A GAYmer Guide Breakdown of the New ThunderCats Cartoon.

After months of anticipation The ThunderCats are finally loose in their 2011 cartoon revival. While much has changed since the show's initial appearance 26 years ago, Warner Brothers has done a spectacular job of rewriting ThunderCat history while still maintaining the cartoon whimsy yet mature undertones that made our friendly felines so popular in the first place. And although WB may have traded the bulging muscles of homo-erotic 80's animation for some much less stimulating american-style anime, ThunderCats is just as much a must-watch now as it was before. However, with the reboot already set to air it's fifth episode next week, and with no official website for watching previous episodes online, most fans haven't had a chance to get caught up to speed on these strange but familiar looking heroes this time around.  Not to worry ThunderFans, you're ever vigilant GAYmer Guide is here to iron out the details and clear the air so you can get ready to feel the magic and hear the roar once again.

Setting
Then: After the destruction of their home-world Thundera, the ThunderCats find themselves having crash-landed on a the mysterious planet Third Earth. They set right away to building a fortress, the iconic Cats Lair, making allies and maintaining the code of Thundera. It isn't long before their presence awakens the ancient demon priest Mumm-Ra and their fight for survival begins.
Now: On a very different Third Earth where it seems segregation reigns supreme, the Cats have built quite a legacy for themselves. In their great city Thundera, ruled by king Claudis (voiced by Larry Kenney, the original Lion-O from the 80's) the cocky and privileged Cats have come to view themselves as the best of the races on their planet. Things quickly change when one of their own betrays them, resulting in the destruction of their beloved city and the near decimation of their people. Knowing that the answers they need to defeat this ancient evil are written in the lost Book of Omens, the surviving Cats set out to find the book and save what's left of their civilization.

Cheetara
Then: As the only adult female ThunderCat for the first couple years of the show this speed-demon, warrior goddess proved her worth time and time again. With limited ESP abilities and the use of a wavering sixth sense, Cheetara got the Cats out of many a jam. Her weapon of choice: a bow staff that could do just about anything she wanted it to.

Now: Having been trained as a Cleric by none other than Jaga himself, Cheetara finds herself the last of her kind after the destruction of her city. Being a Cleric, Cheetara has some knowledge in magic, including the ability to make herself run at super speeds, wether this knowledge of magic will include a sixth sense has yet to be seen. While she may have traded her lady-mullet for some longer locks, the new Cheetara still fights with her iconic staff, the weapon of the Clerics.


Tygra
Then: A Thunderian noble, Tygra was renowned for his intelligence, cunning, and skills as an architect/engineer, having been responsible for the construction of the Cats Lair and Tower of Omens while on Third Earth. When faced with an opponent, the striped Cat would use his whit and ability to turn invisible to confuse his enemies and gain his victory.

Now: Of all the characters in the ThunderCats reboot, Tygra may be the least like him former self. As Lion-O's adopted brother, he frequently finds himself a tad jealous that his rash and cocky younger sibling will be the one to inherit the throne, causing him to frequently challenging Lion-O to public displays of strength and might in order to better show his adeptness. However while still caring about his brother, and still rocking the unexplained ability to turn invisible, Tygra is always there to back up Lion-O in a fight, even when the odds are well-stacked against them.


Lion-O
Then: Being young at the time of his home planet's destruction, Lion-O escaped aboard the ThunderCat Flag Ship with the surviving Thundarian nobles. While sleeping in suspended animation on the journey to their new planet, Lion-O's body grew and matured by the time they crash landed. Despite being an adolescent boy with the body of a greek god, he was a fair and level-headed Lord of the ThunderCats, often consulting the spirit of his former mentor Jaga before making decisions.

Now: As a rash and often immature Prince, Lion-O spends his days exploring his city and dreaming about the stories he was told as a young child. Obsessed mostly with the stories of "technology" Lion-O often sneaks into the slums of Thundera to buy strange salvaged equipment from a black-market vendor, wondering what it's many different uses are. Often times at odds with his fellow Cats' sense of entitlement, Lion-O frequently finds himself stepping in to protect the weak from what he sees as unjust punishment. As Thundera is ransacked by the Lizards utilizing great mechanical beasts, it's Lion-O's tinkering with technology that allows him to save a handful of Cats and escape the city. With the death of his father Claudis, Lion-O inherits the Sword of Omens and assumes the mantle of king as he sets out to find the Book of Omens.


