Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage

For the subpage containing most images related to Icebreaker iOS, please see Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage/Gallery

Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage, alternatively known as Ice Breaker iOS, is a puzzle physics game to be released for iOS devices past January 2013. The game will also be the fourth installment of the Ice Breaker series, retaining its core gameplay.

Despite high demand for its release to Android devices, Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage is to be exclusively developed for iOS devices at the moment. Developing the game for other devices may be considered after its planned release.

Controls
Drag Finger - Slice

Double finger tap - Zoom in on screen. Tapping again while zoomed in zooms the screen out. Zooming in allows for more precise cuts to be made.

When dragging a finger to create a line the second finger can be used to adjust the starting point of the line.

Specifications
Bigger and Smaller in the In-level sprites scaling section refer to the sprites seen during each level of Ice Breaker iOS. For an explanation on these sprites, please see Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage/Gallery.

For more information regarding the differences between the resolutions of the game when played on a different Apple tablet, please see the resolutions section of this article.

Plot
Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage begins with the player taking part in the annual Hammerfest competition, when a cold icy wind blows all the Vikings away , save for the player and the viking chief. What is possibly the intro is seen at the start of the Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage trailer.

Levels
Ice Breaker iOS will feature an explorable map, where levels will be accessed from. Also available on the map are side quests, and found at places where the map ends are bosses. The exploration map would be based off of ones found in 16-bit platformer games such as the Super Mario Series.

Level screen
When a level is accessed, the name of the level is displayed along with a few indicators below. As seen on a screenshot from Ice Breaker iOS.com, three indicators are revealed: a sword, a mast, and a coin holder.

The sword indicator will be featured for every level, as the sword is necessary for every level. Indicated by the sword is how many cuts the player made to complete the level.

It is still uncertain what the mast is for, although the number on it increases by one for every cut the player makes in certain levels

The circle-like objects are coins, this indicator likely indicating how many coins the player has collected in the level.

Navigation


Navigating through the exploration map is designed to be simple yet add more of a sense of adventure to the game's experience. Upon tapping a particular level, the longboat on the map moves to the selection. Tapping it again once the player's longboat is over the level will initiate the start of it. Alternatively, the play button at the lower left side of the screen can be clicked to begin playing the current level.

Completion of a level unlocks the level on the current path that comes after the completed level. Some paths of the map split, with one path having one set of level and another path having another set of level. When there are forks in the path like this, completing a level that branches into two separate paths will unlock the level that is at the start of each of the separate paths.

Sidequests
Some levels have multiple objectives, called sidequests. These levels will not only have the objective of getting the Vikings back to a longboat, but secondary objectives such as also getting a Shepard's lost goats back to the Shepard's longboat.

Completing more than one objective in a level will open other levels, or advance the player farther down their current path. The player will also gain symbols on that level based on their completion.

Unlocked and locked levels
Levels the player can play are seen in full colour, while levels that are yet to be unlocked are the same colour as the map, and appear as drawings. Unlocking the necessary levels to get to an un-unlocked level will add colour to that level's icon, with the path to that level being filled in.

Genres
Branches in paths have levels which usually are of different genres, but all revolve around a type of element. This is so that if the player finds one path difficult, they can take another, easier path. This has been done to give players freedom so that if one player is stuck on one path they can play the level of another path. Nitrome has stated that by diversifying the map, they could "cater to as wide an audience as possible".

Materials in levels
It was silently revealed that the icon of each levels would have objects in the icon that would appear in the level. For example, a level icon that has a crow on it would have crows in the level; a level that had green moss on it will have slime in level; a level that has a part of the icon made up of black blocks featuring skulls on them will feature runes; etc..

Gates
As seen on level pack 2's map, some maps have gates on them that appear as a Gate Keeper over two grey brick like structures. These gates block the player's path, the Gate Keeper only letting the player through if they give him a certain amount of coins, which can be collected in levels. As seen on level pack 2's map, the wall of the gate extends vertically off the map, but will not continue over a path (for some gates), as seen on level pack 2's first gate.

