MSXdev11

Sink King, The Cure, Monster Hunter, Caos Begins, Deep Dungeon, Dr. Pill, Heroes Arena. These seven games all have one thing in common: in the past decade they've won the most popular MSX game development contest. The first edition was MSXdev'03, a contest that eventually was canceled due to lack of entries, so this new edition marks the ninth chapter in the book already.

Once there used to be a firm discussion about specifications, with some developers wanting more RAM and ROM while others didn't care, or blamed high specifications for the lack of entries compared to earlier editions. Over the recent years, these specifications seemed to have reached a consensus, something most, if not all game developers could and should live with.

The medium has always been and continues to be a ROM file
Games should work with a Z80 at 3.58MHz
Games should work with a TMS9918/TMS9928 or compatible video chip
For sound and music, the PSG (AY-3-8910 or compatible sound chip) should be used
Cassette interface: 1200/2400 baud
Maximum RAM a game may use is 64KB
Maximum VRAM a game may use is 16KB

This is the configuration the jury will use to judge all entries. The game should however run as it should on all MSX generations that feature the above specifications, from the humble MSX1 to the mighty turbo-R. Compatibility issues will results in penalty points. It's allowed to add support for additional hardware, such as sound chips, video chips, mass storage etc. All these additions won't give developers extra points though, the specifications mentioned above are the ones to deal with.

More details:

Entries can be 128KB in size, a figure established since MSXdev'06. It didn't stop Konami to create classics such as Nemesis 2, F1-Spirit, and Penguin Adventure with 128KB. It's however perfectly legal to create a modest game in 8KB, whatever suits you. In fact, only two winners have been 128KB games so far, and 128KB entries aren't very common anyway. Any programming language can be used, from humble MSX-BASIC to assembler. Of course, the latter has obvious performance advantages over MSX-BASIC.
Any game genre is welcome, originality is appreciated however. Think outside the box, flip the world upside-down, do the unexpected, be original!
One entry from MSXdev'10 was disqualified for having used ripped graphics. Something to keep in mind, disqualification isn't a myth, if you dare to rip content from other sources without permission, you're done for.
Your entry should come with a high-res ROM label and English manual, other languages can be added too.
The open-sponsorship from the past years remains in tact. This means that user donations will form the main prize money for the winning entry. A sponsor may also choose to create his own category, for instance the MSX1+ category that has been done before, in which the best additional chip support was rewarded. But any category is welcome, including best music, best 2-player game, best shooter, best manual, etc.

In recent years, the number of entries has dropped a bit compared to for instance MSXdev'05 - the top year by any measurements. It's high time the game development talents in this scene get their act together and deliver like they've never done before. This contest only needs one thing: developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers..

You have until January 31st 2012, gentlemen, start your engines!

Relevant link: MSXdev'11

Comments (39)

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6980)

04-04-2011, 13:43

What about pubblishing also sources and development tools as GPL ? http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License

MSX developers are endangered like pandas: maybe putting online sources and tools could attract new people on the scene from other platforms or rise the interest of the ancient develpers

By Huey

Prophet (2696)

04-04-2011, 13:47

@ARTRAG: Perhaps share the sources of Intruder 4k and DDA?

Wooohooo for MSXdev11.

By ro

Scribe (5064)

04-04-2011, 14:40

like ++;

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6980)

04-04-2011, 14:50

well, IIRC sorces for intruder are already public
They were released in a 2K competition on Karoshi forum and in a 4K competition on MiniGame Compo 2009

Actually DDA could be released as GPL, we could do this with the SCC version...
IIRC John was planning to release some music update.

Would anyone be interested?

By KNM

Master (172)

04-04-2011, 19:40

YEAH !! Long live MSXDEV !!!

By commodorejohn

Expert (92)

04-04-2011, 20:11

Woo! Time to get crackin'...

By Edwin

Paragon (1182)

04-04-2011, 20:47

I currently have two development tools that will eventually be open sourced. Polka2 and another one that will remain unknown until basic functionality is implemented. Anyway, I would open up Polka2 in a second if I thought it would attract others in helping out with the development. But since I only got one offer, I decided to keep it to me until at least the core framework has stabilised.

As for opening msx code, I don't want to do that to potential coders. Which is why I started the code corner at the Infinite site. Although the number of requests has been limited (to put it mildly). Which makes you wonder if there is actually much interest for asm sources.

