some are very dry and pictureless. Some a very well linked and detailed. But almost all will teach you the tools and concepts to using the program.

Part of being a pro is learning how to learn. 

If you're looking for a good personalized "this is how I do it" tutorial I understand. Getting direct answers from a user is generally fast and directed.

GraphicsGale is awesome for animation. It lets you see your animation as you draw it. This will allow you to edit accurately. (other programs might do this as well. Animanitee for DS is the only other I know of. Tell me some if you know. I love to learn software). It does not have an infinitely robust tool set but it is definitely one of my favorite programs to animate in.

Good hotkeys, pre-process, frame building, and comparison are essential. Always keep in mind that aside from creating animation with theory and principles you must also create animation by pushing a series of buttons. Find reasons to push the buttons in different ways. Whether it be more, less, faster, slower, in isolation or in combination.

Check my blog from my profile. I'm not the best artist in the world but I have a clear process of how to make animation in GG. When I get time I will write a tutorial. But currently I have way too much to study. Anyone else with more time should beat me to it.

For now-------->F1

awesome 
Nice editor
Thanks for the insight. I've returned to school pursuing an RTIS degree. Perhaps in a year or so I'll check out Blitz.
I really appreciate you posting the programming progress as well as the art. The elaboration on your challenges and solutions is also educational.

cool
got a programmer? feel like animating these?
nice spin on the graphics. got any spins on the game play?

Cool stuff.

The characters would benefit from a shadow underneath them. Even if it is just the generic round shadow it will help ground them.

The way its shaped and lit, the Knights package is facing straight at the viewer. Its like its staring at me!

I actually enjoy this type of animation. From a programming stand point it makes characters that can have interchangeable parts. From an animation stand point it shaves off a lot of time which is "typically" favorable.

So when does this game release?

oh and Pillow Shading is lighting an object as if the light source is emitted from the viewer. It flattens form visually and either is or approaches symmetrical light and shadow patterns. Though it could have some sort of useful application... i geuss... it is usually best to avoid.