Although the information about the project is classified so as not to reveal the story, what we can do is talk a little about the development process.
Using TEN Engine, a new updated Tomb Raider Level Editor, we are going to develop a second part of Portal Runner. With no need of more introduction, here we go with some of the development notes for future reference.
Tomb Engine test / Showcase:
During the presentation of the project idea with our collaborators, we made a demonstration of how it works and how to work in Tomb Engine (TEN)
In the graphics we can see the simple geometry of a stage, the texturing and then the lighting. None of this is a final product, just an early test.
Level Design:
In Portal Runner 2 we will visit new scenarios, but also several places and worlds already known, therefore we will imitate the designs of other games.
Level Textures:
We are going to extract and use textures from old games, to imitate the look and feel of those games. But there is a problem, at least with the textures of the Playstation 1 games, which are mostly 32px, while the old Tomb Raider ones are 24px (or 48px). Well, they are 8px X 4 = 32 and the TR ones are 8px X 3 = 24. That is, multiples of 4 when in TR they are multiples of 3, therefore they have to be converted to multiples of 4 without changing the appearance, because then when putting them next to other textures the image limits can noticeable.
Army Men 3D Texture (x32)Army Men 3D Texture (upscaled to x48)
For now, the textures will remain as they were originally, but manually enhanced with the “nearest” resampling method. We will only add a few new variants. But as soon as we see that they work well, we may remaster them.
Major Mylar’s initials are MM (he uses them on his badge). Major Malfunction’s initials are also MM. Major Gooding was Lord Malice, so in “Major Malice” we can also find MM. Which member of the 3DO team that designed some of the games has those initials: Michael Mendheim.
But before you think anything of it, this is just a joke, we’re not theorizing anything 👀. But here’s what it’s all about… and this is the fun part.
When the Fans Write the Story
Across pop culture history, fan enthusiasm has often rewritten the destinies of fictional characters—turning minor roles into legends, saving doomed figures from oblivion, and reshaping entire franchises.
Theories in fandoms are exciting for a number of reasons:
Creativity: They allow fans to use their imagination to fill in gaps in the official story, creating new narratives and possibilities.
Connection: They foster a sense of community, as fans discuss and debate their theories, sharing their enthusiasm and passion.
Deepening: They help fans explore the story’s universe further, uncovering details and connections that may not be apparent at first glance.
Interactivity: They make the fan experience more interactive, as fans don’t just consume content, but actively contribute to it.
By the way, it has been proven that some theories in other fandoms were so plausible and amazing to the creatives behind that fandom’s franchise, that they ended up making these fans’ “dreams” come true.
How passionate audiences became co-authors of the narrative
Here are some instances where fan theories or requests influenced the creators to make changes or additions to the story:
Peter Parker in “Iron Man 2”: This theory suggested that a young boy wearing an Iron Man mask at the Stark Expo, who is saved by Iron Man, was actually Peter Parker. Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man, confirmed this theory in an interview, stating that the boy was indeed Peter Parker.
Rex in “Return of the Jedi”: Fans speculated that the bearded Rebel trooper seen on Endor in “Return of the Jedi” was actually Captain Rex from “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels.” This theory gained traction when “Star Wars Rebels” confirmed that Rex fought in the Battle of Endor. However, the character in “Return of the Jedi” was originally named Nik Sant, and while the theory is popular, it remained a bit complicated for some time, because was not officially confirmed by all sources. But later Dave Filoni itself confirmed it on X, and this was confirmed in “Galaxy of Adventures” animation and in a newly released Star Wars children’s book titled: “I Am A Clone Trooper”.
Desperate Housewives: Fans were so vocal about wanting Mike and Susan to end up together that the show’s creator, Marc Cherry, changed his original plan. He had intended for Mike to marry Katherine, but fan demand led him to pair Mike with Susan instead.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Fans were eager to see Keith Richards, who inspired Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Jack Sparrow, appear in the films. Due to this overwhelming demand, the writers included Richards as Captain Teague.
Lord of the Rings: An unnamed elf in “The Lord of the Rings” films became a fan favorite and was given the name Figwit (Frodo is great — who is that?). Due to the character’s popularity, director Peter Jackson gave him a speaking role in “The Return of the King”.
Supernatural: The character of Castiel was originally intended to be a short-term character, but fan enthusiasm led to him becoming a series regular.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Fans shipped the characters Jake and Amy so strongly that the writers decided to develop their relationship into a central storyline.
These examples show how powerful fan voices can be in shaping the stories they love. But in other occassions, fandoms saved doomed character from death. Here are some of those examples and a few more of characters saved from oblivion:
Vegeta: Another powerful example of fan influence comes from Dragon Ball Z. The character Vegeta was originally intended to be a one-time villain, a Saiyan invader to be defeated and discarded. However, his overwhelming popularity among fans convinced Akira Toriyama to keep him in the story. Vegeta went on to become not only a central character but also a fan-favorite anti-hero with one of the richest development arcs in anime.
Harley Quinn: Originally introduced as a one-off henchwoman in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn’s unexpected popularity led to her official inclusion in DC Comics canon. Today, she’s one of the most iconic female characters in the DC Universe. Born from animation, adopted by the fans, and cemented by demand.
Daryl Dixon: Created exclusively for the TV show of The Walking Dead, Daryl doesn’t exist in the original comics. He was meant to be a short-term character, but fan love kept him alive… and growing. He became a central figure throughout the series and now headlines his own spin-off, a testament to pure fan-driven evolution.
Castiel: Initially planned as a temporary character for a few episodes in Supernatural, Castiel became so beloved by the fandom that he remained a core part of the show for over a decade, deeply entangled in its mythos and emotional arcs.
Agent Phil Coulson: Introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a minor S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in Iron Man (2008), Coulson’s charm struck a chord with fans. He reappeared across several MCU films, became a fan favorite, and eventually starred in the long-running series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. after dying in the first Avengers movie. A character saved from death and elevated from background filler to franchise connective tissue.
Spike: What began as a secondary villain in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, evolved into a fan-favorite antihero. Spike was slated for a short run, but fans demanded more. Writers responded by developing his character across multiple seasons, turning him into a tragic, romantic, and unforgettable icon of the show.
This is yet another case where fan reaction reshaped the narrative, not through direct petitions or theories, but through sheer enthusiasm that creators could not ignore.
Jackpot!
