The 20-year-old from Calgary recently flexed her creative muscles with Resistance in mind, making a spot-on replica of the Marksman, a long-range weapon that made its debut in Resistance 2. We recently had a chance to chat with this extremely talented costume and prop maker about constructing this tool of destruction.

First off, tell us a little bit about yourself?

Izy Cheung: Um, I’m not really sure what to say. I was always that kid that stuck out in a crowd, even when I wasn’t trying to. I’ve always had a very curious and creative mind growing up, which wasn’t always for the best, as it’d get me in trouble whenever I took something apart to see how it worked. So now that I have the resources and know-how, I can use my creativeness and build my beloved characters through costumes and really make them come to life. Aside from my addictive costume making and the obvious passion for video gaming, I love to play field hockey and draw. Other than that, I’m pretty much a hermit and an anti-social freak, unless my friends literally dragged out of my house. Ha-ha.

You’ve said that this is actually the first weapon prop that you ever created. Why start now?

I’ve always wanted to do a costume that had a sweet prop, and the Chimera seemed like a good place to start. And seeing as a Chimera is my next major costume, I couldn’t very well go without a gun!

I know it probably wasn’t a good idea to have my first prop be the awesome Marksman, but I always love a good challenge. I am very pleased with the outcome produced, having lacked a background in prop making.

Why go with the Marksman for your first Resistance weapon?

Of all the Resistance weapons, the Marksman is my all-time favorite; I’m a sniper at heart. Some would suggest I go with the Fareye instead if I’m a sniper, but the Marksman does more damage, has the orbs as a secondary fire, and just looks the coolest out of all of them. I totally fell in love with this gun at first sight (I really like my guns!!).

You said it took roughly 100 hours of labor to create this prop. What were some of the toughest parts of putting it together?

Actually, overall it wasn’t too bad; just a bunch of cutting and gluing. Aside from a couple wounds of stupidity (Be safe: Don’t cut a wooden dowel with a butcher knife, kids!!) and a messed-up sleep schedule, it wasn’t too hard to make at all.

The hardest thing was trying to find some decent pictures to work off so I can get it as accurate as possible. I spent hours on end just looking for something as a reference. I ended up finding one art concept I could use. So I took my camera, turned on my TV and starting playing, pwnd some Chimera, and took some pictures of their weapons (which I later used to go kill their buddies with, ha-ha, suckers!).

This prop doesn’t weigh nearly as much as the Bullseye we have at Insomniac—how did you keep it so light?

It was the types of materials that I chose to make it with. I could have made it with heavier materials, but I figured: If I’m going to be carrying this thing all around conventions and other such places, I don’t really want to be hauling a 30lb gun. I needed something light-weight, sturdy, and materials that were easy to work with. So I chose to make the majority of it out of craft foam.

You’re a self-admitted Resistance fan, especially of the weapons. What’s it about this franchise’s arsenal that you find so appealing?

That’s a bit of a tough question; probably because they’re shiny. Ha-ha, just kidding. In all seriousness, I just really love the overall design of each of them. They’re well thought-out, have an amazing design, super creative in their functions, and they make things go “boom.”

Have you ever thought about making a prop based on a Ratchet weapon?

I haven’t gotten into Ratchet quite yet; I have a slight OCD problem and when I get obsessed with something I love, I stick with it for a long time and focus on just that. Ha-ha. Eventually it’ll phase out, but in a couple months I’ll probably be playing it again like it’s a shiny new game. I’ve played the campaign a dozen times and I’m still not tired of it.

But I’m sure if I put down Resistance long enough to pick up Ratchet, I’d probably end up making something from it, too. The idea of making a Ratchet costume would also be really, really cool.

What’s the next Resistance weapon you’ll make? And what’s this we hear about you creating a Chimera mask?

Well, there’s just so many to choose from! Of course I plan on making them all, but I’d like to make my favorite ones first: Wraith, Fareye, Auger, LAARK, Bullseye, and the Pulse Cannon (Oh I can’t wait to do the Pulse Cannon!! It’s going to have so many shiny lights on it!!). And with each new weapon I do build, I plan to make it better than the last and each will have cool features like the Marksman.

Ah yes, my Chimera costume. I’m not just making the mask, but the whole thing—from six-eyed goodness to the heat stacks glowing. It all started with one late night of gaming and a crazy idea, as I sat there sniping down Ravagers, I thought, “Man it’d be cool to do a Chimera costu–….hey, maybe I should… I could…nah, but that’s a crazy idea…but then again I AM crazy…THAT’S IT! My next costume is going to be a Chimera!” So I started the madness and begin working on my Chimera costume. I have already completed a few pieces of armor, so I decided to take a break from the armor and work on a gun, the Marksman.