Set Pieces
Set Pieces is a term Nitrome uses to describe "graphics and events coded and/or produced for a single level of the game". Due to the word choice, originally some fans did not know what Nitrome meant by "Set Pieces" Nitrome said in the 4th update that there were lots of examples of it in the game, and sometimes the set piece is crucial to the gameplay of the level. Nitrome showed an example of a viking in a Norse hot air balloon. The balloon had thrusters on each side of it, which would allow the player to steer the balloon through the obstacles in the level. Set pieces are used to give more individuality to levels in Icebreaker iOS.

Level creation
Nitrome revealed in Update 6 on the Ice Breaker iOS website that levels for the game were created in three steps. Step 1: Nitrome first thinks of a puzzle for the level. After that, they make the necessary parts of the level using the only the objects necessary for the puzzle ("bare minimum of purely functional objects and elements") Step 2: Nitrome adds the coins and treasure chests in the level, adding them in challenging spots. This step sometimes involves changing certain parts of the level or adding new sections Step 3: Nitrome adds decorations and non-interactive art to the level, ranging from simply buildings in the background to enormous trees

Known levels
Since Ice Breaker iOS's reveal, Nitrome has revealed several levels of the game. Although most of the level's haven't been shown where to be found on them map, the basic appearance of the level and its interactive objects have been shown.
 * A very simple level that is probably the first level. There is a wooden structure with a large chunk of ice in the middle, this level having a sign that explains how to cut. The ice is placed in such a way that it, when cut, falls into the Longboat.

Revealed
The below levels have been revealed in still images released by Nitrome.

Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage trailer

 * For a full list of rooms, please see: Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage/Gallery

These levels have been first seen in the Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage Trailer. Thus, listed may be fragments of other levels.
 * A level that consists of a large stone at the top and bottom of the level. At the far left of the stone is a large piece of ice, which that player has to make gradual cuts at (shortening the ice) and try to slide it into the Longboat - found at the right of the corridor.

Known interactive objects

 * Green slime - an object that debuts in Ice Breaker iOS. Green slime is a slimy object that attaches itself to ice. Ice that passes this will cause a gooey strand of the slime to attach to the ice, this strand being able to be cut
 * Cannons - objects that fire spherical objects that come in contact with it - including Vikings. Two types of cannons exist, although it isn't apparent what is different between the two
 * Chains - holds on to objects
 * Goats - does absolutely nothing, but can probably die if exposed to hazardous objects. Goats can be returned to Sheppard' Longboats
 * Hot Air balloon - a giant Hot Air balloon that holds a Viking in its gondola. With thrusters below its head on either side, cutting one will cause the balloon to move in the opposite direction the thruster is thrusting
 * Crows - holds up objects
 * Gondolas - objects for a Viking to sit in. These structures are sometimes used by the player for traversal, and sometimes held up by crows
 * Ice bombs - explode when cut, can kill Trolls and destroy some structures
 * Coins - can be collected in levels and exchanged wit the Gate Keeper for passage through certain parts of the map
 * Pressurized stone - causes actions proportional to how much weight is on the stone
 * Chicken eggs - although probably no use to the player, chicken eggs will kill Trolls upon passing them
 * Treasure chests - Uncertain what they do, as one is never seen used

Known hazards

 * Fist blocks - spiked blocks that punch down and can kill Vikings via this move. Fist blocks are operated by chains
 * Runes - deadly ground that kills the player on contact
 * Giant faces - giant faces cut out of rocks that are capable of opening their mouths. Some vomit an apparently toxic liquid that kill Vikings on contact
 * Spiked slabs - spiked beams that rotate, kill the player on contact
 * Spiked spears - spears with a spike ball on the end, kill the player on contact
 * Spike sphere - an enormous spiked ball that rolls down one level

Known enemies

 * Trolls - stationary enemies that kill Vikings on contact. Trolls can be killed via being caught in the blast of an ice bomb, crushed to death, or bye chicken eggs
 * Skull demons - flying, skull-headed enemies that kill Vikings on contact

