The Making of Prince of Persia

This was an entertaining read through the lens of a 20-something Jordan as he works on the classic Prince of Persia. It's an instructive read for anyone who is an entrepreneur or a maker. You sit in the mind of another maker and see first-hand the rollercoaster. There are weeks full of doubt and procrastination. Sometimes, the procrastination would last eight months. Then motivation would strike, and Jordan would work obsessively, sometimes leaving work by 3am.

The book is a collection of Jordan's own diaries written during this time period. They are augmented with modern-day notes from him on the sides. But I wish he had added more details. For example, one of the most innovative things Jordan did was use motion capture, probably one of the very first case of the use of mocap in a video game. How did he come to that, or why did he decide to do that? It wasn't covered in this book.

Or,when PoP launches, it feels like a flop. It doesn't catch on. It's frustrating for everyone. This is never addressed. It's only mentioned in passing that Jordan receives a sizable monthly check from loyalties one day. But it felt very anticlimactic. The book quickly starts to fizzle. Or maybe its Jordan maturing and being less fazed with the ups and down of life.

On the whole, its a very enjoyable read, highly recommended to fans of the game