It’s funny, because people are getting excited over a gun and are thinking, “crazy Resistance fan makes shiny gun,” but what they don’t know is that it’s really a small part of a whole Chimera costume yet to come. Well, two to be exact. I’m also making one for a friend (he’s roughly the same size), so I’ll have my own Chimeran army…of two! Ha-ha.

The response to the gun has been amazing. I can’t begin to imagine what it’ll be like when people find out/see I’m doing a whole Chimera costume!

Have you thought about a career in making props and costumes?

I have, actually. I’m looking into exactly what kind of schooling I’d need for that. But quite frankly, I hate school. And I don’t believe that school can teach you something like prop and costume making to its fullest extent. A “hobby” like this really requires field experience and just going out there and making stuff at your own skill and pace.

But as a career, I would love to do that! I wouldn’t even do it for the money or fame, just for the pure love for making costumes. Just even talking about costumes and making them really gets me excited. And when asked a question that is costume-related, you can’t get me to shut up when I give an answer. Ha-ha.

What’s the best way people can check out your creations and what you’re currently working on?

My website is a good place: http://www.hyokenseisou.ca/.

Really, I’m on a number of sites so it’s not too hard to find updates on costumes and such. Various links are on my homepage, though. But, I am far too lazy to update my site on a regular basis, so the best way for a current update is probably on my youtube, which also has the occasional tutorials. Another good place for picture updates would be my cosplay account on Deviantart.com.

Dr. Malikov and The Grims didn’t just have a part in Resistance 2’s campaign—you could also assume the role of these characters on the game’s competitive multiplayer battlefields. Well, that’s if you pre-ordered R2 at select U.S. retailers and received one of the bonus multiplayer skins.

Over the last few months we’ve received a number of e-mails from Resistance fans here and around the globe requesting these exclusive skins. So starting today both will be available for download through the PlayStation Store for free (releasing on June 11 in Europe)!

And speaking of adding to your Resistance collection, we’ve also seen quite a few franchise-related items come out since R2’s release. Here’s a quick refresher for you:

• The comic book series: Wildstorm (a division of DC Comics) has published a six-part miniseries that revealed all-new details about the Resistance universe, which included an in-depth look at the Sentinels and touched upon aspects of the Retribution storyline. Issue #6 just hit store shelves last week.



• The novel: Ever wonder what exactly happened during the two-year gap that separates the first two levels of R2? Acclaimed science-fiction author William Dietz tells that story in Resistance: The Gathering Storm, which is available now.



• The t-shirt: With the weather starting to heat up, here’s the perfect addition to your gaming wardrobe. You can find this t-shirt at your local Hot Topic and its online store.

More is also on the way, including Resistance action figures from DC Unlimited. Lt. Nathan Hale, the Ravager, and other characters from the franchise will be available this September.

Nocturnal is really about giving back to the industry. We know that we’re here because we learned from those that came before us and we have a responsibility to give back in turn. We take that responsibility very seriously and so we’ve worked hard to make sure we’ve added regularly to both our research documentation and source code over the last year. Just about every two weeks we release something new with the hope that we can help someone out there. Even when studios decide not to use our code or research directly, we know that we’ve at least been able to inspire conversation and discussion about our approaches within other studios. And getting people communicating and debating ideas is always a good thing!

Today, we’re adding something that I think is very neat to the Nocturnal code base. We’re very proud of the research we did and the final effect of the water system used in Resistance 2 and as of today both that code and documentation that describes the techniques in detail is available on nocturnal.insomniacgames.com – free to use for any purpose. I can only hope that one of you out there will take that and improve on it! (And you know if you want to share those improvements back with the community in turn, that would be awesome!)

Thanks to everyone in the community that’s checked out the source code on Nocturnal or read our R&D papers and given us feedback. Keep it up!

The DLC comes in two forms: new competitive multiplayer maps and character skins. The Aftermath Map Pack features three new battlefields, two set in Twin Falls (Aftermath and Pit Stop) and another in Orick (Outpost). All of the maps support 20-player Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, while Outpost also lets you play 20-player Core Control. The Aftermath Map Pack will be available for download through the PlayStation Store for $5.99.

We also have six new competitive multiplayer character skins. In addition to our usual band of brothers (of the human, Cloven, and Chimeran variety), we even have two selections for our female R2 players. You can download the following skins through the PlayStation Store for $0.99 each: Rachael Parker, Female Soldier, Ravager, Cloven (Retribution model), Ranger Variation, and Black Ops Variation.

Then we have patch 1.50, or what some on the MyResistance.net forums have been calling the “the big patch.” And it definitely lives up to that nickname—it’s quite substantial. Once you install the patch (the download prompt will come up automatically once you start R2), you’ll now be treated to:

Meltdown Mode: We’ve read the message-board comments. We’ve seen the online petition. You want it? You got it! Patch 1.50 brings back Meltdown, the popular Resistance: Fall of Man multiplayer mode in which each team attempts to gain control of the map by capturing beacons.

