- Joined
- Aug 26, 2014
- Messages
- 305
- Location
- Texas. (Mars during summer)
Rep Bank
$1,015
$1,015
User Power: 143%
If you’re a child of the 1980s, you might remember Prince of Persia. It was a videogame with a very basic story (save the princess), in a basic environment (Persian castle), with basic enemies (a few ugly guys and “shadow man”). For the old days, its graphic and its gameplay were revolutionary (heck, it’s fun to play it today). Fast-forward a few years, and Prince of Persia is a franchise which includes a movie, several adaptations and quite a decent fanbase.
But, what is Prince of Persia (PoP), and how does it relate to this forum?
I recently “discovered” that PoP is the final product of a long personal process of struggles and commitment to hard-work. Not many people know that PoP’s creator, Jordan Mechner, was just a dropout student, a Hollywood screenwriter wannabe and the creator of a videogame titled Karateka.
Even less people know that he published a wonderful book, titled "The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985 - 1993", that as the title implies is a transcript of his personal notes from 1985 to 1993. It's an easy read, not meant to be the next great American literary work.
The journal clearly shows the PROCESS that Mechner had to go through. Mind that, he did not plan the process - at least not in its entirety. He created it, adapted it, followed it, failed at it, and won at it.
It all started with a simple idea (Princess in a castle in an exotic environment), and the idea was followed by fear. Yes, pure and simple fear. After fear, there was hard work (which included politicking around). It is clear that by "hard work" Mr Mechner did not mean working twelve hours a day. Mechner did put in the required hours, but for him hard work meant getting out of the comfort zone, and face his own fears.
What struck me is that even AFTER the product was released, the fears were still there. Mechner did want a hit game, he knewthat his game had all the potential to be a hit. He believed in his product. Yet, the first sale numbers were abysmal, especially compared to games such as Choplifter (it was fun, but it's now mostly forgotten). Fear didn't leave him until much later.
I strongly suggest the book for those interested in seeing a process unfold. It took Mechner years to develop PoP, it took him years to understand his own product. But he started from somewhere:
October 21, 1985 - Today I wrote the first lines of code for the game. It begins.
But, what is Prince of Persia (PoP), and how does it relate to this forum?
I recently “discovered” that PoP is the final product of a long personal process of struggles and commitment to hard-work. Not many people know that PoP’s creator, Jordan Mechner, was just a dropout student, a Hollywood screenwriter wannabe and the creator of a videogame titled Karateka.
Even less people know that he published a wonderful book, titled "The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985 - 1993", that as the title implies is a transcript of his personal notes from 1985 to 1993. It's an easy read, not meant to be the next great American literary work.
The journal clearly shows the PROCESS that Mechner had to go through. Mind that, he did not plan the process - at least not in its entirety. He created it, adapted it, followed it, failed at it, and won at it.
It all started with a simple idea (Princess in a castle in an exotic environment), and the idea was followed by fear. Yes, pure and simple fear. After fear, there was hard work (which included politicking around). It is clear that by "hard work" Mr Mechner did not mean working twelve hours a day. Mechner did put in the required hours, but for him hard work meant getting out of the comfort zone, and face his own fears.
What struck me is that even AFTER the product was released, the fears were still there. Mechner did want a hit game, he knewthat his game had all the potential to be a hit. He believed in his product. Yet, the first sale numbers were abysmal, especially compared to games such as Choplifter (it was fun, but it's now mostly forgotten). Fear didn't leave him until much later.
I strongly suggest the book for those interested in seeing a process unfold. It took Mechner years to develop PoP, it took him years to understand his own product. But he started from somewhere:
October 21, 1985 - Today I wrote the first lines of code for the game. It begins.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
