The Making of Psylocke 
For this week’s dev diary on our newly announced downloadable character, Psylocke, we’ve gotten the deadly duo of Steven Vanseth and Steve Nelson to help us out. Take it away, guys!
What was the overriding “theme” or direction you tried to capture with Psylocke?
Steve Vanseth
Animator
Psylocke is a fan favorite, and I wanted to make sure I stayed true to her character and captured the appeal of her character. This started in the basic traversal. I really wanted to give her a strong feminine attitude. As for her powers, we felt it was key to play up her martial arts abilities as much as possible and incorporate her ability to create “psi” weapons.
Steven Nelson
Effects Artist
Violet. Almost all the characters in the Marvel Universe have a color associated with them or their power sets. This is almost always the first consideration in making a visual effect. Even when a character doesn’t have a theme color in the comics, we will give them one we think is appropriate. After that, I keep in mind what the character isn’t actually capable of. I try hard not to give a character powers that they don’t have, or that don’t make since in the comic book reality. Psylocke was a difficult case in which I had to fudge the visuals a bit to make the FX look interesting. Nothing really super about a person throwing a couple kicks in a row. But throw in an aura around their body at the moment of impact and a bright flash, and all of a sudden that kick looks a lot more powerful.
What’s something you worked on that did this particularly well?
Steve Vanseth
Animator
I’m really happy with the way her traversal animations turned out. She has a lot of character, and I think she really stands out from the crowd… just take a moment to look at her walk. On the powers side, I think her Triple Strike works really well. It combines everything we wanted to show in Psylocke: strength, appeal, and skill.
Steven Nelson
Effects Artist
I think that the “collect and smash” fusion that Psylocke performs came out pretty well. I had some challenges with the fact that she doesn’t exactly have “explosive” powers, visually. So I did a little cheating by giving her a transparent model trail to emphasize when she’s using her powers. That, in combination with creating a sword and slicing up some baddies, really sold the grandness of the fusion.
Now that Psylocke’s about done, what’s your favorite part?
Steve Vanseth
Animator
Surprisingly, I think finishing her walk was my favorite part. I think I enjoyed it so much because I was able to really play up her character and try and get a lot of her personality to come through that animation.
Steven Nelson
Effects Artist
I get really excited when people get that WOW feeling from something I have made. However, it’s tough to get the “aw, that’s not how they look at all.” I feel like I have done a good job of walking the line between bringing the effects from the static images of the comic book to the three-dimensional moving world of the video game. In the end, though, it’s you guys who decide whether or not I’ve succeeded. I will tell you this, though: Before I started work on this project, I had been slacking on my comic book reading. In an effort to get things as right as possible I am now re-addicted to my local comic book store and the pull list gets more ridiculous by the week.
Posted by: marvelover1 on 10/20/09
awesom!
Posted by: ghost519 on 10/28/09
id just like to say that while she doesn’t have much explosive abilities she doesn’t really need them it would be a lot cooler if her fusion with Storm had Storm gather all the enemies and she just zipped through the pack and instead of an explosion they just stood there for .5 to 1 second and then just collapsed to the ground. Unfortunately it appears in the video they made her explosive which i guess is okay but its a little less true to her character.
Posted by: Fastlane on 10/20/09
While I’ve never understood the appeal of the character, nor her background, I have to admit that I like what I’ve seen of the DLC so far. Good work, team.
Posted by: pelethor on 10/20/09
i’m not happy there’s so many x-men characters in the upcoming dlc,but even so i have to admit psylocke seems really cool.
Posted by: deathmagnet on 10/20/09
Blame all the ppl on here that say there arn’t enough and that there are “too many avengers"… whatever the hell that means.
Posted by: cadaverash on 10/24/09
i miss the playing defenders… :(
Posted by: ZypherAwesomes on 10/28/09
I think it would be really cool if they 1 more female X-man, or should I asy X-woman? but anyway, if they did add another X-woman than you could use the X-man team & the Femme Fattale team.
Posted by: Cutlass Jack on 10/20/09
I can’t wait to play her. All she needs is a great british accent and she’ll be perfect.