On other occasions, the fandom simply came up with their theories about something that would be a reality later and that had already been thought of, end even executed, by the creators of the franchises. We have the examples of:
Jon Snow is a Targaryen: In “Game of Thrones,” fans speculated that Jon Snow was not Ned Stark’s illegitimate son but the child of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. This theory was confirmed in the series, revealing Jon as Aegon Targaryen.
Stan Lee in the MCU: Before it was confirmed, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans theorized that Stan Lee, the creator of many Marvel characters, was playing the same character in all his cameos. This was confirmed in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” where he is seen talking to the Watchers.
Palpatine’s Return: In the “Star Wars” saga, some fans speculated that Emperor Palpatine didn’t actually die in “Return of the Jedi.” This theory came true in “The Rise of Skywalker,” where Palpatine returns as the main villain.
Snoke’s Identity: In “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” fans speculated about the true identity of Supreme Leader Snoke. While many theories were incorrect, the revelation that Snoke was a creation of Palpatine in “The Rise of Skywalker” was anticipated by some fans.
Bruce Willis is Dead in “The Sixth Sense”: Fans speculated that Bruce Willis’s character was dead the whole time in “The Sixth Sense.” This theory was confirmed in the movie’s twist ending.
The Identity of the Man in the Iron Mask in “The Flash”: Fans of “The Flash” theorized that the Man in the Iron Mask was Jay Garrick, the original Flash from the comics. This was confirmed in the season 2 finale.
The Joker’s Identity in “Batman: Arkham Knight”: Before the release of “Batman: Arkham Knight,” fans speculated that the Arkham Knight was actually Jason Todd, the former Robin. This theory was confirmed in the game.
The True Nature of Westworld: In the TV series “Westworld,” fans theorized that the park was actually on another planet or in a different time period. It was later revealed that the park is on a distant planet.
The Real Villain in “WandaVision”: Fans speculated that Agatha Harkness was the true villain behind the events in “WandaVision.” This theory was confirmed when Agatha revealed herself.
These cases show that sometimes, fandom isn’t just an audience: it’s a creative force. In the same way, Army Men fans have their own theories, headcanons, and alternate timelines. The microverse is always expanding… and who’s to say fans aren’t the architects of its future?
But in our case we are just connecting unfinished dots with factual possibilities, within the possibilities of the Army Men universe (which we call Toyverse) and trying to fix the inconsistencies that plague the entire saga in a convincing way, which will also require the generation of convincing images, since many times “A picture is worth a thousand words”.
The best enemies ever molded: friends!
Did anyone notice how many traitors there were in the Green ranks alone? The Green Colonel in Army Men 2, H.F. Blintz turning into King Plurtz the First in Army Men RTS, Major Godding turning into Lord Malice in Sarge’s War and Sarge Hawk himself turning into Major Malfunction in (right) Army Men: Major Malfunction.
Another plausible theory (within this theory) is that the AWOL Green Colonel and Blintz knew each other, or at least talked about the same crazy stuff.
We’re going to tie all of this together in a convincing way, adding Major Mylar betraying Plastro in Army Men 2 (talking about the same crazy stuff). But we’ll leave that to the narrative of our project.
Sarge is Sarge Hawk?
A much discussed theory with a simple answer: there is no official answer, and there never will be one. 3DO don’t want to answer the question because they wanted us to believe they are the same, but it was OBVIOUS they are visually very different (the voice of Jim Cumming tried to be the same than the original Sarge). And if there was one answer today, it is unlikely to be genuine.
The reality is that Sarge Hawk and the whole Sarge’s Heroes era was a “soft reboot” where 3DO wanted (without saying so) that people believe that it was the same protagonist, so as not to lose that initial push of the first games. Something like those franchises where the actor changes without any explanation of why, like the 007 films: each film is usually just a stand alone installment, although later there was a series of films where the stories were a continuation (although this did not impact much on the story of each film). But when the 007 franchise changes actors, they simply continue creating films without specifying if it is about the same individual, if in fact the agents are different people who are named as such and finally, there is not even a real temporal progression. This writer’s theory is that different agents are called 007 as they die or retire. This can be seen in Daniel Craig’s latest film, where another female agent is called 007 because Craig’s character was missing ad considered MIA (or AWOL).
So there you have the answer. As far as we are concerned, it’s not about what we believe, but about what we want to do. And we have a GREAT answer to this question that will satisfy everyone… you’ll see!
What do you think?. If you have any good theories, leave them in the comments!
P.S.: Because of this last theory and the statement: “The best enemies ever molded: friends!” we want Hawk to fight the copies of him an his friends of the Bravo Company Commandos. The same for the female protagonist being a Tan version of Hawk’s girlfriends, Vikki.
Flags, logos, and other visual representations are powerful tools in graphic design, serving as symbols that convey identity, values, and messages of groups, nations, factions, and communities. Let’s explore these elements from a graphic design perspective, focusing on representation, iconography, and the meanings behind various design elements and their users.
Army Men Nations flags
Flags in the Army Men franchise are somewhat diverse. Some use Real-World references, their initial font, or some kind of Shapes or Symbols. Black and White are used for the contrast element.
Army Men Green Army FlagGreen Flag from SH DreamcastArmy Men Tan Nation FlagTan Flag from SH DreamcastArmy Men Blue Nation FlagBlue Flag from SH DreamcastArmy Men Red Nation FlagSarge’s War GC Red flagGrey Flag from SH Dreamcast
Toyverse Project Original Flags
White Army FlagOrange Army FlagCyan Nation FlagViolet Nation Flag
In the case of the Orange and White armies we used the W and O from the “Real World” logo, which is heavily based on the “Real” slogan from 3DO. But the most for the White Army, because that W is too captivating for us to leave it alone in that logo. It also follows a bit the design aesthetic of the T of the Tan Army.
In the case of the Cyan Army, it is a flag more in the classic style of a Real-World country flag.
But in the case of the White Army flag, we are considering this idea for the design. Although it may end up being a mirror image… or even more distant, it may end up being the logo of Lord Malice or Major Malfunction!
Lord Malice possible logoMajor Malfunction possible logo
Representation in Graphic Design
Representation in graphic design involves creating visual symbols that encapsulate the essence of the entity they represent. This could be a nation, a company, a social movement, or a community. The goal is to create a design that is instantly recognizable and communicates the core values, ideas and identity of the group.