Superhuman Co-op Mode: Does your eight-man Specter squad possess the skills to survive this all-new difficulty? It features stronger enemies and disables auto-respawning (only another squadmate can revive you), but dishes out bigger rewards (double the Grey Tech and XP per round).

Second PSN Login Support: Your fellow couch potato can now save their character’s multiplayer progress, thanks to the added option to log in with two unique PSN accounts.

But that’s really just the beginning of patch 1.50’s offerings:

• XP balance adjustments for competitive mode
• Announcements screen
• Failsafe save support
• Password protected custom games
• Added ability to “Report” player
• Teams switch sides between Core Control rounds
• Players now automatically go to staging after every competitive or cooperative game (regame)
• Localization updates
• Various stat fixes
• Collision fixes on Bryce Canyon and Holar Tower cooperative levels
• New leaderboards
• Map fixes for competitive Chicago level
• Games with Friends and Clan members in them are now highlighted in the “Find Game” screen
• Limited late joining has been added to ranked games
• Deathmatch spawning has been improved
• Players can’t earn progress towards Berserks when they are dead
• Reduced sprint speed of core carrier in Core Control games
• Cooperative XP bonuses have been increased by 30%
• Cooperative games respawn time is now 20 seconds
• Players keep their grenades if they get revived in a cooperative game
• Players now have a “Join Game” option for players on their friends list
• A player’s own name is now in white in the obituary text

New Medals:

• Savant – Come in first place 30 times in ranked matches (Comp)
• Hero – Come in first place 60 times in ranked matches (Comp)
• Legend – Come in first place 100 times in ranked matches (Comp)
• Tools of Destruction – Score 100 kills with every single weapon (Comp)
• Master Strategist – Score 100 kills with full health (Comp)
• Arch Rival – Kill 500 rival squad members (Comp)
• Full Honors – Take each class to max level (Coop)
• Prophet – Revive 500 players (Coop)
• Secret Agent – Obtain all spec ops upgrades (Coop)
• Surgeon General – Obtain all medic upgrades (Coop)
• Specter Elite – Obtain all soldier upgrades (Coop)
• Like a Surgeon – 100 Splicer Kills (Comp)
• Shake N’ Bake – 100 Pulse Cannon Kills (Comp)

New Ribbons:

• Quickdraw – Get the first kill of the round (Comp)
• Manic Medic – Heal for 1000 points within 3 seconds (Coop)
• Solid Solider – Absorb 500 points of damage within a few seconds with your force barrier (Global)
• Specter Survivor – Survive an objective without dying (Coop)
• Specter Medic – Revive 2 or more allies within a few seconds (Coop)
• Hail Mary – Throw ammo and hit your target from at least 10 meters away (Coop)
• Quick and Painless – Score 3 headshots kills in a row (Global)

If you have any questions concerning the DLC and patch 1.50, you can find us on the MyResistance.net forums.

UPDATE: Thanks John and Chris, and thanks to everyone for all the great questions and feedback. Don’t forget, you can replay the whole live chat in its entirely below. We’ll see you next time!

First, reviews have begun appearing. Below is a selection of a few that have shown up over the last week including three which have given it Editors Choice Awards!

• “Resistance: Retribution goes toe to toe with it’s big brothers on the PLAYSTATION 3 and it’s a must play for fans of the series or those looking for a shooter for the road.” 9.4 out of 10 GameTrailers
• “PSP owners don’t want to miss out on this one.” 9.0 out of 10 – GameZone (Editors Choice)
• “Resistance: Retribution is excellent.” 9.2 out of 10 – IGN (Editors Choice)
• “Resistance: Retribution is easily one of the best looking PSP games available.” 9.5 out of 10 – PGNX (Editors Choice)
• ASK MEN: 9.2 out of 10
• GAME PRO: 4 out of 5
• SPIKE.com

Additionally, the soundtrack is set to appear on iTunes beginning today. Composed by Garry Schyman the soundtrack he created really evokes the action and suspense of Resistance: Retribution. Here’s a sample of one of the tracks called “Chimera Attack.”

Last week, Bryan Intihar at Insomniac Games wrapped up their feature stories on Resistance: Retribution at MyResistance.net. With topics ranging from The Story to The Weapons, the feature ended with information about Resistance: Retribution Connect. Check them all out here.

Finally, the Bend Studio is going to participate in a live chat tomorrow, here on the PlayStation Blog. John Garvin and Chris Reese will be on hand to answer your questions about making the game, the story, working with Insomniac, etc. Come back by the blog on March 18th at 12:00 Noon PDT and check it out.

And check out the Resistance: Retribution Facebook fan page!

