Personally, I don't find it necessary or preferable that you step down. I have not percieved you as obstacle in the way, not any of you.
Rather a bridge. Maybe a suspension bridge. But still helpful along the way. It holds even if it shakes.
When strangers meet so unlikely, coming from different backrounds, communication needs to normalize, that takes time and patience from everyone. Discussions happen, points need to be tested, but none ended in disaster as far as I can see. The persons involved have been too smart for it to not end fruitful eventually on all sides.
I have good reasons why I involve myself here rather than more "successful" places easier to get in. And that is because I see thoughtful good in here more. I prefer compact and competent communities.
If I cared about nothing but popularity, cheapskating to it by any means, don't you think I would have gone about differently? Rather I invested myself into a vision I believe in, that serves the art.
I do appreciate your attempt to set a sign with this, such that the actual message is understandable by the heart alongside head: the spirit of new frontier, instead of bunker mentality.
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For the longest time, pixelart was about cutting-edge graphics technology. Everything was pixelart, everyone trying to outdo the others.
After a while, the wealth of visuals was so broad, that to talk about it effectively, the language needed more differentiation. Just by being displayed with pixels now leaves overwhelming interpretation of the possible art. Thus you tried to identify what makes your aesthetic, to get a grasp of your craft. You tried to be descriptive such that it be useful to others. And these days we become more conscious that helpful description is not to devolve into forceful prescription, and that a living art eventually outgrows definition intuitively, for a new cycle of thinking and transmitting.
The first era was a birth of body: pixelart just was; on screen.
Followed by an era of pixelart becoming self-aware. To develop a personality it needed border conflict.
Maybe now is the time of maturity. Finding friends and family. And "giving back", after being given life and learning.
What happened happened. It needed to. We must accept it for how we came to be, and as long as we not dwell on it, but draw consequence, all is good.
Nowadays PA is to maintain an approachable presence within every type NPA. Pixelart is to test itself any other way, like it is a test to any other artist.
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I have a series of activities in mind that would provide for an interesting tour of pixelart outside its comfort zone. "When worlds collide".
These would be custom tool based challenges. On one hand it would serve me as a "live" testbed of my tech. On the other it would serve you as an introduction to new fields and creative opportunity to translate your skills.
But it's not about me. For another example, I think last time Arne tried that pixel art tutorial in which the public could participate with example content for that little game mockup/demo thing, was going well. It seems artists get more motivated if they see their art running reactive to their input. I imagine it could be fun making Activities/Challenges surrounding a little Demo of sorts for which content is to be made. I am sure others here could come up with little things likewise, whichever way of implementation. It should be very small, concentrated and accessible. This is no coder community, shouldn't try to be, but not much is required; it is about the assorted art input to a single thing. It does not necessarily need to be a mini game, but it must offer a straightforward way artists can put into their art, resulting to experimental effect; strange ways of utilizing and displaying pixelart, strange requirements of tailoring the pixelart to it; a new interpretation of challenge "limits" for artists.
I think this is the missing link. Pixel art has always been a joint venture of technology and art. The perceived stalemate and resignation stems from mental divorce and neglect.
This kind of proactive "workbench jam" requires a theoretic and practical flexibility and agility to PA that Pixelation, in its informality, has above PJ as gallery.
