The Cloudbreak Islands is the main setting of Skylanders: Swap Force that is a part of Skylands. Every one hundred years, the Ancient Elementals combine their power into a magical volcano to replenish all the magic in Skylands.
Development
Swap Force's developers assembled the Cloudbreak Islands piece by piece, creating a system of islands that were layered over each other in a staggered fashion so that distance could be determined from one island to another. As such, the developers knew which islands could be easily reached by bird from the hub town of Woodburrow and recognized that the heroes would need an airship to reach the frigid outer islands of Frostguard. Likewise, they knew that the proximity of volcanic islands to the water islands would create a rainforest-like environment for Cascade Glade, and they planned how the denizens of the Barrens desert islands transported water from the reservoir in Iron Jaw Gulch to the far outskirts of the Twisty Tunnels.
Every world, even a magical one, requires rules that define its borders. Therefore, the developers refused to take "I don't know" for an answer. Not everything had to be "scientifically" accurate, but it did have to make sense within the rules of Skylands' universe. The more that the team understood the world and how the place they were creating fit into that larger picture, the more productive and inspired they became.[1]
The Cloudbreak Islands were created as a sky-based strata, which helped the player feel like they were going on an adventure - as if they are traveling through a universe instead of just hopping around to random levels.[2]
History
The SWAP Force Skylanders were the protectors of the Cloudbreak Islands and its magical volcano. After an epic battle, the team of Skylanders were atop the volcano's summit when it erupted, granting them the ability to swap halves, but also banishing them to Earth, leaving the Cloudbreak Islands unprotected for one hundred years.
In Skylanders Issue 6, the Sky Train was inaugurated, allowing safe travel to the faraway islands.
Areas
The Cloudbreak Islands are organized into five regions: the Wildwoods, the Verdant, the Barrens, Frostguard, and the Outlands.
- Barrens
- Frostguard
- Verdant
- Outlands
- Unknown
Trivia
- According to concept art, the volcano Mount Cloudbreak may open downwards as well as upwards, with the Cloudbreak Islands resting underneath it.[3]
- In Swap Force's alpha, the Chieftess reveals that without the magical eruption of Mount Cloudbreak, the Skylands's magic will fade and the islands will fall.[4]
- In Swap Force's alpha, Eon describes Mount Cloudbreak's eruption as a "fantastic fireworks display." Spectators from all over Skylanders travel to the Cloudbreak Islands to witness this spectacular event.[4]
References
- ↑ Strata: The Art of Skylanders Swap Force.
- ↑ Strata: The Art of Skylanders Swap Force. (Date Posted: Feb. 19, 2024).
- ↑ Strata: The Art of Skylanders Swap Force. (Date Posted: Feb. 19, 2024).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Skylanders Swap Force - All Alpha Dialogue/Voicelines. (Date Posted - Dec 16, 2023). YouTube.