Hi, I’m Will, and I’m learning to make games!
In summer 2023, I released a game called Icebreaker for PICO-8. I was really happy with how it turned out at the time, but looking back on it, I feel unsatisfied.
For reference, you can play that version of Icebreaker here; it’ll stay up even after the new version is done.
If you aren’t familiar with PICO-8, it’s a brilliant fantasy console made by zep. It includes a suite of simple tools for game development, and it emulates the hardware limitations of early game consoles, including a limited resolution and tiny file sizes for games.
As I wrote on that original post from last year, I was motivated to make a PICO-8 game with twitchy action and visual polish as I hadn’t seen many examples of that feel within the community. I think I partly achieved those, but there were a lot of design choices I made that don’t really contribute to that goal, and many that are half- (or even quarter-) baked.
So! I’ve decided to remake Icebreaker from the ground up, documenting my progress so hopefully others can learn something from my mistakes.
Setting goals
The biggest issue with the original version is a lack of direction, resulting in a half-finished game that doesn’t really lead the player anywhere. I’m starting this project by setting clear goals and analysing what features and mechanics will really push the game in the direction I want.
My core vision is as follows: a top-down action game where you play as a soldier, fighting against hordes of ice enemies. The player is equipped with a hammer as their main weapon; this can be thrown at enemies to kill them, and can hit multiple enemies if thrown with correct timing and positioning. The game is a constant push-and-pull between racking up huge combos and score multipliers, while pushing into dangerous positions without losing health.
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Twitchy combat!
By this, I mean reaction-based gameplay demanding precise inputs. There should be an element of stress and tension during gameplay while balancing difficulty so the game isn’t frustrating or too overwhelming. -
Visual polish!
I want nice-looking pixel art and surprising visual elements, including dynamic code-driven animations. There should be visual consistency between all modes and screens, and appealing effects that contribute to a precise but chunky and impactful game-feel. -
Limited scope!
The previous version of Icebreaker has too many inconsequential or pointless features. I want to hone in on the basics (because, in my testing, even the core gameplay is appealing enough) and build a less ambitious but more complete package.
Meeting those goals
A big priority is a proper tutorial. The current version’s tutorial was added very last-minute, and still there were gameplay mechanics that weren’t explained at all, leading to some players getting stuck. I want to add a dedicated mandatory tutorial that steps through each mechanic, which can be replayed at any time for a quick refresher.
The menu needs a redesign; the diegetic hub was cool to look at and interact with, but doesn’t actually add anything to the game. I intended for it to create a smooth transition between the hub and gameplay (where the player always controls the main character), but without the hammer being included in that interaction, that hub ends up being cumbersome and largely inconsequential. I want to go back to a simple 2D menu with a level select and options.
The levels need to be balanced and paced better, ramping up the difficulty much slower than the current version. Combined with the bad tutorial, the difficult starting levels made that version not very player-friendly.
I ideally want to add some slight story/world elements to tie the whole experience together. I’m interested in a lighthearted military aesthetic (à la Advance Wars), with a short repeated cutscene before and after each level. This might be difficult to squeeze into the file size, but it’s a goal if possible.
Improved sprites (especially for the hammer) and UI are also on the list, along with some intro/exit animations (rather than just randomly spawning in at the start of each level).
Also, the infinite play should have a dedicated mode, and should be presented to the player as being equally significant as the story levels. It’s currently an end-game unlock, when really it should be a major feature - perhaps even more important than any finite levels.
Finally, things to cut: attacking was pointless, so I’m getting rid of it so you can only damage enemies by throwing the hammer; different hammers are fun, but I want to keep things simple; hammer mods create consistency and compatibility issues; the wave system is overly complicated and takes up so much code for something that doesn’t add anything that valuable to the game.
Let’s get to it!
I’ll be summarising any significant developments on (what is tentatively called) ICEBREAKER DX here on this blog. I don’t have much free time from studies to work on this project, but I’ll try to post as often as I can.
That said, I’m really excited to document my experience, and hopefully make something I’m super proud of.
Follow me on socials (below and on the home page) for updates!
See you soon! wsasaki