Yes, it would be great if one could work as a MSX programmer, I mean as a "real" job. But it seems unlikely.

But what perhaps could be done now, that there are some "active" developers back in scene is something like the "FUTURE DISK", working on a suscription basis.

Indeed, it would be great if a new diskmagazine would appear. It's a shame the DISK 8 initiative didn't make it, perhaps it's time to have another go at it

otoh .. I seriously doubt the use of a diskmag in these days of online news 24/7 .. from various msx-sites if you prefer. At Oss I even spoke to someone about the use of a 'fair', other than it being a socializing event..
Starting a diskmag is easy ... keeping the diskmag interesting and the creators motivated is something else.

Anyway, back to the topic, other than free-time (which I read the most), is there anything the community can do to get things moving a bit more, towards large-scale projects for example? Because I still have the idea many ppl are wasting their power or missing obvious team-connections..

I think the non-developing community should put all their efforts in showing how much they appreciate the fact people are still actively developing software for MSX. Write a reaction on the newsposts, drop a line in the forums, send mails to the developers... anything. Just prove there's an audience.

About the use of diskmags/magazines: You could approach them as 'old news', but the media also allows a nice mix of news (a bit more in-depth than on the internet, perhaps?), demo's, humor, gfx and sounds... Perhaps it's my personal nostalgia, but I'd really appreciate a new diskmag

About the use of fairs: To me they are always a great boost to my MSX motivation, and to boost your ego: MSX DevCon was a true revelation to me. ^_^

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I think the non-developing community should put all their efforts in showing how much they appreciate the fact people are still actively developing software for MSX. Write a reaction on the newsposts, drop a line in the forums, send mails to the developers... anything. Just prove there's an audience.

Partly.. I'm more referring to other means of help. For example: a week before Polka 1.0 was released I saw Bart crying wolf on #msxdev after messing, strugling, and *sight*'ing to get some sc4-gfx done to be used with vscreen. So, that *was* a problem back then .. no decent sc4 tile-editor (and while I'm not 100% at home @ msx1 software, I think there wasn't a decent sc2 tile-editor either). Well, I think I fixed that gap after all.. so that 'problem' is now solved. This is the type of solutions I'm referring to: not the motivation issues etc., but more the practical issues. Are there ppl who can't continue what they like to do because something is missing?

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(a bit more in-depth than on the internet, perhaps?)

That's not msx-related even, I use internet as my primary source of info these days for the simple fact that google is fast and many websites allow user-comments which mostly add 200% info on top of all the official article-info. I don't see why an internet article couldn't be as versatile as a book/(disk-)magazine. If you think (disk-)magazines offer more in-depth articles compared to a website, then I ask you: 'why would that be?'.
The advantage of an internet article is that there's no subscription to be payed for the user (like in the old days) .. while a bit of $ might sound nice, it also means that you've to deliver articles on a periodic base. An article submitted on a forum is way more relaxed for a writer from that point of view ..

I think it's your nostalgia thing

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MSX DevCon was a true revelation to me. ^_^

Yeah, I got the hint .. on the cartrip to Oss I talked about it with Legacy .. something around March seems the right time.. now if many ppl come and keep the place peaceful, it'll be fine ^_^

What I said about a new disk magazine was not to publish news. For news, of course, Internet is far better. I was proposing a disk-magazine full of games, images, music, etc. And a "disk-only" distribution. Or CD-only distribution, why not!

..and those games, images, music etc. have to be made then? Or do you pick old software?

Creating such content is even more work than writing texts

Well, in the late 90s people had an 'People aren't waiting for small games, demos, diskmags and musicdisks'-attitude. I personally AM waiting for such projects.

Of course I'd love some large-scale projects to appear (and to be finished), but please.. don't be ashamed about those smaller creations. Just look at Muzix, Soepfiskje and most of the MRC Challenge & MSXdev entries. They are very entertaining to play, watch and/or listen to. Keep 'em coming, I'd say!

But that's not my point again My point was -read the vscreen/polka thing- that ppl might not be able to do certain things they'd prefer to do, because there're no tools!

What's the difference between large-scale and small-scale? -> story / directing / managing. I strictly believe artists (gfx/music) are more flexible in creating a game than a coder is. If there's one level done of a game, then it's a matter of content to create 7-more levels, which is like a large-scale game then.

Wouldn't it be a sound idea to have some poll on this? Like: 'which tools are missing?'

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At Oss I even spoke to someone about the use of a 'fair', other than it being a socializing event..

cartridge hunting!

but Oss was small. I'd hardly call it a fair.

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Wouldn't it be a sound idea to have some poll on this? Like: 'which tools are missing?'

I "wish" an integrated development environment for Ascii C
Edit + build + link + debug all toghether, with the possibility to set breakpoints and watch C variables runtime.

Primary is this:
- lack of teammembers with the the ingredients you don't have (incl. 'managers')
.

And that triggers //partially// this other , but it is more because now here is summer, and i needs work more for getting the same money than over spring or winter.

Secondary is this:
- lack of time due real-life thingies

I think it's about time to bump this one ..!

Did anything change in the last nearly-2 years?

I actually feel ppl are even less active ._.

I agree, I discovered MRC in 2004 and since then I have seen a decrease in the number of developers and of productions
look at the news of MRC and group them by subject, you'll see what i mean

I've been away for the MSXscene for some years. I have the impression that activity has decreased indeed.
But the I think that the stuff that is released is much better than in the past. And now the forums arn't plagued anymore by people flaming each other and the OCM attention might just attract new people.