My opinion is, that if anything, seeing as some 
cels are more affordable, it might make more 
people want to join the hobby, since some of the 
rarer characters are becoming much more 
affordable.  Not to mention I've been enjoying 
the lower prices too.  Not paying as much for 
cels of characters I like is nice.

On getting back what I paid for things... 
granted, about half the cels in my collection 
right now, there is no way I'd ever get back 
what I paid for them, but you know... I knew 
that when I bought them. I buy things because I 
like them, and in most cases I don't think 
about "can i get my money back if i sell this?"  
I think more about whether or not I really like 
the art, and if it's worth it to me.

This usually backfires if i get in a crunch and 
have to sell things to pay for living expenses. 
(like right now ^^;;;;;;;) but hey, it's all 
part of the hobby.  It's not a hobby to be in if 
you're only in it to make money.

And, lastly, as for the way the hobby is 
changing... I think it was predictable. It seems 
pretty obvious that with all shows being almost 
entirely CG now, that the hobby of cel 
collecting would fluctuate greatly.  Granted, I 
didn't think I'd see the day when so many people 
would just seem to leave the hobby all at once.  
Though, I know there are a few people, if they 
left, I would probably follow them out. ^_^ 

so in answering your major question:

does anyone here think that this discourages 
people from getting into the hobby
~no... most people i know get into it because 
they love animation and owning production art. 
And let's face it this is a COOL hobby. ^_^  At 
least I think so... and I know pretty much 
everyone here would agree.

If you are SERIOUSLY worried about whether or 
not you'll get all your money back... it's time 
you reconsider why you're in this hobby at all.

w00t! that's my opinion. ^^; oi oi... i should 
stop being so opinionative.

~yaten