I told you there was a lot of stuff!

As many of you already know, Insomniac didn’t work directly on this title. Instead, it comes from the folks at Sony Bend, the studio best known for their fantastic work on the Syphon Filter series. And from what we’ve seen of Retribution, Sony Bend has delivered yet again.

To help prepare you (and even us Insomniacs) for the launch, we’ve put together a feature on MyResistance.net called “The Road to Retribution.” Over the two next weeks on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we’ll be posting a story that covers a different aspect of the game.

Today we sit down with John Garvin, Sony Bend’s director of development, to learn all about who you’ll be playing in this upcoming Resistance installment. You’ll find out why James Grayson is so ticked off at the Chimera, how he compares to Lt. Nathan Hale, and which members of Resistance: Fall of Man’s supporting cast return to the fight. Check it out here. And don’t forget to keep coming back to MyResistance.net over the next two weeks for even more info and screenshots of Retribution.

Starting today, you can now download all three R2 cover options from the PlayStation Blog. It’s easy: Simply click on the cover of your liking, download the high-res image (click on “All Sizes” above the pic, and then select “Original” size), find yourself a quality color printer, and PRESTO CHANGO—you have a new R2 cover!

That’s it for now, but like always, keep checking back to the PlayStation.Blog and MyResistance.net for future R2 updates.

Multiplayer Progression

Some people have seen their competitive and/or cooperative characters reset to level 1. For several of those cases, this patch will not only bring back all the XP, stats, and attributes that you’ve lost, but it will also add to your character profile the XP/stats/attributes that you’ve earned since those levels were reset. For example, say you were a level 20 medic and after being reset to level 1, and you earned 5,000 XP. Thanks to the patch, you’ll return a level 20 medic and that 5,000 XP will be added to your profile.

This patch will also correct some medal and trophy issues, including the “Killing Machine” trophy (if you’ve already accumulated 10,000 kills but haven’t received this trophy, it’ll pop up as soon as you download the patch).

Here are some additional patch 1.40 details:

Trophy/Medal/Ribbons

• “Salute Me” trophy is not awarded until player reaches level 31 (Lieutenant)
• “Berserker” trophy can be collected during non-ranked games
• “Survivor” medal can be collected in cooperative games
• “Sure Shot” ribbon is awarded if player has accuracy of exactly 50%

Clans

• Added clan support for viewing members, sending invites, and setting up clan tags
• Default clan region is now USA

Match Balancing

• Unbalanced ranked games are cancelled in staging before the game is started
• Parties are prevented from matchmaking into free-for-all Deathmatch games

Competitive

• Loadouts can be disabled in the “Create Game” screen in competitive games
• Balanced the chance of dropping large ammo pickups in competitive games
• Core Control scoreboard displays “Kills”
• Improved scoreboard formatting

Cooperative

• Balanced the amount of XP gained by the Medic class in cooperative games
• Stalker movement enabled in cooperative games
• Small ammo pickups don’t give LAARK ammo in cooperative games

Weapons/Gameplay

• Splash damage on Pulse Cannon can damage the player firing it
• Rossmore reticule better reflects its accuracy
• Fire is easier to shake off
• Players cannot swap weapons in the middle of a melee attack

Miscellaneous

• Localized text updates
• Network message optimizations
• EULA displays the correct language text for Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish and Danish

Now you may be asking, “But what about adding the option to save the second player’s character progress?” Truth be told, it required a certain PS3 firmware that wasn’t available at the time of Resistance 2’s release. We now have that firmware and are currently working to implement the feature. As soon as it’s ready, we’ll get it out to you.

If you have any questions regarding the patch, please visit and post in the MyResistance.net message boards. The Insomniacs will be there to help answer them.

We’re pleased to let you PlayStation.Blog readers know that right now, customers who pre-order Resistance: Retribution from Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, or Game Crazy will receive a voucher code granting them access to the Resistance: Retribution demo almost two months early! The demo features single player gameplay and the option to try Resistance Connect with both the Infected mode and Resistance: Retribution Plus.

With the exception of Game Crazy (you’ll have to pre-order in-store) below are links to pre-order at your favorite retailer. Keep an eye out for the BestBuy.com pre-order page that will be coming up at the end of January.

Direct to pre-order pages:

• Amazon
• GameStop

Pre-order in store only availability

• GameCrazy

And now some eye candy for you: some screenshots from the opening cutscene of the demo. Enjoy!

Update: How to Activate Resistance Connect!

1. Insert and load Resistance: Retribution on the PSP.
2. Insert and load Resistance 2 on the PS3.
3. Connect PSP to PS3 via USB Cable.
4. From “Start” menu on the Resistance 2 menu, select “Options”.
5. Scroll to “Connect PSP”.

From there, you can activate Infected Mode and Resistance: Retribution Plus!