designing a mecha

[Rick]

Eventually I'll buy a mecha for Rick. Problem is, I have no idea about anything relating them, save for some common aesthetic desing choices. So I'd apreciate your opinions

These are some sketches i just made:
[spoiler](yeah, i know, i'm not the most creative when it comes to designing unique robots...)[/spoiler]

a few things to take in mind:

• This is supposed to be a base form, not an alt nor a powered up form. I'm assuming all of these are 12ft tall at most
  
• Rick is a racer, and as such, I want to give him a fast robot capable of cool stunts, both while fighting or just moving around. Thus, superspeed, burts movement, and flight will all be powers i'll eventually buy. I want the robot to reflect this (in my desings, all this stuff come from several thrusters behind and below the cockpit)
  
• I love the "big arms, bird-like body" shape. I doubt i'll deviate too much from it
  
• All of them have hands because I'd die if I had to rp the robot falling off balance. Just.... I don't want to think about that
  
• When it comes to internal systems, my idea was going full "hard-light" sci-fi, which would explain why the robot, without activating those systems (aka "using power ups", gameplay-wise), is as fragile as a normal-ish prime. The thrusters, the shield system, and all the guns are plasma blasters and the like. This was my original idea, but i'm open for others
  

[Note: you may share your own ideas for mechas, instead of talking about mine. That'll be cool too!]

[Drake Oneir]

If you want a highly mobile platform, you need to keep some physics in mind.

1. Center of gravity. Right now when those mech designs boost, it looks like it's gonna faceplant straight into the ground, because the weight is all forward of the legs. You either need to make is stand up straighter, or , you need to load more weight into the back.


2. Intertia. Getting up to speed in a robot is one thing, but high mobility also requires fast stops. You might want some directed verniers or retro rockets to halt forward momentum. You may also consider trying to diversify different hard systems for multiple functions.

Finally, consider deployable wheels on the feet so it can go into a sort of 'cruise' mode. A low friction fulcum can also assist in fast starts.

[13-Jzall]

You should also keep in mind the rule of cool, if it's cool enough that physics and logic don't matter anymore (see: warhammer) then go ahead with it.

[Reece]

1. Center of gravity. Right now when those mech designs boost, it looks like it's gonna faceplant straight into the ground, because the weight is all forward of the legs. You either need to make is stand up straighter, or , you need to load more weight into the back.

I could be wrong here, but maybe if the lower thrusters were more powerful than the upper ones, and it tilted its body upwards when jumping/flying, that might be enough to compensate for the centre of gravity being a bit inconvenient.

[Rick]

Well, it's not that well shown in the sketches, but the legs are supposed to be near the center of the cabin. And, as reece said, there are more lower thrusters (and a big one in the center-low) than upper ones. Plus, the arms do a lot of the job when it comes to balancing and stunts

this would be the side view of the 4th robot, with little to no modifications
[spoiler][/spoiler]

(gotta work on those exposed joints, and I like drake's idea of adding more directional thrusters!)

thanks for the opinions/suggestions!