Hello sock,
That is definitely the saddest thing I have heard/read in a while.
Your mod rushed in like a giant wave that turned everybody it touched into a stealth fan

You overwhelmed many many people with its style, ideas, gameplay and maps.
That even almost every engine dev coded support for it immediately.
I think this is self speaking.
I can fully understand your point regarding the fanbase though.
Quake is for lovers. And not for the young "call of duty" like generation.
So you will not have thousands of people playing your mod.
But let me tell you something:
You had almost all the Quake lovers on your side. I think the given feedback doesnt leave a doubt.
If this amount of feedback and fans is too small for you, then yes....
... there will most probably not be a bigger response for any other Quake mod.
And even the biggest wave of enthusiasm will tone down after a while, so you can also not excpect high amounts of replies over a long time period.
Seeing all the things you have done on your homepage leaves no doubt as well:
You are one of the few talented people who could turn every game into a jewel.
Please do not stop to work with/on games.
I am very sure to read your name again.
Maybe at another game, maybe at another time. But I am sure.
I wish you all the best and hope that your financial situation will not last too long...
Seven