Other flags & logos
Space Troopers flagStorm Legion Flag (AM Strike’s Tan Colonel Destruction)Colonel Destruction’s Storm LegionBaron Von Beige squadron flagBaron Von Beige squadron CGI original textureAqua Marines flag (Water or Winters Marines)
Iconography
Iconography is the study and use of images and symbols to represent ideas, concepts, or information. In graphic design, iconography is crucial because it allows for the quick and effective transmission of messages. Symbols and icons are more than decorative elements; they are the shorthand of communication, cutting through the clutter of words to convey complex messages swiftly.
The Army Men video game franchise, which began in 1998, is known for its distinctive iconography that draws heavily from the classic green plastic toy soldiers. Here are some key elements:
Color-Coded Factions: The games feature different factions represented by distinct colors, primarily the Green and Tan armies. Other factions like the Blue and Grey armies also appear, each with their own unique characteristics and allegiances.
Toy-Like Aesthetic: The visual style of the games emphasizes the plastic nature of the soldiers. When characters are defeated, they often melt or shatter, reinforcing the idea that they are toys.
Real-World Settings: Many of the battles take place in exaggerated real-world environments, such as kitchen counters, gardens, and bathrooms. This juxtaposition of small toy soldiers in large human environments adds a playful and imaginative element to the games.
Military Symbols: The games incorporate traditional military iconography, such as medals, ranks, and insignias, but with a playful twist to fit the toy soldier theme.
Vehicles and Equipment: The franchise includes a variety of toy-like vehicles and equipment, such as jeeps, tanks, and helicopters, all designed to look like they belong in a child’s playset.
These elements combine to create a unique and nostalgic experience that appeals to both fans of classic toy soldiers and video game enthusiasts.
Original logotypes:
A remake of the Army Men Classic Logo
This was the first logo for the game franchise, later used in Army Men 3D. Later they used different versions for Army Men 2, Army Men Toys in Space and even Sarge’s Heroes and Air Attack. But it was right during the release of these last 2 games that they came up with the final version:
Definitive Army Men logo, with “Real Combat .Plastic Men.” slogan
This version was used in most (if not all) of the later games, with out the slogan. It was used for last versions of Sarge’s Heroes and Air Attack, until 3DO went out of business. Even after that it was still used for Sarge’s War and Major Malfunction.
Our Army Men Toyverse Project Logotypes
Army Men Real World Project
This logo is from our Toyverse project, the logo that the Army Men Alliance uses in their research initiative into the Real World, the world of humans. The design uses the REAL logo from the defunct company 3DO, a kind of slogan they used. It is worth noting that the 3 colors between the letters of REAL are the colors of the 3 pieces of the key that opens the portal in the first game and in Army Men 3D. Since we couldn’t find any matches for the font used, to add WORLD we cloned the R and the L, and created the other letters trying to respect the same style, giving a special emphasis to the W.
This logo captures the mystery and novelty that the Real World means to Army Men.
Army Men Revolution new videogame logo
This is the logo for our video game project. We wanted a somewhat innovative logo, without losing the essence of Army Men. And since it revolves around the Red Army, we gave it that color and some of the essence of the fonts used in the propaganda of the Soviet Union, in which our version of the Reds are strongly based (not for nothing their official flag is a star). Something that helped us finish the idea of the logo was the 2024 movie “Deadpool & Wolverine”, because of that texture of worn painted and metal underneath, which also alludes to the fact that one of the super weapons of the Red Army will be that they manufactured a massive army of vehicles and all kinds of war tools in Real World metal alloys.
Army Men Toyverse project
This is the logo for the Toyverse project, which serves to encompass other projects under the same initiative, in which ideas, canon and assets are shared. Read more in Army Men Toyverse project.
If you feel like the style sounds familiar, it’s because it’s very similar to the style of “Toys in Space”, which we think is a game that represents the imaginative diversity that can be brought to the world of Army Men.
Army Men REAL PLASTIC MEN logo
This is almost the same logo as the 2.0 logo, but in our case we used it for the branding of the plastic soldiers line in the Real World (Real Plastic Men).
Elements in design and their meanings
Colors: Colors play a significant role in visual representations. Each color can evoke specific emotions and symbolize different concepts. For example:
Red: Often associated with passion, energy, and danger. In the case of the Reds, it is appropriate because it represents their nationalist passion and protection of themselves and their culture. They believe that their ideals are correct above all other beliefs, and they defend their culture to the point of being totally closed to the outside world. At first they will be conservative and extremist in keeping it that way.
Blue: Represents calmness, trust, and stability. In the case of what brings us here, Blue is usually a color related to the sky, but especially to the Sea, Water and Ice. For this reason, the element dominated by the Blues will be water or ice, as we can see in the defensive towers of Army Men Warfare. Blue is also a cold and dark color, which helps to go unnoticed in the dark, which is what every spy needs to operate.
Green: Symbolizes nature, growth, and harmony. In the case of our project, it symbolizes the Greens’ initiative to respect the nature of the other worlds and maintain them in harmony, trying not to interfere with or modify them.
Orange: They represent fire, the element that the Orange Nation will dominate. Although the personality of some of its characters will go hand in hand with the intensity of fire.
Gray: They represent neutrality and the absence of diversity. In our Toyverse, the greys were like the Nazis: they rejected everything they considered incorrect or out of the normal status. Their colors lack individuality and diversity. It is also useful when it comes to camouflaging with the environment, one of the most neutral colors for this purpose.
Black: Can denote power, elegance, and mystery. You’ll know why…
Plants: Trees can symbolize life, growth, and wisdom, while flowers like roses can represent love and beauty.
Shapes and Symbols: Shapes and symbols are integral to iconography. Common shapes and their meanings include:
Circles: Represent unity, infinity, and protection.
Triangles: Can symbolize stability, power, and direction.
Stars: Often used to denote excellence, aspiration, and guidance.
Imagery: The use of specific images can convey deeper meanings. For example:
Animals: Different animals can symbolize various traits. For instance, an eagle often represents freedom and strength, while a lion symbolizes courage and royalty.
Historically, the Army Men franchise is full of cultural references from literature, film and television… and we are not going to be left behind of this habit.
Since many of us in the Army Men Toyverse project are fans of Sci-Fi, war and action films in general, we take references from here and there, not only visual, but from the personality of a character being based on an iconic popular character, to certain sounds or weapons based on popular sound pieces.
We think that in the Army Men Microverse the toys themselves adopt and personify characters, as if they were children in a game, and that personality they adopt becomes the purpose that drives and defines them.
