Oh snap! Dice,
you did this! I'd forgotten already.
I wouldn't rule out a stint or two in professional game development if it appeals to you, and the same goes for other artists here. It seems the iPhone market is easiest to break into right now, and the range of games being created for that platform is much more impressive than those unfamiliar with the iPhone might otherwise give it credit for. Currently
this forum seems to lie at the very center of the market, and there's
a subforum where people can offer services. Aspiring game developers and iPhone journalists are watching the place like sharks, waiting to snap up talent. Or at least, that's the impression I have. The downside to the iPhone market is that nobody's really making any money aside from a few blockbuster titles. But the projects you might find there are at least more structured than your typical fan project due to the profit motive, such as it is.
On the interactive fan project side, my sense is most people have been dabbling in SNES-era things and thus the need for pixel art dwarfs the need for hand-drawn art in many existing game projects. I suspect tushantin's probably dying for more assistance in
his animation project. Looks like you're already well connected to Lena Andreia's group too.
Also, your presentation really gave me the feeling you'd be well suited to producing a visual novel. I really got vibes of one scene in
Battle Angel Alita when I read through that. Seems like the kind of medium that would give you assured control over the scenario as well as the art, and there are
a few places that cater to artists trying to make their mark in that arena.
