i dont like dread eye so i wont be watching his tutroial.
what you have here my friend, is the post of the year.
use ripped sprites if you really have to, but theres no use in saying you cant do something if you dont really try. im sure your game is good for a beginner's, but take what you have learned and apply it to something new, im sure there are games youve played and enjoyed in the past, why not model it after them? maybe you like megaman, so make a platforming shooter, maybe you like shootem ups, so make one of those, think. dont say that you cant do something. im sure you have great ideas, find a way to make them a reality, try your hand at graphics and dont say (i cant do it.)