Nathan Foxbane, on 25 December 2014 - 05:18 PM, said:
Leg styles.
The first and second concepts. (Folded version is of the second (third set of legs) concept).
The first and second sketch above are from the first leg concept, the first with the double jointed ankle and the second with a single jointed.
The first concept, a bit more fleshed out, intends to hide the feet underneath the front of the torso when 'rolling' (particularly with the double ankle version).
Were this using an Industrial chassis instead of a Myomer muscular-based Standard chassis, this might have been a mechanical nightmare to pilot. Since it is Myomer muscles, however, this is as you had suggested for it to be quite stable. It could also make the conversion in place with minimal forward/reverse movement. In theory it could just crouch in place.
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The second concept, like you said, would require a bit more work and possibly more jerky and mechanical. Getting up would be more of a challenge. One thought was to take advantage of the tracks to help with the stance, by lifting one leg and tilting then 'rolling' back with the tracks of the other to help it get to its feet.
The more I look at it the more I think it'd need a joint in the middle of the largest part of the leg (which would create two sets of tracks) and inadvertently create the first concept. As you suspected it was made with much more surface area in mind, allowing for a better distribution of weight on the tracks (I've got quite a bit of track experience from MLRS, MOS 13 Mike, though most of my time's been spent with the Hemtt to provide logistical support and was always big into tanks).
Leg positioning not final (it'd likely be moved forward/backward, etc and flexed a bit; I sort of imagine this second version to be 'taller' standing), and bare in mind the overall body isn't quite done yet either. Still, I figure it important to be able to imagine how it would move, balance, etc., before finishing the look.
Otherwise after all the hard work I might end up with something like the original Battletech Stalker...
Like... seriously... "How"?
It should be noted that the thickness of the rectangular prisms do not represent the end-thickness of the legs, which will be considerably thicker. Particularly the calves.
In the case of the first concept, I think the 'longer' part of the legs (middle section) will have the tracks instead of the calves.
Each arm is going to have a shield-like appearance on the outside akin to the Cicada. The outer side will have five angles, the inner side will have 4, allowing the semi-box-like frame of the rest of the arm to nestle in. I would like the shield to be able to visually protect the liquid tank and ammo drum for the mech's main weaponry.
The 'thing' on the RT is intended to placehold the RT turret.
Though I might add, that cockpit/torso section (a simplified lower poly earlier version of the one I've showed in the past) was originally meant to be reflect the CT-width, so depending on how this goes the mech is possibly going to be bigger and wider to some degree.
I'm still debating foot design, for both the Nin Kei and the more humanoid Patlabor-inspired mech.
To note, the still unnamed Patlabor inspired mech needs a name... and will be running on an industrial chassis... which means it won't be using myomer muscles (though this depends on on whether or not industrial mechs can use that.)
Time for bed.
Edited by Koniving, 26 December 2014 - 07:34 PM.