Michael. May I suggest you please take the following points under considderation:
1: For many blind people, the option simply does not exist to "go and play the original game" because it is a completely graphical game. For this reason alone, making an audio version which will be accessible to the entire visually impared community is an extremely worthwhile thing to do in and of itself, in the same way that converting books into braille and large print, making modifications to websites or software for screen readers and magnifyers, and producing audio descriptions (or indeed subtitles), for films are worthwhile things to do, simply because they decreace the amount of activities, choices and pleasures which disabled people cannot engage in by virtue of possessing a disability. 2: given that producing an accessible game remake is a worthwhile thing to do, if that remake can preserve the best elements of the original game, then it is clearly a successful remake, using the original layout is therefore an advantage. 3: I'm afraid I fail to understand precisely what you mean by "bringing the blind community into the 21st century" As far as I know, there weren't any audio games produced in 1984 when the original Monti was published. given that Audio game developement started much later than mainstream game developement, and involves far fewer resources etc, it does not seem that comparing audio games to "modern" games is either a fair or reasonabel comparison. Given the state of audio game developement, any audio game that takes a step forward, introduces inervative features etc is "Bringing bthe blind community into the 21st century." Montizuma's Revenge represents a large step forward in audio game developement, sinse it will be the first audio 2D exploration platformer, as well as the first audio game to feature extensive vertical as well as horizontal scrolling in a completely 2D environment. 4: sinse montizuma's revenge has recieved two graphical remakes, ----- one involving highly complex 3D graphics submitted to the retroremakes.com competition in late 2006, Montizuma's revenge may in fact be considdered a "modern" game even by the standard you seem to be employing. More generally, the 2D platforming genre continues to be extremely popular in the mainstream gaming world, with games like Mega Man Zx being released for the nintendo Ds in 2006, with a sequel already well in developement. 5: sinse Thom's montizuma game will employ features such as saving, and use extensive well-sampled audio, which certainly would not have been available to the Parker brothers in 1984, even if your claime that audio games should be "Modern" is justifyable, montizuma's revenge stil qualifies in many respects. All the best, Dark. _______________________________________________ Gamers mailing list .. Gamers@audyssey.org To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can visit http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make any subscription changes via the web.