By Huey

Prophet (2696)

05-04-2011, 09:35

7 posts already an none with the word MSX2 in it

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1395)

05-04-2011, 10:52

@Huey: awell, just yours ;-)))... I guess people just love the MSXdev as is!

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10135)

05-04-2011, 10:55

..or regular MSX2 fans have given up, the regular MSX1 fans remain.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6980)

05-04-2011, 11:06

In any case there is the msx1+ section
We need only sponsors willing to put there their money

PS
What about a separate section for msx2 only?
;-)

PPS
In order to make you sad and pessimist about msx, here the link to an interesting cemetery of dead projects
http://karoshi.auic.es/index.php?board=21.0

By commodorejohn

Expert (92)

05-04-2011, 16:40

Well, just 'cause I can't make my project MSX2-specific, that doesn't mean I can't add some little tweaks

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1395)

05-04-2011, 18:21

@ARTRAG: Some projects die, some others born, that's life! Don't be so pessimist, it is thanks to some of those unfinished projs that other games have been possible!

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6980)

05-04-2011, 23:54

@Vejo
Can I contribute to the thread with a some more sadness and pessimism ?

http://www.konamito.com/konamito-com-cierra-sus-puertas/#comment-3994

By max_iwamoto

Paladin (675)

06-04-2011, 06:02

MSX2 MSX2 MSX2

I would join MSXDEV11 with MSX2/2+ project

MSX2 MSX2 MSX2

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6980)

23-04-2011, 10:32

Really? We could open an disqualified section for msx2 games :-)
if you do submit and msx2 I'll do the same...
I've just some msx2 only projects quite interesting: doom-like 3d mazes, platforms with smooth horizontal scrolling in screen 8 or in screen 5....

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10135)

23-04-2011, 15:40

There have been two dedicated MSX2 challenges in the past years, both contests resulted in two entries, made by the same two groups. And nearly a year after the second contest closed there're still no results. Well, actually there are results - the jury has done its job in summer 2010 -, but Mars2000you refuses to post about them. The last rumor I heard some half year ago was that the results would be posted at the start of 2011. So far, zip.

So, all of you who aim for an MSX2 contest, where have you been in the past years? And let's not forget our own Megachallenge which ran for two years.., how many entries did we receive again?

So far, the idea of gaining new MSX2 games sounds more joyful than the net results.

By FiXato

Scribe (1743)

24-04-2011, 01:46

Who were responsible for the prize money of the PassionMSX contest btw? If the lack of results is due to a lack of funds to pay for the (imho ridiculous) prizes, then maybe the contestants can be contacted to see if they have objections to forfeit the monetary awards to at least finally get the honour of having won a first or second place..

By Edwin

Paragon (1182)

25-04-2011, 14:24

Of course, if you want to mess with the msxdev11 organisation a bit, you can donate a prize for the best disqualified game and then submit you non-rules-compliant msx2 games.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

30-08-2011, 23:53

the difference between msx2 dev context and msxdevXX is only one:
the former started dead, the latter will dead slowly despite the efforts of msx1 fans to keep it alive. It's not a secret. Just take a look and compare last years in terms of quality / n. of games / n. of unfinished ones.
That's life.

By dvik

Prophet (2200)

31-08-2011, 05:29

I actually disagree. msxdev'10 was imo the best year since '05. The quality of the games last year was good and there were several good games. Other years may have one or two really good games, like Monster Hunter, but in general the quality has been quite even over the years. '09 was a bit weaker than others, but the comeback in '10 shows that its not a pattern.

By Huey

Prophet (2696)

31-08-2011, 08:08

~~@PingPong: Thanks for your supporting words. Please give a good example and deliver an MSX2 game in the near future and support the MSX2 scene.~~

~~MSXdev is totally shit. No quality and low entry count. That's why the MSX2 lovers are so desperatle to want their own version of MSXdev.~~

~~Btw: Could someone tell me where the retro competitions (world wide) are that produce better results than MSXdev?~~

By Huey

Prophet (2696)

31-08-2011, 08:41

Forget it. I'm tired of this discussion.

Please someone set up an MSX2 (or higher/lower) competition. So we get it over with and start this discussion again next year........

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

31-08-2011, 21:27

there is no need of any competition. if one have time can develop any game. Who need a competition?
MSXDev11 is already dead. (Even if someone will disagree). Just facts

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5684)

01-09-2011, 00:49

So I may be naive in actually expecting some nice entries this year?
It's 'only' september now. 5 more months to go, with 2 games finished and 8 announced.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5684)

01-09-2011, 06:46

And as we experienced before, some 'surprise' stuff suddenly gets published only days before the deadline.
I'm kind of hoping that will be the case. But I don't know.