Features
Ice Breaker iOS will presumably have much of the features the previous Ice Breaker game had.
 * From the site and seen from the images, much like how Cave Chaos 2's art was greater than the original Cave Chaos's art, Ice Breaker iOS's art is much more detailed and contains more colour than art from the previous games.
 * The game will have "Beautiful Water Physics" (named on the site). This indicates that water will no longer act as a .gif (as seen in previous games), but will may ripple, splash, bend, or act differently depending on other objects.
 * Also featured in the game is a "Custom Rope Engine" (as named on the game's website). From this, it is possible that ropes will be given more freedom with their actions, such as being able to bend and stretch.
 * The game will incorporate Box 2D physics into levels.
 * Side quests - Relating to a The Legend of Zelda side quest where the player can collect chickens to for helpless villagers, Viking Voyage will have side quests which have two objectives. Side quests will have the player's vikings and some sort of other mechanic in the level. One outcome will be to only get the vikings back to the boat, while the other will be to get the vikings back to the boat and (with the provided tools) also perform another task. For example, one side quest has an objective where the player has to cut ice so that they can get the vikings back to the longboat and the goats also placed on the ice back to a longboat commanded by a Shepard. By just saving the vikings and leaving the goats stranded, the player will advance in the level but fail to complete the secondary task. Through getting the vikings and goats to their specific longboats, they will unlock a new route on the map to explore. Many levels have two objectives, some not at first apparent.
 * Found in some levels (and first silently revealed in the goat side quest mentioned above) are coins. Coins can be collected in levels, and can be exchanged on the map with the Gate Keeper in order to pass through the gate.
 * Nitrome plans to include level packs with the purchase of Ice Breaker iOS. They also hope to release purchasable level packs after the release of the game.
 * The game's resolution will differ between iPhone that the game is played on.

Resolution
As covered in update 3, the resolution of the game differs from Apple tablet used. iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4th Generation, iPad 1, iPad 2, and iPad 3 all have retina display.

Older iPhones will not support retina display, and neither will the older iPhone 3s and iPhone 3rd Generation.

The iPhone's with retina display (iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPod Touch 4th Generation, iPod Touch 5th Generation, iPad 1, iPad 2, and iPad 3 ) will display detailed sprites for characters and images, and shows sprites at 1 to 1 pixel ratio. The iPad's considerably larger screen allows for more of the screen to be seen.

The game's levels are viewed in landscape mode when played on the iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5.

The iPhone's lacking retina display (Older iPhones, iPhone 3s and iPhone 3rd Generation) will show the game with the less detailed sprites than the retina supporting versions (sprites such as scenery, characters, etc.). These sprites will be scaled down for the non-retina iPhones. As some sprites did not look very good scaled, Nirome has "purposely redrawn" some of the sprites for the scaled down tablets.

The sprites used for the "scale down" tablets are used on the map of the game, regardless of what Apple tablet is is played on. This is because smaller sprites are needed for the map icons.

Previews

 * Main article: Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage/Gallery

On July 12, 2012, Nitrome added an extra tab for iPhone on Nitrome.com, and a website for the game.

Preview sprites

 * Images: Ice Breaker: A Viking Voyage/Gallery

Sprites of characters were provided with the third Ice Breaker iOS update. As the resolution of the game is different depending on Apple tablet used, two different images are provided with the update: a large sprite and smaller sprite.

The large sprite for that character is the sprite of the character seen when the game is played on an Apple tablet that supports retina display (these tablets being iPad 1, iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, and iPhone 4th generation). The smaller sprite is the sprite seen when the game is played on a non retina iPhone and non retina iPod Touch (these "non retina" iPod Touches being iPhone 3s and iPhone 3rd generation).

Regardless of what Apple tablet Ice Breaker iOS is played on, the smaller sprites are used on the map.

Trailer
On December 12th 2012, Nitrome released a trailer for Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage.

