June 22, 1989
Went to Las Parrillas in San Rafael for Diana Slade’s goodbye dinner with a dozen other Broderbund receptionists past and present, who all seemed to be about 21. Brian, Peter LaDeau, Matt Siegel and I were the only guys in a sea of Kerris and Kristys.
Afterwards we all went next door to George’s and Brian gave me a serious talking-to about the IBM conversion. He said that Bill McD, after consultation with Gary and Doug, is planning to make me an offer to do IBM POP as an in-house conversion – ideally, by Lance – at a “reasonable royalty” that “takes everyone’s interests into account.” Meaning they’d go up from the contractual 6%. This is good news. It means they’re as anxious to get the IBM conversion going as I am. As Brian said: “You have to shit or get off the pot.”
I’ve been sitting on this pot for months now, doing a lot of groaning and pushing, and I have absolutely nothing to show for it. And I’m out $3250.
June 23, 1989
Doug came up to me at Happy Hour and said cheerfully: “Hoist on your own petard!” Four years ago, I asked for – and got – the contractual right of first refusal to do my own conversions. They don’t give programmers that right any more, and my flailing about with Doug Greene and Jim St. Louis has just proved why.
I understood what Doug was saying. They’re going to make me an offer, and I should accept it.
June 24, 1989
Peter LaDeau rescued me from the office (“Come on, man, what are you doing here?”) and brought me to Brian’s house and then to the Gemini Party in Corte Madera. My third night in a row partying with my product manager.
Everybody is convinced POP is going to be a megahit. “It’s another Choplifter!” said Chris Jochumson. Of course, nobody knows anything, but it’s still heartening.
June 25, 1989
I’m supposed to have three screen shots ready by Wednesday. To say after two and a half years: “This is it – this is what the game looks like, it’s never going to get any better – you can go ahead and photograph it and put it on the box.” This terrifies me.
I’m waiting for Doug or Bill or Gary to call and make me the offer I can’t refuse. Will it be 7%? 8%? 10%? I wish they’d surprise me and offer 10%. But knowing how tight they are with money, I’m expecting between 6 and 7%.
Each royalty point could be worth as much as $10-15,000. So the stakes are quite high. I should drive as hard a bargain as I can.
On the other hand, I’m doing this for love too, not just money.
June 26, 1989
Got a call from Brian inviting me to meet with him and Bill tomorrow afternoon. Guess this is it.
I passed through the programmers’ area this morning and was nearly swamped by praise, some of it tinged with envy. “I hear Prince of Persia’s going to be a megahit,” said Glenn. “I guess lightning does strike twice.”
“I hope you’ve begun your training,” Doug remarked at Gary’s birthday party Thursday. “Heavy weights… endurance… holding your breath for two minutes underwater. Remember, this rafting trip is less than six weeks away.”
June 27, 1989
Bill surprised me. He offered 8%, to go up to 10% after 30,000 units have been sold. It’s such a fair offer, it practically restored my faith in Broderbund singlehandedly. It’s not definite that Lance will be the one to do the conversion, but it seems pretty likely.
I’m happy.
Box sketch came in today. Total nightmare. Not the sketch, but the process of dealing with Paul and others to agree on what to tell the artist. Paul has zero interpersonal skills.
Another nightmare is the box copy. The art department’s new draft sucks. I asked Brian if he could throw a fit and insist they use my draft? He seemed willing to try.
In the 15 minutes of the day that weren’t spent in negotiations of one kind or another, I did manage to get three screens ready for the photo shoot tomorrow.
