In the longterm, is competition going to be something that is viable between the different currencies?
Possibly.
Things just look like a big mess right now,
Yes.
I can imagine it getting worse as more and more alts come into play.
Absolutely
Is it possible that any of these might be adopted?
Unlikely.
Will some of them die out?
Alsmost certainly.
And what will them dying out look like? People not using them, not mining them?
Probably