Jaga
Then: A great leader and warrior, Jaga led the ThunderCats into many battles on their home-world Thundera. After the planet started to rip apart, Jaga commanded the flag ship of the ThunderCats and plotted a course for the closest suitable planet for them to rebuild. After the ship's auto pilot was damaged in a Mutant attack, Jaga took it upon himself to pilot the ship as far as he could, knowing he wouldn't survive the trip in a suspended animation capsule due to his age. Despite having died before the ThunderCats crashed on Third Earth, Jaga's spirit frequently appeared to Lion-O to guide him through his journey or warn him of danger, sometimes even temporarily taking the Sword of Omens and fighting along side him.

Now: A great and powerful Wizard, Jaga serves as advisor to the throne of Thundera. Having formed and trained the Clerics, an elite group of warrior skilled in magic sworn to protect the crown, Jaga was invaluable to the Cats survival. When Thundera is attacked it's Jaga and his Clerics who come to the rescue of the king, until Mumm-Ra shows himself and wipes out the clerics in seconds.


Panthro
Then: Tough, strong and apparently rather fond of spiked singlets, Panthro acted as the mechanic and technician for the ThunderCats after their crash on Third Earth. Working closely with Tygra, the two built an array of machines and vehicles that were instrumental in the survival and success of their teammates. Though Panthro preferred to drive the ThunderTank while in battle, he was rather adept at hand-to-hand combat, utilizing his red and blue nunchucks when the situation called for it.

Now: As of yet Panthro hasn't made an appearance in the Cartoon, though he has been mentioned frequently. Apparently a great general and close friend of Grune's, Panthro set out with Grune to find the Book of Omens, but allegedly fell during a Lizard attack. But fear not Cat fans, promotional pictures and actions figures alike featuring our blue-skinned boy alive and well would suggest it's only a matter of time before the surviving cats come across Panthro in their journey.


WilyKit and WilyKat
Then: Young, mischievous and troublesome, the "kittens" frequently let their curiosity get the better of them. Flying around on hover-boards and carrying with them an arsenal of smoke bombs and pellets, WilyKit and Kat always had a few tricks up their furry sleeves.

Now: As poor, near starving street urchins, the "kittens" of today are a far cry from the WilyKit and WilyKat of the 80's. While just as cunning and mischievous as they were before, WilyKit and Kat frequently use their tricks to score food off of an unsuspecting noble, rather than to play pranks on Snarf. While their bag of pellets and hover boards have yet to make an appearance, WilyKit does have the use of a ring-shaped flute which seems to daze anyone she plays it for, giving Kat the opportunity to gingerly pick their pockets.


Snarf
Then: Nursemaid to Lion-O as a boy, Snarf was both fiercely loyal to the ThunderCats and fiercely annoying to most fans. Although not able to fight and often times needed saving himself, Snarf was regularly involved in the ThunderCat's battles, much to everyone's dismay.

Now: Snarf has finally found his proper place as nothing more than Lion-O's pet. Possessing limited intelligence (like his former self) Snarf basically walks around and sniffs things in the background. Incapable of speech, the new Snarf will never be able to talk incessantly, complain constantly, or be able to shout variations of the word "snarf" at every turn.


Grune
Then: A former General for the armies of Thundera, Grune grew antsy after generations of peace. Eventually seeing the Thundarians as unworthy of the protection of the ThunderCats, Grune led a campaign to take over Thundera and force it's inhabitants to worship the ThunderCats like gods. His plan was quickly thwarted by his close friend Jaga, resulting in Grune's banishment from the planet. While on Third Earth the ThunderCats encountered Grune's spirit several times, having to call on Jaga to help defeat him every time.

Now: One of the two great Generals of Thundera, Grune and Panthro are sent out to find the Book of Omens. Upon their return, Grune informs everyone that Panthro lost his life during an attack from the Lizards. Grune later showed his true colors as he led an army of Lizards into the city, destroying everything in his path. Having allied himself with Mumm-Ra, Grune now acts as one of the main antagonists for the ThunderCats.


Mumm-Ra
Then: An ancient and powerful servant to the Spirits of Evil, Mumm-Ra took his place as big-badguy number 1. Constantly trying to destroy the ThunderCats and claim the power of the Sword of Omens as his own, Mumm-Ra relentlessly schemed and plotted to bring about their demise, often times allying with the other evil-doers of Third Earth. Though Mumm-Ra's powers were strong, the time he could spend out of his Black Pyramid was quite finite before his powers started to weaken and he was forced to retreat to his sarcophagus.

