The Thermanator, also known as Therminator[1] is a gadget created by a Gadgetron Inventor who was stranded on Barlow. The Thermanator can be used in many instances to freeze water and allow Ratchet to cross a path, or otherwise to thaw ice and allow Ratchet to swim through it. It can freeze water pools, but cannot freeze large oceans. Sometimes, Ratchet must carefully freeze water when the water level has reached a certain point. Frozen water could sometimes be used for platforming, functioning as either a jump slot or a grind rail.
History[]
Ratchet first found the Inventor on Barlow during "Scout the ruined machinery", left stranded after freezing himself in an ice cube. When he was released he was overjoyed at the success of his invention, and the prospect of Gadgetron paying him millions. Ratchet dashed his hopes by informing him that Megacorp has driven Gadgetron out of business in the Bogon Galaxy for years,[2] leading the Inventor to instead sell the Thermanator to Ratchet for 1,000 bolts.
Ratchet used the Thermanator the first time on Barlow, shortly after acquiring it, to exit the building in which he had found the Inventor. Next, he and Clank used it to make their way through a chemical factory in Canal City, on Notak, during "Search Canal City for thief". It was also used during a mission to explore the area on planet Tabora, leading to him finding the Glider. Later on he used it to make his way through a park in Allgon City in the mission "Save the overrun planet".
He also used it to collect platinum bolts on both Tabora and Damosel.
Behind the scenes[]
A promotional render.
The Thermanator was programmed by Gameplay Programmer Tim Trzepacz, and was particularly difficult to program for due to the way that water was coded.[3]
Citations[]
- ↑ Going Commando, Ratchet & Clank Going Commando Official Strategy Guide, p. 60
- ↑ Going Commando script § "Scout the ruined machinery (gameplay)"
- ↑ Stout, Garcia June 30 2011 4:19
References[]
- Insomniac Games (2003). Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Stout, Mike; Garcia, Tony [@uselesspodcasts] (2011, June 30). Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary: 7 - Hydropack / Thermanator [Video]. YouTube.