Well, MSXdev'13 is over (with 6 neat productions!), and it is time for discussion. Here I will suggest my preferred specs for the MSXdev'14, before hearing contestants' opinions, and some reasons why I choose them:

- ROM Size: Go back to 32KB/48KB ROM (no mapper ROM, allowing 16KB RAM). With 16KB ROM lots of developers finally felt too bounded by game size: also, some developers needed to remove things for the MSXdev entry that will be added to the final version of the game due to size limitations. So going for non-megarom would make developers feel more confortable with size without entering into a big megarom project.

-Voting system: I think this point deserves its own thread. Last edition voting system was a mess: also people went mad, and I had to deal with users attempting to create multinicks for multiple votes, first-posters wanting to be registered asap just to drop their votes to their friends and never be back, etc. Hope next time you people (devers and users) calm down and let the contest results be as natural as they can be. Also, it was not a good idea to see the actual progress of the voting, as checking entry current positions can alter your voting order too if you feel some entry has been underrated, etc. So my suggestion here is to cast votes by sending a private forum message with the votes to an user created for this matter, with the same format as last edition (1,2,3 points), and they will be computed and later revealed, when voting period ends.

- Deadline: 1 year instead of 6 months (that has been also requested by contestants). First, to have more time. Second, not to overlap #msxdev compo 2013 deadline, a contest you *should* consider entering if you aim for an MSX2 production or higher game sizes.

- Prizes: taking in account the "success" of the sponsorized prizes, I would leave them out and just focus into a main prize created by donations (last edition amount, 333 euro, was a pretty cool amount for a winner!).

- Others: for the rest I would leave the contest as it was. I mean running it into the forum boards, the registering system, the entry thread self-mantainment, not requiring a game sticker, etc.

Well it is time for you to suggest. Although I've got things pretty clear, I want you to drop here a line and contribute with your opinion and reasons why! Let the MSXdev'14 begin!

All seems reasonable 

Agree on both. Perhaps the separated prize is a good idea, so the prize is shared by top three... on the other hand, the big prize for the winner will decrease and thus be less atractive. Anyway, neat initiatives, let's see if people agree on those!

I think it is important that the contest is open to everybody, but if the majority of comments on this edition were written by Spanish people, this thread may be in Spanish.

As you can see my English level is low and this text is taken from the Google translator.

S0y, Tragamanzanas: If we want to attract international users, the use of english at the MSXdev zone is a must. Also the MSXdev contests, since their foundation in 2003 have been held in english. I love my language, but if the mrc decide to held them challenges in dutch it would be a huge barrier too... I really think we should keep it in english, although last two editions just spanish games entered the contest.

I am the first to think that the contest must attract international users, but as I said in the previous post and so well said SOY, most are Spanish and it has noses that have to be us who have to use translator.   
I'm not saying ban it (besides the rules are in English)
At least I think it would be good that people to give their opinion on this matter.

NADIE está limitando ni quiere limitar la MSXDev al español, faltaría más. Lo que se está limitando es hablar en español aquí, cosa curiosa. Pienso que "facilitar" no implica "impedir" a otras partes.

Visitad el "thread" del año pasado, por ejemplo, a ver cuántos users de habla no hispana han posteado. Con los dedos de una mano, vamos. Y si eso implica a los hispano-parlantes no poder expresarse en español... En fin, que no quiero cabrearme pensando en elitismos ni otro tipo de tonterías, al fin y al cabo esto es una afición. Tan solo quería expresar mi punto de descrepancia y de injusticia sobre ello. Si no se permite postear en español, pues no posteo nada y punto, norma cumplida. 

Saludos!!

MSXdev is international, every edition's official language has been english since 2003, and it should remain like this.

Not only contest rules and official announces always have been done in english, but also the game instructions are to be presented in english (although, of course, you can also add spanish intructions as a bonus, the use of spanish is not forbidden once you provide the same texts in english). No matter if we did not gather attention from international users, or the number of international users that posted last edition: as pitpan have just pointed, we must keep the contest official language as it has always been to keep it appealing to international users just in case they decide to join.

Although we appreciate your suggestion, unfortunately this is something that's pretty clear for us .