Now: Still as old, mummified and creepy as ever, Mumm-Ra once again serves as the main antagonist for the ThunderCats. Complete with a sarcophagus and his black pyramid, Mumm-Ra wastes no time in teaming with Grune and the Lizards to eradicate Thundera and wipe the Cats of the face of Third Earth. Although it appears Mumm-Ra doesn't suffer from a loss of power outside his pyramid, sunlight seems to weaken him greatly, causing him to attack Thundera at night. Mumm-Ra hopes to find the Book of Omens and use it's knowledge to gain even more power, a task the new ThunderCats wont let him complete.

An MMO In a Galaxy All It's Own: 10 Ways The Old Republic Differs From World of Warcraft



The time of the recluse nerd has come to an end. As the world of communications continues to expand, gone are the days of the anti-social gamer looking to level up his sorcerer alone in the confines of his darkened bedroom. With social networking expanding and internet access becoming more accessible we bid a fond farewell to traditional solo gaming as we find ourselves struggling to stay up-to-date and free of boredom in the Massively Multiplayer Online era.

Of the countless MMOs to have been released, none such have acted as both savior and saboteur as the formerly-sweet, now-bitter title "World of Warcraft:" a game so popular and so over-played gamers everywhere roll their eyes, drop their mouses, and shut off their computers at it's mere mention. What once set the bar for all other games to be judged by, WOW now acts as the industry's best example of what not to emulate for all new titles. We've all seen it: the closer a game resembles World of Warcraft, the more criticism it undoubtedly receives. 

 Because of WOW's influence there now exists a stigma withing the industry. All MMORPGs, no matter how hard they try to distance themselves, are viewed as nothing more than World of Warcraft in a different setting and with different characters;  a nice little conundrum we at GAYmer Guide have come to call the "WOW factor". Though countless developers have tried to reverse this stigma, only one seems to have the goods to really succeed and revamp everything we thought we knew about MMO gaming.  

Hailing from a galaxy far, far away and riding on the coat tails of it's developer's uncanny reputation for making a quality RPG, BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic has what it takes to break the blockade of repetition in our MMOs and  jump to hyperspace as the next best thing to come to online gaming. Still, despite overwhelming evidence that TOR is the answer to our prayers, gamers everywhere are a tad skeptical and many remain on the fence as to whether or not they'll pick up a lightsaber and join the battle to shape the galaxy. Having done the research and seen the footage, GAYmer Guide can tell you: this is what we've been waiting for. But for those still worried that TOR is just WOW in space we give you the following to consider:

An example of the dialog featured in TOR

1 - The force speaks to you, and so, apparently, will TOR- Probably the biggest difference between the two games will be the fully voiced environment featured in The Old Republic. Unlike the occasional "Zub Zub" heard when talking to an Orc in the Badlands, every cutscene, mission briefing, and character interaction in TOR will feature voice actors playing out a scene for gamer's amusement. Rather than having to read through a scroll-shaped text box in order to find out why they're being asked to explore yet another kobold-infested mine, players can sit back and relax as they watch the captain of their imperial battle cruiser explain their next assignment. In addition to just briefings and debriefings, players will have options for input in conversations, adding a little more personalization to a massively multiplayer world.



The many faces of a human female

2 - Class, Some People Have it, Some People Don't- In Star Wars it takes all types: Humans, Twi'leks, Iridonians, the list goes on and on, but in the galactic melting pot that is The Old Republic, race is no more important than what color lightsaber crystal to choose. Sure gamers will be able to select from the many familiar and not-so familiar humanoid species from the galaxy far far away, but what defines their story and gameplay experience is the Character Class they choose to be. Whether players choose to pick up a lightsaber and commune with the force as a Jedi Consular or sling a blaster rifle and run blockades as a Smuggler, players' story, quests and game experience will be drastically different between the various classes. While there will still be the occasional shared quest in which a Sith Inquisitor might have to team up with an Imperial Agent,  gone are the days of dinging at level 20 and finding that your story has become the same as every other character you've ever created; a persistent problem in the world of Azeroth.

A Smuggler crouching behind a crate to
take cover during a battle

3 - "Say Hello to my Little Friend"- We've all been there: fighting the final boss of a two-hour dungeon when some ranged DPS player builds too much threat and now has to run for their life as said boss barrels after them. While BioWare has decided to employ the classic Melee/Healer/Range setup that most RPGs use, ranged units who might not be the best at taking damage aren't totally helpless should they get targeted. Units using blasters such as the Smuggler or Imperial Agent will have the ability to take cover behind environmental objects, greatly reducing their chances of being hit. Other ranged units such as the Bounty Hunter and Republic Soldier have a good deal of armor reinforcing them should any stray blaster fire come their way.  Ranged units will also be able to switch out different cells in their blaster rifles for added effects such as armor piercing rounds; perfect for taking out an over zealous defense droid.