Army Men known references
Army Men: Green Rogue:
The introduction of the Omega Soldier in Army Men Green Rogue is almost a copy-paste of the storyboarding of the scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 appears in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgement Day T-800 introduction into the story
Army Men: Green Rogue Omega Soldier introduction into the story
The previous suspense, the tempo, the metallic beat music sound typical of the Terminator franchise and the nudity of the character, among other details, are totally based on these introductory scenes of the films of this franchise. For this reason one of the frames of reference for Omega’s personality will be Arnold’s T-800.
T-800 Arrival in The Terminator movie
T-850 Arrival in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes
Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes game cover
Kelly’s Heroes movie poster
Sarge’s Heroes is an obvious reference to Kelly’s Heroes, the film of the same name. In fact, each member of Bravo Company has a very different personality and appearance from each other, and each member has a different specialty. The same thing happens with Kelly’s men. Besides, everyone is crazy… in their own way.
The Red Baron and the Beige Baron
Manfred Albrecht von Richthofen, known as the “Red Baron” or “Baron Von Richthofen”, was a German fighter pilot during the human’s World War I. He is considered the ace of aces of war because he managed to shoot down eighty enemy airplanes. The obvious parallels with Baron Von Beige don’t need much clarification, but it has nothing to do with the Red Baron’s personality, except that he was an honor fighter equivalent to the English gentlemen he fought against. The Beige Baron has equal respect for his enemies, like Captain Blade and instead of finishing off his opponents, he just knocks them down and leaves them a Beige scarf as his trademark. Therefore Von Beige is not a murderer, but an avid fighter who likes to compete against other great pilots.
During the First World War, pilots were considered to be medieval knights “riding” the skies, and that rivals recognized each other as such when they crossed paths on the battlefield. Certain pilots had the habit of giving the military salute to their opponents when passing each other during a reconnaissance mission, but that solemn salute was soon replaced by a much more practical gesture within the context of a total war, although perhaps less chivalrous: the aviators began to carry guns (and use them).
One of the reasons World War I pilots wore scarves was not to be thrown at downed enemies (although they got used to doing it), was the combination of open cockpits and open engine oil systems, which used castor oil. Many early aeronautic engines used an open oil system, in which, instead of circulating the oil, it was dripped out of the engine and replenished from a reservoir, since being rotary engines, the castor oil used It was thrown in all directions, even towards the pilot. Ingesting castor oil not only tastes disgusting, but can also cause quite catastrophic effects on the digestive system. A silk handkerchief filtered out most of the castor oil.
Cajun Joe Colonel
“Cajun Joe’s mansion” was written in the back of the mission list, or description of some kind about missions, in the poster of an Army Men PC special edition, product of a partnership of 3DO with Ubisoft, which led us to the lyrics of a song, called “Cajun Joe (The Bully Of The Bayou)”, a “Country” 60′ style song that coincides in some sort of way with the Gray Colonel mission, like the terrain where the mission take place, the Bayou land.
Colonel Blintz, Lord Malice, Major Malfunction and a Green Colonel
Both the former Colonel Blintz, later called “Blintz” or “King Plurtz One” from Army Men RTS and the Green Colonel from Army Men 2, were clear references to the character of Colonel Walter E. Kurtz from the movie Apocalypse Now. In some very diluted way, the plot of both games, RTS & 2, was based on the primary idea of this movie: hunt down the renegade Colonel because he is out of control or knew a lot, and that is considered dangerous…
Even Lord Malice was also partially based on this character, and Sgt. Hawk goin evil when he became Major Malfunction. Or at least the game’s plot was. Only at the end of the game we found out that Malice was Gooding and Hawk was Malfunction (when in the movie the identity of the villain is known from the beginning). All of them were good men that went crazy.
The points to take into consideration for our Army Men concept artists:
Sarge Hawk Vitruvio Army Men Concept Art
At first the Army Men must look like real soldiers, realizing later during the that they are actually miniature.
Any childish item, like a teddy bear, should look fierce and terrifying. A serious threat, although it may seem harmless at first for the player to take it lightly.
They should look like real little toys, plastic soldiers. There are details impossible to achieve on a certain scale, which make the plastic soldier 3D models look small.
Conceptual art is an artistic and simplified sketch in which the conceptualization or idea is more important than the drawn/conceptualized art. Ideas prevail over their formal or sensitive aspects so that the artistic aspect of the concept takes a back seat, favoring the speed of production time of the idea, also reducing the mental process of understanding the idea.
Sarge Hawk vs Ants
By dispensing with the complex creation of the final product before it is approved, so much time is not wasted on visual pieces that could not be approved. Therefore these sketches accelerate the idea production process. Regardless of the technique, material or form used to represent it is not something strict.
Before reaching the final choice of an idea, there may be several previously rejected conceptual pieces, and even this process can go through several steps, such as a very simple concept, which then evolves into a more complete and complex one (which is still a conceptual piece). After a concept art is approved, the chosen idea moves on to the actual production of the final product.
Classic Concept Art from 3DO
Characters from pencil to CGI
In the case of a video game, sketches are always the step prior to designing the 3D CGI character. In this case, we can see how the drawing evolves into 3D modeling, or how the 3D modeling evolves into the drawing? Both cases represent a back-and-forth of creative feedback.
A step prior to the final Vikki design…The final design!
Our Pencil Character & Vehicles Concept Art
This Army Men expanded universe project, which we call “Toyverse,” requires the same steps and methodologies to achieve similar results, which resemble the old Army Men in both design and visual identity. So here are some examples…
Concept Art, from basic pencil lines to the complex tridimensional idea: In this case a Mad Max or Vigilante 8 modified Die-cast battlecar.
… and a Super Soldier in full combat armor.
Turtle tank full color concept art.
From Sketch to Complete Concept Art
The process of creating an illustration does not end with the first stroke. Every visual piece goes through different stages of transformation, maturation, and refinement. What begins as a set of loose lines on paper can evolve into a complex digital scene with depth, color, textures, and three-dimensional elements.
Below, we explore step by step how a simple idea becomes a finished work of art.
The Creation of a Forgotten Jungle
The process of this piece begins with the carnivorous plant, first conceived as a basic sketch with guiding lines. The initial strokes, just a skeleton of geometric shapes, captured the essence of its silhouette: the twisted stem, the oversized mouth, and the sharp teeth. Little by little, the drawing was refined until it gained volume, detail in the leaves, and a posture that conveys tension and aggressiveness. This creature became the central axis of the composition.
