My last couple of main flash movies (Thwomps the Movie, Spittin' Narcissism, Awesome Guy and to an extent, Two Slices Of Pie and 1up-Pursuit) all had a personal goal.
With Thwomps The Movie it was to try a develop sprite characters and give them my own backstory. And to keep a movie interesting for a long period of time. I feel I achieved the goal, it's my most popular movie to date.
With Spittin' Narcissism it was just to make a flash movie that was similiar to a hip hop movie video, with quick camera movements and keep it interesting from when the beat starts to when it ends. I still watch this movie and love it, it's probably the only movie I have made that I can still stand watching from start to finish.
Awesome Guy was to make an interesting character without any dialouge. So the user knows what Awesome Guy is like and how he'd react to different situations. My design was originally based on Kirby from the Kirby anime Hoshi No Kaabii (Kirby of the Stars) but then I changed it so Awesome Guy is not the brave type, he's afriad of confrontation and of any companionship.
1up Pursuit wa-, oh god damn it guys, I made this in 2 days and it got #2 of all time, what the hell is wrong with you.
The reaction to 1up Pursuit was so annoying to me, it was so overrated (it still is) to a point where I'm starting to question my efforts to make interesting sprite movies, is it worth it?
I hate it when the wrong movies get popular. I'm not proud of 1up Pursuit, yet it's sonehow extremely popular, and for a while had a better score than a movie I spent 8 months making. I'm proud of Two Slices of Pie, yet it no-one noticed it, it faded away. When the wrong movies get popular, your credibility is shot. If all my sloppy sprite movies got popular no-one would take me seriously, I'd just be 'that sprite animator', I'd be the reason for the sprite movie hate. Or even worse people accuse me of just resting on my so called 'fame'. Someone reviewed Spittin' Narcissism saying it's obvious I'm not trying anymore, I'm just resting on the popularity of Thwomps The Movie. People expecting every movie you make to be better than the previous, despite the time put into it.
Sure I'd love to make a Thwomps the Movie 2, I'd love to take part in this scary halloween competition using a Mario sprite movie. They'd be great challenges and ones I wouldn't back down from. But is it worth it, knowing that I could make a stupid movie in 2 days, and it'll get more praise than anything I put actual effort into.