Comments on: Defending the Sands of Time http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/ Video game design tips from the creator of Prince of Persia, plus news and information about his projects. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:30:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Srikanth Boorela http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/#comment-2149 Srikanth Boorela Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:27:30 +0000 http://jordanmechner.com/?p=2603#comment-2149 Hi, I am a great fan of you and played both 3d and 2d versions of the game... but I was disappointed with the names you put in the 3D version of the game. Persia is different and India is different, "Maharajah" describes "Great King" in Hindi/Sanskrit. But in Persia he will be called as Badshah or Sehenshah. So this disappointed me. Hi, I am a great fan of you and played both 3d and 2d versions of the game… but I was disappointed with the names you put in the 3D version of the game. Persia is different and India is different, “Maharajah” describes “Great King” in Hindi/Sanskrit. But in Persia he will be called as Badshah or Sehenshah. So this disappointed me.

]]> By: Nick http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/#comment-1645 Nick Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:44:38 +0000 http://jordanmechner.com/?p=2603#comment-1645 Though videogames have steadily become more cinematic over the years their intrinsic purpose is still to allow for player interaction, and to effectively do this they often need to employ different narrative techniques. I don't think this cheapens them in any way, they're just serving a different purpose. Some games work better with fleshed out stories, and some don't. The Sands of Time was beautifully constructed, and I always thought it stood strongly as a standalone title. Though videogames have steadily become more cinematic over the years their intrinsic purpose is still to allow for player interaction, and to effectively do this they often need to employ different narrative techniques.

I don’t think this cheapens them in any way, they’re just serving a different purpose. Some games work better with fleshed out stories, and some don’t.

The Sands of Time was beautifully constructed, and I always thought it stood strongly as a standalone title.

]]> By: Victor Carias http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/#comment-1555 Victor Carias Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:04:17 +0000 http://jordanmechner.com/?p=2603#comment-1555 if people don't appreciate prince of persia, that's their thing. sands of time was the inspiration for my career choice, it's a very inspirational game, not just 'cause of the unique gameplay, but the dialogue, storyline, and love elements all tie in perfectly. it's harmony in the form of a video game really. i'm sure many people are ready to back up prince of persia at any moment, including myself. i often spend a couple minutes at a time wondering what a true sequel to sands of time would've been like (since warrior within wasn't really your intention of the sequel) Jordan, please, make a sequel to sands of time, the way YOU wanted it, i would love that. if people don’t appreciate prince of persia, that’s their thing.
sands of time was the inspiration for my career choice, it’s a very inspirational game, not just ’cause of the unique gameplay, but the dialogue, storyline, and love elements all tie in perfectly. it’s harmony in the form of a video game really. i’m sure many people are ready to back up prince of persia at any moment, including myself.

i often spend a couple minutes at a time wondering what a true sequel to sands of time would’ve been like (since warrior within wasn’t really your intention of the sequel)
Jordan, please, make a sequel to sands of time, the way YOU wanted it, i would love that.

]]> By: adamzanzie http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/#comment-1545 adamzanzie Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:26:56 +0000 http://jordanmechner.com/?p=2603#comment-1545 Don't worry, I've been there. But I think it's only natural to accidentally reduce the quality of video games when comparing them to film. After all, when we first think of games, well... we DON'T immediately think about plot. Now, of course, "The Last Express" was an exception, since you and Tomi Pierce literally constructed 75% of the game with dialogue. "Prince of Persia" is obviously at a disadvantage in that regard, since the action sequences (and the body count) are much higher. Yet it most certainly has a wonderful story- not to mention characters who are both likable and who even make sense! Still, video games are at a slow and steady pace in being accepted as a serious artistic medium. This may explain Roger Ebert's refusal to accept video games as art; he assumes that because it's the audience manipulating the form instead of the artist, it defeats its own purpose, Jake LaMotta-steak style. However, you could have made the same argument that film ruins the imagery in literature that ought to be left up to the imagination of the reader. Don’t worry, I’ve been there. But I think it’s only natural to accidentally reduce the quality of video games when comparing them to film. After all, when we first think of games, well… we DON’T immediately think about plot. Now, of course, “The Last Express” was an exception, since you and Tomi Pierce literally constructed 75% of the game with dialogue. “Prince of Persia” is obviously at a disadvantage in that regard, since the action sequences (and the body count) are much higher. Yet it most certainly has a wonderful story- not to mention characters who are both likable and who even make sense!

Still, video games are at a slow and steady pace in being accepted as a serious artistic medium. This may explain Roger Ebert’s refusal to accept video games as art; he assumes that because it’s the audience manipulating the form instead of the artist, it defeats its own purpose, Jake LaMotta-steak style. However, you could have made the same argument that film ruins the imagery in literature that ought to be left up to the imagination of the reader.

]]> By: Arvin http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2009/10/defending-the-sands-of-time/#comment-1544 Arvin Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:29:09 +0000 http://jordanmechner.com/?p=2603#comment-1544 It's funny how vehemently the video game community rallied around its genre before by talking about how the experience of gameplay is paramount to a good story, and when someone says something that supports such a theory (as per your comments), it gets interpreted as insulting to the medium. It’s funny how vehemently the video game community rallied around its genre before by talking about how the experience of gameplay is paramount to a good story, and when someone says something that supports such a theory (as per your comments), it gets interpreted as insulting to the medium.

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