From Sketch to Complete Artwork: The Creative Journey of a Digital Illustration
With the base defined, the work progressed to the construction of the narrative environment: a dense jungle crossed by a river or spring flowing through the center of the scene. The vegetation grew in complexity: scattered flowers, trees with exposed roots, and an ancient temple made of massive stone blocks, hidden among the undergrowth. This drawing stage served to establish the visual structure of the piece, defining the relationship between the elements and the balance of the composition.
Slide from one image to another to compare
Slide from one image to another to compare
The next step was digital painting, where the setting gained life and atmosphere. Through layers of color, a humid, dark, and greenish environment was created, typical of a dense and oppressive jungle. The contrast between filtered light and deep shadows added depth and drama, enveloping the carnivorous plant and the temple in a mysterious ambience.
The piece evolved even further with the incorporation of a 3D model of the Spitfire of Flight Lieutenant Ruggels. Far from standing out as an external object, it was integrated into the visual narrative.
The fuselage was damaged by bullet holes, evidence of its violent fall.
Moss and vegetation had grown over its surface, symbols of the relentless passage of time.
The dents and metallic wear reinforced the idea of a war relic abandoned in the jungle.
In the post-production phase, plants in the foreground and overlapping vegetation were added to the 3D model, softening its outline so that it blended with the pictorial style of the illustration. Adjustments of color, texture, and line ensured that all the elements coexisted within a unified aesthetic.
The final result is a piece that tells a story without words: the confrontation between man’s destructive force and the resilience of nature. What began as simple sketch lines transformed into a cinematic and conceptual scene, where time, the jungle, and the remnants of the past interact in a visual balance full of mystery.
Full Color 3DO Character Concept Art
Some full-color pieces from a variety of Army Men games. Concept art and some images are character concepts, others are simply promotional images.
Army Men Strike Concept Art
Army Men Air Attack 1 & 2 Concept Art
Some of the ideas that want to be tested in helicopter games are interesting. They probably all would have been achieved in Air Attack 3, maybe?
Making Concept Art a reality
Remember those great Concept Art pieces? Well, we started making them a reality (sort of).
There are some ideas in Concept Art pieces that never became reality (or, in fact, most of them never did). So here we’ll show you the process of how we make them a reality, one way or another.
Concept ArtCGI recreationConcept ArtCGI recreationConcept ArtA more developed drawing, half CGI
Storyboards
The Army Men franchise used a lot of storyboarding for the CGI animations of the games’ cut scenes, but also for the in-game animations of Sarge’s Heroes 1 and 2 for the Nintendo 64 (made with the game engine).
Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes Storyboard
To put it simply, storyboards, at least in this case, look like comic book adaptations of movies, but with instructions and guidelines for animation. For example, where a character is at the beginning of a shot, and where they are at the end. They are a series of graphic instructions that serve as a rough draft or basis for later animation. Keep in mind that different teams did different jobs, so those who drew the storyboards (drawn by hand) were somewhat like scriptwriters for the animation department.
Army Men Air Tactics Storyboards
The entire storyboard for the CGI animated images of Army Men: Air Tactics. Scanned and inserted into digital text files.
One of the scanned conceptual storyboards, a step prior to inserting them into the digital text files.
Army Men (1998) storyboards
Storyboards made for the original Army Men game, but used later in World War for PS1 or simple not used.
How do we interpret these Storyboards?
In the case of finding Conceptual Art of the original Army Men games, before the Heroes saga, we would need more information as it is in black and white, which would not allow us to interpret what colors each one is. The following is an example:
Others ways of making Storyboards & Concepts
Example of photo montage
Both Army Men Revolution and our animations will take place in environments based on real places. Therefore, here is a simple example of a Storyboard made with photographs:
Example of montage with image editing or Photoshop
The following is a conceptual representation of how the Heroes would function, for Sarge’s Heroes, in its early stages of development.
The heroes were supposed to have a more prominent role, functioning as companions during battles, following the protagonist’s movements but contributing their weapon skills (e.g., Scorch with his flamethrower, Riff with his bazooka).
It was even considered to be a kind of turn-based game, like some RPGs of the time.
This style of concept art is made up of CGI renders, Photoshop, etc., to ensure maximum fidelity to the idea of how the video game should look.
The stoves that are activated to burn the enemy or the magnifying glasses, for practically the same thing.
In this case a conceptual example of calling an airstrike
These examples could even showcase different UI designs, and as in this case, graphically illustrate some of the desired special mechanics that hardly ever made it into the final product. But dreaming is cheap!
How they wanted the PS2 game to look? Sarge’s Heroes 2
Edited images composites of CGI 3D models, scenarios in a HD definition (maybe the map editor or 3D editing program too) and a lot of added effects.
Army Men: Sarge’s War Artwork
How to make a depressing, dark, and gritty Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes? Immerse everything in realistic war environments, like those of World War II Europe: everything destroyed, ruined, and with noisy, dirty, and stained textures.
More than Storyboards and Character Concepts
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, right at the dawn of digital design, due to a shift in generational change, processing speed, and lower computer power, hand-drawn artwork was the fastest way to conceptualize practically everything.
Army Men User Interface (Graphical User Interface, GUI or UI) hand drawn concept art
Army Men Level Design
Army Men Hand Drawn Level Design
And in fact, some hand-drawn artworks, later digitized and painted on the computer, ended up included in games, such as Sarge’s Hero designs in the bios of the first game of the same name.
In short, from character, vehicle and object design, to dynamic concepts for animation, graphic representations of the story’s narrative, the design of the games’ menu graphic interfaces, to the design of the playable scenarios… concept art (at least in those days) was the backbone of the graphic/visual design of the Army Men adventures, the words and ideas represented visually, which previously began being printed on paper.
Curiosities and Trivia:Toy Story movie Concept Art from the Plastic Soldier scenesSources for this article:
… So here we go with an in-depth study on the soundtracks of the Army Men franchise games…
Soundtracks are an indelible mark on a franchise’s identity. They are very important when creating a sequel video game to a franchise as established in collective knowledge as Army Men.
Sounds and Music Samples all around the globe!
Examples long used in the past like the introduction of “Stealth Frag” track of Quake 2, the first part was used in at least two FMV in Army Men games: in Sarge´s Heroes 1 or 2 and Sarge’s War. Listen the first part of Quake 2 “Stealth Frag” and some of those Sarge’s Heroes series.
