LOL the problem with summer holidays, is which summer do you use? southern hemisphere or northern hemisphere?

I can't see us being able to please everyone with the timing of the competitions...

I work full time so I put in whatever time I can when I can

I have some suggestions:

1. a bunch of smaller separate competitions perhaps? Maybe some smaller compos with separate themes to make an overall competition.
2. we decide on a theme, and then we get all the competitors to make sprites for it. Then everyone uses these sprites to do a game.
3. we get everyone to make some random sprites, and THEN pick a theme/game type to create using them.
4. do as chronozphere suggested - make a fighting game server, and everyone has to make bots or similar to fight in it.

cheers,
Paul