The Prince was originally created by Mechner as the protagonist of his new game. His inspiration for the character's athleticism was the opening ten minutes of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", referencing main character Indiana Jones' approach to situations encountered. Indiana Jones' less impervious portrayal compared to other action heroes also influenced Mechner's portrayal of the Prince. The character was based on multiple similar figures in ancient literature, including "One Thousand and One Nights". The character's movements were created using rotoscoping, with Mechner video taping his brother doing the movements, then mapping them into the game. Originally a plain figure in white clothing, the Prince was restyled for its Japanese release in a turban and baggy pants. This look pleased Mechner, and became associated with the character during the original trilogy. Speaking in 2010, Mechner said that during his time writing the series bible for the production of future "Prince of Persia" games, he was attempting to force the character into the conventions of western fiction, forgetting the character's literary origins. By the time "Prince of Persia 3D" released to a lukewarm response, Mechner was actually pleased that the Prince had run his course, as he no longer recognized the character.