Posted by: TelekineticX on 10/20/09
Psylocke looks and sounds amazing. She’s not one of my personal faves in my limited marvel knowledge, but I’ll deffinitly be putting her through the video-game paces! I’d say y’all succeeded!!!
Posted by: gon635 on 10/20/09
looks like carnage is trying to pwn her xD nice
Posted by: Snake on 10/20/09
babe,babe!!
Posted by: Nexus on 10/20/09
Great job. I think Psylocke is a awsome addition to the game.
Posted by: Jadryx on 10/20/09
I agree! I’m excited to play as her!
Posted by: bobthemonkey on 10/20/09
So happy psylokes in now all we need is cyclops
Posted by: Bullseye 2 on 10/20/09
Lets hope the rumours are partly true as I would like magneto and Cable
For a fifth character a good idea would be punisher or members of the dark avengers
Posted by: Boy In Space on 10/20/09
WOW She looks amazing! Great Job!
I’m so happy to see her in this game, and I’m excited to see this “walk” of hers lol.
[Emma 4 DLC 
]
Posted by: Thunderbolt on 10/20/09
I’m so excited! I’ve been begging for Bets since the beginning, and now I’m getting my wish! Now, they just have to hit the voice out of the park. Definitely NOT the girl on the Wii MUA2. Ugh, dreadful. Bring Massassa Moyo back! Please!
Posted by: BOB_NOLE on 10/20/09
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE INVITE ME 2 VIP
THANK YOU
Posted by: JJHGambit10 on 10/20/09
Cool Cool! thank’s!
Posted by: PerfectExample on 10/20/09
oh yeah
Posted by: kill for the bill on 10/20/09
i like her ass
Posted by: Helllion on 10/20/09
YES!!!
FINALLY!!! XD
she gets more awesome the more i read about her
Posted by: ElecManEXE on 10/20/09
Someone REALLY likes walking. Heh. Nothing wrong with that, but its kind of wierd to have so many references to it. Especially since we can’t really see it until the DLC comes out.
I would have liked a bit more talk about her powers besides the kick. But I’m still so looking forward to her, I love Psylocke.
By the way, what’s going on in that first picture? There’s a lighting effect that looks like there should be a glowing weapon or something in her hand, but there’s nothing there. Is it just her hand glowing or something?
Posted by: Jadryx on 10/20/09
Yeah it’s making me all excited just to see how she walks 
Posted by: Marvel12345 on 10/20/09
She looks great. I can’t wait to try her out. Her powers look really interesting and unique.
Now all we need is Cyclops.
Posted by: Batroc on 10/20/09
Nice. I wonder who’s next for DLC? Probally Cable or Magneto.
Posted by: SilverMarvel on 10/20/09
See still looks pretty
Posted by: BreezedIn69 on 10/20/09
If she is good on PS2, she will be even better ..
Now I want Colossus, Magneto and Ghost Rider…
Posted by: BloodSpider on 10/20/09
I have the Wii so I’ve already played as her. I have to say I’m pretty satisfied with her.
Posted by: Tathunen on 10/20/09
I couldn’t be more excited. She looks perfect; very true to the character in the comics. She’s one of my favourites from the X-Men comics (and in the Marvel Universe in general). I’d love to see her brother in action, too, but I think that’ll be another game!
Posted by: BartonIsHawkeye88 on 10/20/09
meh. another X-Man.
This whole pack is underwhelming imo.
Give me some really unique powersets like Hawkeye, Wonderman, or Scarlet Witch/Dr. Strange.
Posted by: deathmagnet on 10/20/09
I hear you on the too many X-men, but you’re saying that Carnage’s powers arn’t unique? Srsly? The guy eats ppl and makes axes out of his hands.
Posted by: BartonIsHawkeye88 on 10/20/09
I’m just bored of the X-Men and 90s throwbacks. Carnage is just a character that I don’t give half a sh** about. Haven’t since the 4th grade when I thought he was “kool”. Tendril attacks and makeshift weapons just don’t interest me as much as Archery skills and modular trick arrows, or Reality bending magic.