Website

 * Main article: Ice Breaker iOS website

Level packs
Nitrome revealed in their first Developer Diary that Ice Breaker iOS will consists of level packs, each pack containing levels for the player to play. Three packs are planned to be included with the first release of the game, with Nitrome hoping to release other packs after the release of the game.

Level pack 1
Level pack 1 is the first level pack to be included in Ice Breaker iOS, being included with the purchase of the game (along with level pack 2 and 3). Level pack 1 serves as a tutorial to the game, and consisting initially' of 5 levels. Nitrome has stated that "more will be added soon, but we [Nitrome] don't want to split how", indicating that this level pack will have levels that can be unlocked. Completion of the initial five levels brings the player to a "story" (likely consisting completely of text and image) that leads them into the "main adventure".

As only level pack 2 is mentioned to have a map, it is possible level pack 1 will lack a map entirely.

Level pack 2
Level pack 2 is the second Ice Breaker iOS level pack, being included with the purchase of the game (along with level pack 1 and 3). Level pack 2 consists of 36 levels that are spread across a map.

Level pack 3
Level pack 3 is the third Ice Breaker iOS level pack, being included with the purchase of the game (along with level pack 1 and 2). This level pack's levels have not been revealed yet, but it has been revealed that it will have a "similar number of levels as the second pack". As Nitrome has also revealed in their first Developer Diary, "It's looking like there will be 80+ levels for launch", level pack 3 will probably have more than 36 levels.

Differences from the flash series
Nitrome revealed in Update 6 on the Ice Breaker iOS website the transitions they had to make from the flash series to the iOS Ice Breaker game. Changes include:
 * The ice breaker in the iOS Ice Breaker holding the hammer end in his left hand instead of in his right hand
 * The noticeable difference in graphics, mainly due to Martin Wörister handling the game's graphics instead of Markus Heinel
 * Sprites given more detail, such as the helmet of certain Vikings appearing more shiny
 * The classic Rat being replaced with a Troll.
 * The addition of more background objects in the iOS Ice Breaker
 * The game's levels navigated via a map instead of a level select screen
 * The iOS Ice Breaker features green water instead of the blue water found in the flash Ice Breaker series

Art
Ice Breaker iOS features much greater art than the previous three games in the series. The art is noticeably more detailed and shaded, and introduces elements such as shiny helmets. Update 6 on the Ice Breaker iOS website was about the transition Nitrome made. Nitrome talked about they first tried to develop an art style that was based off the existing Ice Breaker game (Ice Breaker, Red Clan, Gathering).

Nitromes early on aimed at trying to make characters and objects a certain size as to not affect the gameplay and environment, as these sprites would eventually make it into the game, where they may be go through tight areas. Along with this, they tried to keep the sprites interesting without becoming distracting.

As seen from the provided concept art, some objects went through many iterations, while others only a few. Notably the skull bird creature went through many different designs, evolving from a horned rock shaped beast to a black coloured bird wearing a skull.

Despite Nitrome's attempt to use all the characters they converted from their flash version to the iOS Ice Breaker version, some characters that were converted were not able to make it into the game. An example is the Valkyrie, who, although being given a new look, was cut from the game.

Beta elements
Even before Ice Breaker A Viking Voyage was released, noticeable beta elements were seen. A level first revealed with the 11 reveal photos was partially modified. The level consisted of diagonally left cliff that has a slab of ice at the top, containing a Viking. This level was partially modified to add slime to it, and a slimy rock with a Troll on top of the rock.

Trivia

 * Although not named directly, the maps in Ice Breaker iOS are possibly heavily based off the Grand World Map in Super Mario Galaxy 2, as both maps have designs in the background, a level icon that shows some of the elements in that galaxy, and also separate maps of differing lengths (being the Super Mario Galaxy 2 version of Ice Breaker iOS level packs).
 * Despite the Troll seeming reminiscent of the Trolls drawn by Rien Poortvliet, the artist for this game - Martin Worister - did not base the Ice Breaker iOS troll off the Rien Poortvliet one, despite both looking similar.