Design Better Podcast Summary: Jordan Mechner – Pioneering Game Designer and Storyteller

Episode Title: Jordan Mechner: Pioneering game designer on creating Prince of Persia, Karateka, and a new graphic novel memoir
Host: The Curiosity Department, LLC
Release Date: April 8, 2025

In this captivating episode of Design Better, co-hosts Eli Woolery and Aarron Walter engage in an in-depth conversation with legendary game designer Jordan Mechner. Known for creating iconic titles such as Karateka and Prince of Persia, Mechner delves into his creative journey, the evolution of storytelling in video games, and his latest venture into graphic novel memoirs. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn from their rich dialogue.

1. Early Inspirations and Self-Taught Beginnings

Jordan Mechner opens the discussion by emphasizing the importance of an internal metric of success for artists. He shares:

“For an artist, it's important to have your own internal metric of success, which is, why am I doing this? What do I want to achieve, or what do I want to communicate?” (00:02).

Growing up in the 1980s, Mechner was inspired by early computer games on platforms like the Apple II. He recounts teaching himself programming by typing programs in BASIC from books and magazines, modifying them to create his own games. His first ambitious project was an Asteroids knockoff, reflecting his initial focus on arcade-style games.

“I really learned programming while typing programs in BASIC from books and magazines into the computer and then running them and then modifying them, tweaking them.” (05:22)

2. Transition from Arcade Clones to Narrative-Driven Games

Mechner describes the shift from creating simple arcade clones to developing story-rich games. The turning point came after his Asteroids clone was shelved due to legal pressures, prompting him to explore original concepts. Inspired by the game Choplifter, which combined engaging storytelling with gameplay, Mechner realized the potential of video games as an audiovisual storytelling medium.

“Choplifter led to Karateka. That took me two more years to bring that game to completion.” (09:26)

He further explains how Karateka evolved from a basic fighting game to a narrative-driven experience focusing on rescuing a kidnapped love interest. This shift marked his dedication to integrating cinematic elements and emotional engagement into gameplay.

“It's just, you're in this situation, you know, your true love has been kidnapped by the evil warlord who's taken her to his mountain castle, and you have to fight your way into the fortress, save her and be reunited.” (09:26)

3. The Role of Storytelling and Cinematic Techniques

Storytelling remains a central theme in Mechner's work. He highlights how Karateka incorporated cinematic techniques such as rotoscoping and smooth scrolling to create a movie-like experience on the limited hardware of the Apple II.

“It was really like a little interactive animated movie.” (11:00)

Mechner's father played a pivotal role in adding emotional depth to his games by composing music. Despite technological limitations, they devised a method to transpose piano compositions into the game's soundscape, enhancing the dramatic and emotional resonance.

“He actually composed the music for Karateka. And his references were Wagner operas, you know, with the leitmotif approach.” (17:49)

4. Influences Beyond Gaming

Beyond gaming, Mechner's diverse interests in classical music, art history, and film significantly influenced his game design. He draws inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints and classical operas, integrating these elements to create visually and emotionally rich game environments.

“The visual look of Karateka was informed by Japanese woodblock prints. Like I knew about Hokusai and the Mount Fuji print.” (15:57)

His exposure to a wide range of artistic disciplines during his college years at Yale enriched his creative process, allowing him to blend different art forms into his game designs seamlessly.

5. The Power of Journaling in Creative Development

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Mechner's practice of journaling during his game development process. Initially sporadic, his journaling became consistent during his college years, providing a valuable record of his creative evolution.

“Keeping a journal is something that I had sort of done off and on throughout my childhood. And early teenage years.” (18:56)

Mechner explains how journaling allowed him to document challenges, breakthroughs, and the iterative process of game design. This habit not only aided his personal growth but also resulted in the publication of The Making of Prince of Persia, offering aspiring game developers and creatives an unfiltered glimpse into his methodology.

“Somebody kind of is interpreting their life and shaping it in such a way that, you know, then I learned this lesson. And the journal is just like what they wrote while it was happening at the end of the day.” (22:05)

6. Reflections on Early Success and Personal Growth

Mechner reflects on his early success and its impact on his personal and professional life. Balancing his passion for storytelling with the practicalities of programming, he navigated the challenges of being a young creator in a nascent industry.

“I was more interested in movies and film. And the visual look of Karateka was informed by Japanese woodblock prints.” (15:57)

He acknowledges the support and influence of his father, whose contributions extended beyond music to offering creative insights that shaped his games' emotional landscapes.

“He said, well, your game has beeps. You know, the beeps all have different tones. It was like, yeah, because if you toggle the speaker at different frequencies, you can change the pitch.” (16:02)

7. Legacy and Continued Influence

The episode concludes with Mechner discussing his ongoing passion for storytelling through various mediums, including his latest graphic novel memoir, Replay. He underscores the enduring significance of narrative in interactive media and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling in video games.

“So this is a valuable record of that time and how these games were made, and also just what the world was like, what the industry was like, and that it could maybe be interesting for young game developers.” (21:00)

Conclusion

Jordan Mechner's journey from a self-taught programmer to a pioneering game designer underscores the profound impact of storytelling and artistic vision in the realm of video games. His dedication to integrating cinematic elements and emotional depth set new standards for interactive media. Through his journals and published works, Mechner continues to inspire and educate future generations of creatives, emphasizing the importance of passion, perseverance, and thoughtful documentation in the creative process.

Notable Quotes:

• Jordan Mechner (00:02): “For an artist, it's important to have your own internal metric of success... I'm always making it for one person.”

• Jordan Mechner (05:22): “I really learned programming while typing programs in BASIC from books and magazines... My first really ambitious project was an Asteroids knockoff.”

• Jordan Mechner (09:26): “Karateka... it's just, you're in this situation, you know, your true love has been kidnapped... you have to fight your way into the fortress, save her and be reunited.”

• Jordan Mechner (17:49): “He actually composed the music for Karateka... with the leitmotif approach.”

• Jordan Mechner (22:05): “The journal is just like what they wrote while it was happening at the end of the day. And it's unfiltered.”

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