Posted by: ZypherAwesomes on 10/28/09
Hawkeye, Wonderman, Scarlet Witch, & Dr. Strange would be pretty cool editions to the game (Though they’ve been steering clear of anyone with magic like powers except for Thor Hercules & Iron Fist) but Psylocke is cool on an infinite number of levels & if they add Rouge, Emma Frost, Jubilee, Shadowcat or another girl X-men, then there could be a femme fettale X-men team so Im not too worried about the amount of X-men in the game.
Posted by: Dlark17 on 10/20/09
Yay! Another X-Man! And a console-port, to boot!
[/sarcasm]
Come on, are y’all trying to fend me off? Please, if I’m gonna have to drop cash for this DLC, make it worth my time and money. Getting another “complain till they’re in” character, from an already over-represented team… Let’s just say I hope the other slots aren’t reserved for further X-Men Universe characters… I might even be a little disappointed if Blade shows up, just in knowing that the DLC I’m buying is simply making up for things I was shorted by buying a different console version. And one that doesn’t have me haplessly flailing at a TV screen to shoot a simple web or something.
Where’s the love, VV and Activision? Where’s the old zest you had for this title?
Posted by: juicebeast on 10/20/09
Woo, my fave X-Man! Go, Psylocke! I hope her psionic dagger gets plenty of air time, I definitely prefer it to the katana.
Posted by: BartonIsHawkeye88 on 10/20/09
Posted by: FireMadeFlesh on 10/20/09
Jean, Cable, Psylocke.......I’m sooooooo close to getting a psychic team! Psylocke has always been one of the more fun characters to play in X-Men games, after Jean, of course. I hope you guys did her justice.
Posted by: Tathunen on 10/21/09
I hope all of the X-Men are included. Hawkeye sucks.
Posted by: BartonIsHawkeye88 on 10/21/09
haha. nope
Posted by: Ronin5 on 10/21/09
She’s alright. I would also love to see Hawkeye. I’d even like to see Ronin. Clint Barton is one of my favorite characters. I loved playing as Hawkeye in the first game. Maybe if I complain enough I can get him like all these other people got all these X-Men.
Posted by: Concave_Ace on 10/21/09
Coolio! Good read!
Posted by: Shadowbeam on 10/21/09
Well let’s just say she’s better than the Wii’s Psylocke ... but then again every character made by VV is better than N-Space’s versions - actually aren’t most of the wii version’s characters made by N-Space anyway since they reused it from MUA1?
Posted by: Shadowbeam on 10/21/09
(eeep sorry meant to say NOT made by N-Space)
Posted by: Captain Creative on 10/21/09
Pretty sweet! they just keep on coming! Carnage was awesome ! and now Psylocke! Unfortunately I MUA2 for the Wii… which the graphics are decent for it, but it is totally day and night from the PS3! I’ll be buying a PS3 soon! just to play MUA2 on it! Psylocke and Cyclops are awesome on the Wii. but the PS3 graphics over rule all!
DLC stands for down loadable character right? so are Carnage and Psylocke downloadable yet? are any charcters yet? because my friend has PS3 and he is not able to download Nickfury,Carnage,or now Psylocke yet? when will be avalible for download? Spectacular work Guys on the PS3 version!!!! I can’t wait to play MUA2 on my future PS3!
Posted by: ironshield021 on 10/21/09
DLC stands for down loadable content not character and you can’t dowload them fast and wait until all 5 of them revealed and you will not get your PS3 HA HA and the graphics in the PS3 is so cool
Posted by: batclaw on 10/21/09
do we get to use the sword
Posted by: ultimatehobgoblin on 10/21/09
i hope jack o’lanturn makes it to the game in dlc because he was in the game but only in the video where he was in prision, and insted of fighting him, you fought grim reaper again, twice! so hopefully jack will join the battle soon.
Posted by: PerfectExample on 10/21/09
woohooo...Psylocke!