Sonic Mayhem¿s Quaker 2 soundtrack “Stealth Frag”
Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes “Snow” Shrap mission CGI Cut scene
Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes 2 “Cashier” mission CGI Cut scene
The kitchen that brings back memories
Lot of this sounds came from “East West” sample CD’s like “Symphonic Adventures” & “Percussive Adventures”
East West – Symphonic Adventures
East West – Percussive Adventures
You can hear samples of these sounds throughout the Army Men productions after the first and second games, especially in the FMV CGI cut scenes animations, because they were all mostly produced by the same teams or because they used the same sound databases files.
Army Men (PC) & Army Men 3D
For the first Army Men, a few industrial soundtracks (among others) for film and TV by the Italian composers Armando Trovaioli (SIAE), Mario Nascimbene (SIAE) (likely among others) were used, such as the example below:
Strategy (410862) Armando Trovaioli (SIAE)
The following pieces from Armando Trovaioli’s-Mario Nascimbene “War / Danger” album were used for both Army Men and Army Men 3D
This 4 soundtracks are the same but remixed or just without some instruments, used in the first in-game soundtrack for PC’s Army Men Depot Run mission:
Night Attack (RCAL1010-4): Blaring brass and military snare drums followed by drop to distant timpani. Used in-game.
Marching Drums (RCAL1010-26): Snare drums. Medium tempo. Used in-game.
Dread (RCAL1010-27): Stacked chords of menacing brass. Suspenseful. Used in-game.
Unexpected Threat (RCAL1010-30) Menacing brass and snare drums. Used in-game.
Danger Ahead (RCAL1010-18): vObsessive theme in 5/4 time. Very agitated and intense. Featuring piano, brass, timpani, strings and xylophone. Fast tempo. Used in-game.
Mobilization (RCAL1010-24): Timpani intro, pounding percussion and horn fanfares make up military march. Used in-game.
This 4 soundtracks were used in the CGI Intro and Ending from both games, Army Men & Army Men 3D:
Choking (RCAL1010-21): Fast agitated theme with strings and brass. Used in the Green Plastic News intro.
Sunday Morning Goose Step (RCAL1010-23): Military marching band featuring bass drums, tubes and piccolos. Used in the Green Plastic News intro.
The Assault (RCAL1010-34): Violent then eerie dramatic theme featuring brass, bassoon, clarinet, strings and timpani. Medium tempo. Impending attack. Used in the Green Plastic News intro.
Strategy (RCAL1010-35): Forceful intro leading to action and then to standstill; featuring brass, strings and timpani. Medium tempo. Used in the Ending.
The album description from Universal Music Database is: “Music for action movie; soldier march with full orchestra; agitated and intense; military march.”
The menu music was “Larry’s Orchestral Adventure” from “Drama – Volumen 1” (Universal Production Music) Killer Tracks. Description of the track in the Universal Production Music website: “An abundance of colors and dynamics marching through a full orchestra.”
Larry’s Orchestral Adventure (KT34-7) from “Drama – Volumen 1” album – Universal Production Music “Killer Tracks”
On the other hand, Army Men 2, for some reason, chose to use pieces of classical music (with expired copyright) composed in an electronic style, very similar to MIDI.
The final part of “William Tell Overture”, named “March of the Swiss Soldiers”
The “William Tell Overture” is a piece of music by Gioachino Rossini. He wrote it for his opera, William Tell. The opera was first performed in 1829. The overture has four sections: Dawn, Storm, Call to the Cows (often used in animated cartoons to signify daybreak) and the one used in the first Army Men 2 mission “Kitchen”, March of the Swiss Soldiers, famous for being the theme music for the “The Lone Ranger”.
Johann Strauss “The Blue Danube” AM2 version
“The Blue Danube” is the common English title of “An der schönen blauen Donau”, Op. 314 (German for “By the Beautiful Blue Danube”), a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866. Originally performed on 15 February 1867 at a concert of the Wiener Männergesang-Verein (Vienna Men’s Choral Association), it has been one of the most consistently popular pieces of music in the classical repertoire. Its initial performance was considered only a mild success, however, and Strauss is reputed to have said, “The devil take the waltz, my only regret is for the coda—I wish that had been a success!
L’apprenti sorcier (the Sorcerer’s Apprentice) by French composer Paul Dukas in 1897
L’apprenti sorcier (the Sorcerer’s Apprentice) is a symphonic poem by the French composer Paul Dukas composed in 1897 and based on the ballad of the same name by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Most of the soundtracks from Air Attack (1999) were recycled from the 3DO game Uprising: Join or Die (1997). Some of the soundtracks were also used in the Battletanx franchise (also from 3DO). In both cases reworked for the Nintendo 64 versions, whose storage limits did not allow the original soundtracks to be stored. In both cases maybe were modified slightly.
You can hear a few Air Attack soundtracks here…
Although Air Attack credits the composers Burke Trieschmann, Tommy Tallarico and Barry Blum, im Uprising: Join or Die appears to be an apparent studio called “D.I.M.”. Later investigations revealed, according to witnesses, that D.I.M. was a production studio located in New York City.
N64 Battletanx: Global Assault “Tower Over Londond”
Always (Album Version) from the Rock band Halfcocked was the song from the menu of the game (very consistent with Vikki’s personality and the intention of the game).
Always · Halfcocked – Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The initial animation of Portal Runner, like the rest of Cut Scenes from Army Men games, has pieces of varied musical samples, some of which we can even hear in other media today, and during that time, such as the introduction of the song GUMMY by BROCKHAMPTON, from the album SATURATION II (EMPIRE Distribution). As you can hear in the attached videos. It should be noted that on our YouTube channel we have received several copyright claims, as in this case, but Portal Runner was released in September 2001, and the GUMMY theme song was released in 2017.
Portal Runner Sep 2001 intro section wit the intro music
GUMMY song by BROCKHAMPTON (2017)
In any case, this is usually a common mistake on the part of YouTube and other social networks, since they are mostly managed by AI, and the history of sound and music samples business from more than 20 years ago, before the internet today and online business models, is very poorly documented and is very difficult to verify or even find out.
Other examples of this stock sound samples used in other media
From 2:34 we can hear the first part of the Macross 0 soundtrack below…
The first part of this soundtrack in 2:34 is the same of Starship Troopers movie main themeSources for this article:
Weapons will work in a very particular way in the Army Men Toyverse. They will work normally in the worlds they come from, but will stop working in other worlds, or will be nerfed at least. This way we ensure that the seemingly weak plastic weapons can compete against the new metal weapons. And we also make sure that you must use swords, axes, hammers, bows, arrows or your fists, in the Medieval World. So in every world you must behave “in-universe”.