By Huey

Prophet (2696)

01-09-2011, 07:47

MSXdev is dead. Yes like MSX is dead.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

04-04-2012, 06:35

Quote:

there is no need of any competition. if one have time can develop any game. Who need a competition?
MSXDev11 is already dead. (Even if someone will disagree). Just facts

Yes. So it proved to be. And to this day, we all still eagerly await PingPong's first positive remark ever, about anything at all, in his entire MRC career.
So, how's the development going, dude? Good? Oh wait. Never mind.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

07-04-2012, 18:58

JohnHassink wrote:

Quote:

there is no need of any competition. if one have time can develop any game. Who need a competition?
MSXDev11 is already dead. (Even if someone will disagree). Just facts

Maybe the requirement needed to express some considerations about msxdev is to make games?
where is this stated?
I've the same right of you to write in this forum. like any other people.

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6566)

07-04-2012, 19:13

PingPong wrote:

Maybe the requirement needed to express some considerations about msxdev is to make games?
where is this stated?
I've the same right of you to write in this forum. like any other people.

So, maybe we can expect something from you, but don't submit it to a contest, as you don't need a contest to code something. And as you are not interested by contests, don't express any word about them, there are so many other things that you can discuss on this forum ! FYI : MSXdev' is not dead !

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

07-04-2012, 19:58

PingPong wrote:

I've the same right of you to write in this forum. like any other people.

Sure you do, and that's why I have the right to rip on you for being a pugnacious, cynical person.
It works both ways. Apart from that it's not a right, but a privilege.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

07-04-2012, 20:57

JohnHassink wrote:

PingPong wrote:

I've the same right of you to write in this forum. like any other people.

Sure you do, and that's why I have the right to rip on you for being a pugnacious, cynical person.
It works both ways. Apart from that it's not a right, but a privilege.

No, that's the point. you've no right to be injurious to me. I've not expressed my opinion about you or other. So please do not do the same on me.
My considerations about MSXDEV are a my personal point of view, that i'm free to express on this forum like any one without being object of stupid criticism.
The only think you can do is to reply to me and stating that you disagree with my opinion. Like what some more educated people did to my considerations.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

07-04-2012, 21:01

@johnhassink: and to be more honest. do not think i've a good opinion of people like you. but because is OT, i will not express anything about you.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

07-04-2012, 21:07

mars2000you][quote=PingPong wrote:

I will repeat my self: the right to express opinion about contexts is somewhat related to being a game developer?
That's a very democratic thing

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1803)

07-04-2012, 21:07

OK guys, stay on topic and stay friendly, or I'll lock the comments on this page.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

07-04-2012, 21:19

PingPong wrote:

@johnhassink: and to be more honest. do not think i've a good opinion of people like you. but because is OT, i will not express anything about you.

So what are "people like me"? Do you know me? If you have a problem and do not want to express it here you can send an e-mail. Just go ahead. You seem to know me, so I'm very interested.

By PingPong

Enlighted (4156)

07-04-2012, 21:24

JohnHassink wrote:

PingPong wrote:

@johnhassink: and to be more honest. do not think i've a good opinion of people like you. but because is OT, i will not express anything about you.

So what are "people like me"? Do you know me? If you have a problem and do not want to express it here you can send an e-mail. Just go ahead.

I do not need to know you. Your post tell about you. Some other have expressed opinions RADICALLY different from mine. But no one judged me in any way.
And i've never expressed personal opinion about anyone, even if (like any other) i surely have
I will not reply to your post here, because is OT. From now i will stay in topic regardless your post.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

08-04-2012, 06:45

PingPong wrote:

I do not need to know you. Your post tell about you. Some other have expressed opinions RADICALLY different from mine. But no one do not judged me in any way.
And i've never expressed personal opinion about anyone, even if (like any other) i surely have
I will not reply to your post here, because is OT. From now i will stay in topic regardless your post.

You must be psychic, then. Just go ahead being negative - it is your 'right'. I'll just go ahead 'judging' you when I feel you are being negative, for it is my 'right' as well. If you can't handle that, it's your problem.
I didn't even mean it so bad as you apparently interpret it; in my 'judgement' you were being overly negative and you got proven wrong, so I pointed that out. That's life, don't have to cry about it.

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1803)

07-04-2012, 21:36

Okay, comments locked. Please fight it out somewhere else.

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