Posted by: Cyclable on 10/21/09
You know i think they are making cool choices for DLC characters i love all Marvel Characters and Carnage is awesome and Psylocke is awesome and now my favorite Marvel Character is being put in and its CABLE!!!!!!!! I LOVE CABLE YES AND I LOVE THIS GAME SOOO MUCH and i wonder who will they put next it would be cool to have ummmm ohhh i know Black Bolt with his power to level a city with a sneeze i think that what it is and if i am wrong i know its close enough so YES ohh and one more thing I LOVE CABLE!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: J 8493 on 10/21/09
Psylocke and Cable will be on my team
Posted by: Khalki on 10/22/09
Psylocke is better than Jean Grey,because she never have been two personalities(i say that for the reason of this mental problem)
Posted by: John_Candys_Liver on 10/22/09
Can’t wait to use Psylocke.
Posted by: warbyte on 10/22/09
Give us a female ninja. “Awwwe” VV I believe you guys have made my day.
Posted by: Aizak on 10/23/09
When are going te be able to play with her on CWO? I’m DYING to do so!!!
Posted by: beastfromtheeast on 10/23/09
DLC characters aren’t going to be added to CWO
Posted by: Aizak on 10/23/09
W...........T................F............. :(
Posted by: Killer04 on 10/23/09
who do you like better her or jean grey
Posted by: Zaxlon on 10/23/09
What’s that scar-looking thing on her eye? I’ve never seen that on Psylocke before
Posted by: Aizak on 10/23/09
That’s the mark of the Crimson Dawn, a particular dimension in the Marvel Universe. There you can find the Ebon Vein: a mystical elixir with healing properties (among others). The ones exposed to it will get a red “tattoo” mark on their face. Psylocke got hers after being nearly killed by Sabretooth, when Doctor Strange, Wolverine and Archangel travel to the Crimson Dawn in order to save her life.
It was removed after she was revived by her brother Jamie Braddock (she had been killed by the villian Vargas).
I know, long story…
Posted by: The Amazing One on 10/23/09
She is my favorite marvel character!!! i’m not a mainstream fan of the well known characters that much. I like side-on femme fatales. and also would someone PLEASE TELL ME WHEN THIS PACK COMES OUT????? I HAVE ASKED TO MANY TIMES AND NO ONE HAS SAID ANYTHING. I CHECK PSN NETWORK AND DID’NT SEE IT YET AFTER SOMEONE TOLD THAT IT WAS OUT ALREADY.
Posted by: divinechampion on 10/23/09
she looks and sounds awesome,just hope she dose not die too quickly .
Posted by: Khalki on 10/24/09
the same i said in the cable description
Posted by: Sojah on 10/24/09
Psylocke needs to have more of a pissed off face. Get it rite and fix this guys.
Posted by: Khalki on 10/24/09
Have you seen the comment of Cable?I said:NO MORE ANSWERS TO MY COMMENTS!
Posted by: Sojah on 10/24/09
She looks like she has food in her mouth. slimmer pissed off face, please.
Posted by: Khalki on 10/24/09
Are you idiot?
Posted by: Stormfan24 on 10/25/09
I need to play as her now!!
Posted by: Bluephoenix on 10/25/09
Whaooo her power R sooooooooo Cool. I hope they add Emma Frost in the game to
Posted by: SecretAvenger on 10/27/09
pretty cool. i hope they will make nightcrawler and multiple man too
Posted by: Bluephoenix on 10/28/09
Do we actually need Multiple man
Posted by: mystique1987 on 10/28/09
Yay!!! This is the one character Ive been hoping would be downloadable! Im going to download her straight away. And Im definately not sick of X-men character. I only ever wanted to use X-men characters, in fact I only bought this game as a stupid substitute for an X-men Legends game, so I want more than 5. Storm and Pylocke were really my only reasons for geting this game
Posted by: JokeSlayer on 11/01/09
Awesome, that makes practically all of my hoped for characters in this game. X) But I don’t agree with Psylocke’s face need abit of adjusting but other than that. It’s good.
Posted by: PerfectExample on 11/02/09
her brother rocks!
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