I don't really care much for M-Box myself.
No idea why people tend to be so fond of it. There is no definition available, so you might as well work from the G-Box for example.
The m-box is only popular because its the only relatively late box with a definitions file.
That definitions file exists (and is public) only because I made it (and made it public), and m-box was what I started working with (because I didn't know any better). Everybody else was busy playing secret handshake games and "omg I can't tell you anything because i spent so much money and you're a noob and blah blah blah"
If I could do it all over, i'd have done it with k-box.
If anything, the fully spec'd definition files make learning hard, because of the # of maps.
If somebody makes a pared down def file, with the "important" maps, you can bet that will be popular.
I agree, there is nothing fundamentally special about m-box itself.
It really only comes down to map pack availability.
I am thinking about taking your def and making a pared down k-box map pack and converting.
problem is, i need it all in a .kp :/
any progress in making a xdf->kp converter?