TOR's setting plays to it's advantage as
a story telling game.

4 - Finally, An MMO That Doesn't Kill Lore- One of the biggest grievances for fans of the WarCraft franchise was WOW's apparent disregard for any lore or continuity within it's own universe. Just about every iconic character in the world of Azeroth is killable at one time or another, taking years of story and dumping it down the drain. TOR's setting, on the other hand, will be giving characters a chance to further explore Star Wars lore as they adventure through the galaxy in a time fans don't know much about, and writers have purposely left unwritten. We know eventually in 3,000 years Vader comes into the picture and starts force choking everybody, but for now it's a galaxy of anything goes during an era in which heroes are made and overthrown almost daily.

A Jedi knight and his trusty droid companion

5 - The More the Merrier- Like it's predecessor, Knights of the Old Republic, TOR will feature companion characters that gamers will meet while venturing throughout the galaxy. These non-playable characters can accompany players on missions and even join in on combat. Building on the voice mechanics of the game, players can take time to get to know their companions as they venture along, or tell them to stay out of it when they try to give their two cents in a conversation. 





Companion characters take care of crafting
 while you're out exploring the galaxy



6 - Save the busy work for the drones- No more will players have spend endless hours searching for linen cloth and sewing it into ill-fitting garments in order to acquire crafting experience. That's right, in TOR the tedious task of item crafting is done behind the scenes by your companions as you go about your travels. Different companions might specialize in different areas, giving you the chance to choose who best focuses on what type of crafting while you're out rounding up Jawas or slicing up Wookies. 

A class-specific starship, the Republic
Defender, docked on a planet

7 - Home is where the hyperdrive is- Taking place in a galaxy that's not only far, far away but probably fairly large, players will be in need of some means of transportation from planet to planet; enter: the starship. Each character class will have a starship assigned to it that acts as your base of operations on the many different worlds found in the Old Republic. This is where companions not accompanying you on missions will stay and work on the tasks you've assigned them to. In addition to being you're intergalactic RV, starships can also be used to engage in space battles: special missions that require the player to take to the cockpit and pilot their ship through an onslaught of cannon fire and asteroids as they try to destroy other starships or even massive battle cruisers. 

Choosing to attack a peaceful heard of
animals can result in a deeper slip into
the dark side.

8 - You say potato, I say force choke- Another feature of TOR that it acquired from its precursors is the use of a light side/dark side meter. As players experience the world of Star Wars they'll have countless opportunities to make decisions that will effect the world around them. Players choosing to save innocents and stand for justice will retain lightside points, while players choosing to kill, maim, or seriously disfigure can bask in their evil glory as they acquire more dark side points. This adds a great deal of customization to the gaming experience. While players will never be able to switch factions, one could theoretically become a rather cruel Jedi, but still loyal to the Republic just as one could become a Sith Warrior with a penchant for petting bunnies and picking flowers. 



If he's not careful, a rowdy Bounty Hunter
could step on the wrong toes and have to
deal with the repercussions.



9 - Actions have Consequences- Unlike World of WarCraft, players traversing through The Old Republic will rarely find themselves playing the same game twice, unless they play as the exact same class and make the exact same choices every time. Players who choose to murder a back-talking soldier might later find themselves staring down the blaster barrel of a disgruntled widow wanting revenge for what you did to her husband. Choices a gamer makes will influence his game so much that in some cases entirely new quests might come as a result of an earlier made choice. This is certainly a far cry from the repetitious if not seemingly copy-pasted quests of World of WarCraft.

Jedi mind tricks are just the tip of the
iceberg when it comes to moves you'll be
able to perform when you live out your Star
Wars fantasy.

10 - In case you didn't realize, it's Star Wars- Any nerd who truly wears the title with pride is a fan of George Lucas's brain child. While allegiance to WarCraft and Blizzard might waver, the bulk of us grew up making light saber noises or begging our parents to let us dress up as Princess Leia for Halloween. Featuring a Lucas-approved story line, hours of music made just for the game, and endless amounts of quality Star Wars action, Bioware has worked tirelessly on it's labor of love to give us all what we've been wanting since we could first say the words "force push."