That is, the world you visit is influenced by you and your elements (external elements), breaking its nature and rules. Therefore, this world you visit will seek to correct that anomaly in some way, by nerfing or disabling you and your weapons or equipments.
Functionality and materiality, not composition
The materials composition are not modified, but the shapes of some objects are, as is the case of Vikki and her bow in Portal Runner. These unique and exceptional cases allow us to make visual skins change, depending on the universe being visited. But it’s not discarded that in some way the materials may also change in the future, or that some world may produce this effect.
Composition is the proportion of the different constituents of the material (chemically and physically different). Structure, on the other hand, refers to the spatial distribution, orientation and association of the constituents. Characterizing a material is determining the parameters necessary to identify and describe it. In simpler words, it is impossible for a world different from where a weapon comes from, to transform its plastic into metal. But you can modify a banana-shaped plastic weapon to an apple-shaped one, always maintaining the same composition and proportion. The characteristics for the most part, although this can change radically to the point that, for example, a bow becomes a bayesta (which is almost the same, just seen differently by the Army Men).
Small graphic to explain the Army Men Toy Verse: Several projects under or in the same universe.
What is the Army Men Toyverse project?
Initially our project was going to be a video game only, Army Men Revolution. But currently we are thinking about something broader, not just a video game, but a series of MODs, animations and stories in different formats, mostly interactive, which together we will going to call “Army Men Toyverse”.
Why “Toyverse”? Because it’s not just about the plastic soldiers, but about the other different types of toys, here called “toykinds” which is equivalent to saying “species”, but in this case the “species” of toys. And by Toyverse we mean the entire world they live in, which is not only the Plastic World and the Human World (Real World), but all the other Toy themed worlds. For example the Medieval World, which is like a kind of medieval fantasy world with dragons and characters like Merlin, King Arthur, Dracula, Don Quixote de la Mancha, Frankenstein and Van Helsing, Robin Hood, etc. A world with a very attractive theme for that kind of particular sector of potential players, full of classic characters… copyright-free lol.
And the same thing happens with the Prehistoric World, Space world, Brick World (the world of Army Men equivalents for LEGO) and Action World, the world of action figures and superheroes, among many more. FINALLY, we think it’s better to focus our project on a universe of toys, the Toyverse, also called Microverse, to be able to collaborate with many more people. Without going any further, Attack on Toys is a game that combines Army Men plastic soldiers, action figures and LEGO figures fighting against each other.
It started out as a game of plastic soldiers very much in tune with the Army Men franchise, and after expanding by making Action Figures and LEGO figures playable, it did not lose its essence, its Army Men identity. And on the contrary, it is now played by those people who like LEGO figures and action figures.
But in our case the Real World will be the most important part of the project, which will also involve battles with animals. Anyway, you can read about all these things on this website.
This website is the first step into this Army Men Toyverse project. Is written from the perspective of the Army Men, as if they were the ones describing their historical events and classifying the components of their world and everything related to their Toyverse. Each of the video games is taken as stories of historical events.
We reached an agreement between developers regarding the audience of our fan game:
During all this time, working with other people related to the Army Men videogames fandom, we came to the conclusion that a game just for Army Men fans would not be worth our time and hard work, because there are very few of them. It is not a popular topic. And although there are people interested and potentially interested in plastic soldier games, they are not hard fans of this franchise, but rather “normies”: They liked the games or like the theme, but they are not die-hard fans. So although it will be a sequel to the 3DO’s Army Men franchise, involving its characters, it will be first a game for new audiences, focused on the “new audience” perspective. So no “only hard Army Men content”. And we are going to make new players have to play the old games to discover key things in the story of Revolution, getting the new audience retroactively interested in playing the old game classics.
The story:
The story will progress over time, possibly with the release of DLC in the format of campaigns, seasons or chapters (whatever name we will going to use). It will also be developed on this website, and the players will shape that story, interacting with us and throwing out ideas (Maybe you will know how to solve the “mystery boxes” better than us).
At some point our idea is that each player will be a unique character in this universe, even if they look the same than the rest of the plastic soldiers. They can all be made from the same mold, right?.
Our personal mission:
What are our intentions in all this? In addition to wanting to continue the original Army Men franchise and give it a better closure than that bittersweet ending it had in Army Men: Sarge’s War and Army Men: Major Malfunction, we want to use this story to reflect some current issues that are really important for us. Because, why make a hollow game or story with nothing to say or communicate? Among some of our intentions are to raise more empathy for the environment & fauna of our planet and other humanity planetary issues in general. For the youngest or the smallest kids, the simple intention of teaching new and interesting things. For this reason we will going to introduce certain things like animals into the game and the ability to collect data about our world. Anyway, stuff like that.
The game universe:
Everything will take place in a universe we called “Toyverse” that has clearly existed for a long time for us (the spectators) with past events, old known characters, known places, etc. But not that long. Something like the first Star Wars movie, which was implied to be set in a large universe that had already existed for a long time, in a story that have a long time background (from original movies to the time of the prequels). The main universe will be the Real World (Big World) and you can travel to all types of worlds via Portals. Our idea is to dedicate ourselves to the worlds that people most want us to develop. So it will depend on the interest of the players where the game goes. That does not mean that the Plastic World will be left aside. But at least initially, if no one is interested on it, it will be the last thing to be developed further.
These Army Men (plastic soldiers) come from a world different from ours, as the introduction of Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes says “A world exists quite different from our own (…)” and for them our world, the Giant World which they now call “Real World” is an equivalent for us to what would be another planet. And the same regarding with other worlds to which they can travel via the mysterious Portals. And what would we do, humans, if we went to other planets?: Study them. For this reason, the Army Men study these strange and new worlds (from their perspective), collecting data and trying to solve the mysteries of their existence, since the Plastic World already suspects that their world of origin is the Other World, the Giant World, which they now call “Real World” because they think it’s the real world they come from (all clues point to it). Who created the Army Men? Who put those mysterious Portals?, with what intention?
