Toy Soldiers on PC

[Gusington]

Got this game at a Steam sale a while back and while I am waiting to hear about Commander: The Great War getting patched, I fired it up tonight and played two levels. It has a great period feel that I really wasn't expecting...in fact, I'm not sure what I was expecting. Graphics are appropriately sepia toned (if you want them to be), the music is great, and there are a load of WWI weapons modeled, pretty realistically too...guns have maximum range, heavier weapons have to be aimed appropriately, etc. Even armored cars, early tanks and aircraft are modeled.

For my first couple of levels I manned a howitzer crew, a mortar team and a machine gun, as the British. I mowed down wave after wave of German infantry and then it hit me...even though the soldiers are modeled as 'toys'...when hit they spin around like tops or blow apart in a shower of gears and there is no blood per se...Toy Soldiers struck me as a sad game.

Not sad in its production because the quality is there. But I think it's sad because it portrays the mowing down of 100s if not 1000s of people. I understand that the whole premise is that they are toys, not real people but the physics and appearance of the game is too realistic to just dismiss.

I don't know...maybe I'm overly sensitive to begin with, or maybe the game uses settings that just look and sound too real, or maybe its because I am reading Guns of August....I don't know. Toy Soldiers is obviously well produced but maybe too much so?

The war was 100 years ago (almost) but I can't help but be filled with a feeling of melancholy when playing Toy Soldiers. Maybe I'm just being ridiculous.

Thoughts?

[Grim.Reaper]

I really like the game for a quick relaxer....however, really never got the sense of it being too real for me.  I enjoy playing the sniper role in this one, but other roles are fun too.

[TheCommandTent]

I've always enjoyed tower defense games and toy soldiers so this was a fun combination for me.  But now you've gone and brought the mood down Gus.   :P

[Toonces]

Way to be a bummer, Gus.

[Gusington]

Maybe I'm being too sensitive. The whole view I posted above can obviously be said for our entire hobby. But WWI is a particularly sad war. Should just take off my skirt, STFU and blow away some krauts?

[Toonces]

Dude, it's army men.  Lighten up- have a few beers and just chill already.

[Gusington]

I know, but that's my point. I'm seeing more there than just army men.

[GDS_Starfury]

Maybe I'm being too sensitive. The whole view I posted above can obviously be said for our entire hobby. But WWI is a particularly sad war. Should just take off my skirt, STFU and blow away some krauts?

yes!

thought Im evidently not supposed to tell you to STFU.  ::)

[Jarhead0331]

Maybe I'm just being ridiculous.

Thoughts?

+1  :'(

[Longdan]

I have the game and play it for a relaxer. I do not think, Gus, that they meant
for you to be reading Barbara Tuchman while playing army men.  Do not read "What Price Glory"
or any other of them depressers and do not watch "Gallipoli".
Try this on for size.... it is free
http://download.cnet.com/The-You-Testament/3000-2097_4-10907896.html

This might lighten things up.  It has fighting!

[Grimnirsson]

Maybe I'm being too sensitive. The whole view I posted above can obviously be said for our entire hobby. But WWI is a particularly sad war. Should just take off my skirt, STFU and blow away some krauts?

Good that I'm not that sensitive being a Kraut myself... ;)

The game is great, here's are my thoughts about it: http://wargamecenter.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/review-toy-soldiers-a-diorama-coming-alive/

Unfortunately the Cold War game is not fun anymore because they actually broke the tower defense part  with the introduction of the overpowered Hero  :(

[Huw the Poo]

Gus I know how you feel; I've had similar feelings from time to time.  As said above, it kind of goes with the territory when you play wargames.  My advice is that if it's bothering you at the moment, just leave it alone for a while.  It's probably mood-related - come back to it in a week or two and you'll feel differently.

[Zulu1966]

I know, but that's my point. I'm seeing more there than just army men.

Not sure I see it with Toy Soldiers as a game - but if you do thats fine. To me, your feeling is the value of our hobby, and why those outside of it who call us warmongers are so ingnorant and wrong. Whos more likely to rush off to a real one ? Them - who know nothing of the sacrifice it entails -  or us. That you have those feelings only suggests to me you are a deep thinking person who sees the value of our hobby in teaching history and more importantly serves as a reminder to those who sacrificed for us. I often stop sometimes after a particularly costly assault in combat mission and think - jesus - people did this for real. When most people these days dont even know when it started and ended, dont belittle your feeling - it is what the true value of our hobby is. Remembrance.

[Gusington]

Thanks guys for the above couple of posts...ts been a while since I have felt like this, not sure why a light game llike Toy Soldiers has brought it out...must be the reading I am doing as posted above.

[Huw the Poo]

You might be interested to read a piece by the excellent Tim Stone that appeared in his Flare Path column on Rock Paper Shotgun last year:

Heavily Engaged: Grognard Guilt

...and the ensuing discussion in the comments section underneath.  Not sure whether it will help, but it reinforces the point that we all go through this sometimes.

Play The Sims 3 until you feel better about it. :D