But at the same time, it’s been a while since the Army Men plastic soldiers are studying these other worlds, and they have already made the mistake of interfering and changing them. We can quote Plastro and all the chaos that broke out when he arrived to the Real World. The same with Brigitte Bleu, who conquered and commanded with her fatal charm several other worlds (or at least they both tried). But beyond these 2 known examples, in the time between that and Revolution, other events happened, which, like the Plastro and Bleu examples, always brought Plastic World to the brink of extinction. Therefore, in addition to studying the Real World, the Army Men alliance has created rules not to interfere and do not change these worlds, as much as possible, and even restore the natural order in them. For this reason, some missions for players will range from preserving a giant tree intact, to rescuing and healing an injured animal (even defending it to the death).
To finish with this point, what about humans? Well, nobody knows for sure. Everything indicates that this was their world and their species are no longer here, or at least there are not as many as before. This is a really big world, so that’s hard to check. There are reports of sightings, but none can be truly verified. Gathering the information they left behind, theories suggest that they self-destructed. That is why the alliance of nations created the rules that apply to the exploration and respect for the preservation of other worlds, as well as their own. Balance will make natural progression harmony reign. The imbalance will cause some worlds to disappear, including the Plastic World. There are other theories, based on the ideas left by humans, that say that everything is a computer simulation or that it is a parallel world. But these are not taken into consideration by the Alliance’s science division.
Tone, hue, or tonality: the degree to which the visual color stimulus can be described.
Shades of Violet Army Men
The Army Men armies in our project, especially in canon and in Army Men Revolution, will have different shades within their own ranks, just like plastic soldiers in the real world.
Over the years, the different generations of Army Men have changed in hue. From the Olive Green in Army Men 1, to the English Green in Army Men 2, to the Apple Green in Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes. Even in Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes 2 on Playstation 2 we could see plastic soldiers of different shades within the Tan. So it will be a thing in our project.
PS2 Sarge’s Heroes 2 Tan Soldiers diferente shades of Tan (light ocher and egg yellow)Shades of Tan Army Men Plastic Soldiers
And maybe some soldier has a hue that is between two worlds… between Blue and Violet, Red and Orange, or Green and Tan…
To make an incredible video game sometimes you need to do a lot of research
A Pigeon Fighting – Conceptual Video for Army Men Revolution
A pigeon fighting a plastic soldier sounds ridiculous, until you see it with your own eyes…
High speed. Precision. A weight of 250 Gr (9 ounces or 0.6 pounds). After watching this video, you don’t have to use much of your imagination to know that a pigeon would be a fierce warrior against a 2 inches lightweight Plastic Soldier.
Newton’s second law of motion states that F = ma, or net force is equal to mass times acceleration. A larger net force acting on an object causes a larger acceleration, and objects with larger mass require more force to accelerate. Therefore, the weight added to the high speed would be a tremendous force hitting a plastic soldier.
But of course, the resistance of the plastic would cause the soldier to simply fly away. The same with his beak (experienced directly with my finger in the video) bites a little hard for a human, and can even damage living tissue. But for a plastic soldier it would only cause some deep scratches or marks.
Animal combat investigation
A Cockroach can run at such high speed that it could appear to you so suddenly that it would surely cause you a jump scare, even if you hear his crackling sounds. But, even with its large size compared to a Cockroach, you would never hear a Cat until it is too late.
Like each of the Bravo Company Commandos or the members of Team Assault, each animal has a set of characteristics that makes it part of a diverse variety of formidable opponents. Anyway, this is the limit of our imagination and theoretical knowledge. Which is why we had to go out and look for real information.
The dove that could not live naturally…
When it comes to translating reality into the digital realm, such as animating a pigeon and providing the NPC with, although incredible, realistic characteristics, we have to go outside and look for these components of the Real World and observe them carefully, always thinking from the perspective of a plastic soldier.
On this occasion we were lucky enough to meet a healthy, 100% functional pigeon, which was domesticated by people who then abandoned it in a bird shelter. The first time we saw her, she allowed herself to be petted and stayed quite still, which allowed us to take photographs and measure her to make the 3D model. She had just arrived at the shelter where she was disconnected from all human relationships, staying to live alone with other pigeons, away from humans who only go to the shelter to leave them food and change their water supply. When we returned, months later, her taming level had already begun to disappear. It was at that moment that we took this video.
What is the problem with domesticating a wild animal? The problem is that it makes them useless when it comes to living in their wild environments. A domesticated bird will surely die because of its ignorance, lack of knowledge or because of its “brainwashing”. She will not know how to look for food and will be eaten by a predator or hit by a vehicle, deaths from which she will not flee because she will not even know what they mean. She will not run from a human because she will not known it’s dangerous… dying by slingshot.
Now she was not as comfortable with humans and although she did not escape with the terror of a normal pigeon, she no longer liked being petted, which indicates that her treatment to live in the wild was going well.
She had already chosen a partner, a Messenger (or Racing) Pigeon that was also abandoned, bigger, adult and more beautiful than her, whose wing fracture left him on the ground, never to be able to fly at a height that would allow him to have a normal wild life. With her he had already had 2 chicks, which when they became adults, the caregivers took them out of the shelter to release them and never see them again.
Maybe this story was too long, and away from what we were talking about, right?. Well, I went extended on purpose to prove my next point…
And it’s like that that by accident…
…nothing happened to the pigeon. She is still undergoing treatment with a possible early release. But anyway, all this that we learned accidently and unexpectedly led us not only to realize the real possibilities of a plastic soldier fighting a pigeon, but also the stories that an uninformed person does not even imagine are behind an animal which is considered a “rodent of the air”. Bapulated, ignored, despised and mass murdered, she also tells us (unintentionally) about human nature and his lack of responsibility with the other life forms that make his ecosystem. The difficulties animals must go through to survive, which we do not see, are worthy of admiration.
We humans tend to downplay everything that is small, but on the other hand we are fascinated and concerned about animals such as cats, dogs, lions, elephants, etc. Larger animals that we consider exotic because they are rare and we are not surrounded by them all the time. Therefore, from the Army Men plastic soldier’s perspective, a simple pigeon would be considered an impressive and exotic animal, from a world very different from their own: uncommon. On the other hand, the pigeon would ignore it due to its smaller size, not considering it a threat like if they were insects (unless the Army Men shoot her). It is for all these reasons that we assumed that they would protect a pigeon as much as we would protect an elephant.
Therefore, not only did we learn to admire an animal that we had never even thought of before, but it also opened the doors to an immensity of narrative possibilities for our story. That’s why the title “Animal Warriors” doesn’t just have the simple meaning you thought before reading all this.
The Army Men Videogames Website, home of the Army Men Toyverse
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