Gonna depend on what the mech can do. Is it not all that different from what I'd normally be doing, just scaled up? Stay small and support. Does it play significantly differently (rocket assisted dodge boosting, flight, and putting a full arsenal down range while the battlefield crumbles around me)? Put me in coach.

I like the idea....my mind sees it like a RPG, resource management with a dash of Base building...whare not only do you got to consider the battle(enemies, where the fight is taking place) but also the support gear (repair kits ,extra ammo,recon drones deployed shields or air and artillery support) with the unique conflict of you vs the pilots and mech....like a hot headed or Melee types (recon and air support for when they get surrounded or stumble across snipers) unaware or glass cannons with hi cool downs (deployed shields and repair drones and barricades) a bit of base building to upgrade modify and expedite deployment of support, repair the mechs and baby sit the quirky pilots needs to improve the coordination management abilities you have over them while deployed.... Shields/barriers...[spoiler]Magic or si-fy there's lots of flexibility to implement Small scale barriers to protect weak points or have shaman's jam a gun on the mech with a hex or curse hindering power or cool down...even apply buffs for speed or attack...and the more there are focused on the same task the stronger the effects...[/spoiler] Walking APC[spoiler]if the mech is designed to have support....why not have the mech also behave like an APC (Armored personnel carrier) having emplacements for support and deploy troops and maybe light vehicles....[/spoiler] Having emplacements [spoiler]for the support crew or having the support crew assist with reloading or weapon swaps during the mechs "cool down" still could be an option for direct support player options for defensive and offensive play style... imagine riding the mech into combat strapped to a chain gun on its ankles... shooting down giant ticks while the mech is grappling a enormous ware armadillo...I like this game[/spoiler] Towers and cables [spoiler]If the mech is attached to the power supply via cable...the supply and mech could be deployed separately....then plugged in afterwards is a good opportunity for the support crew to defend while having a task to perform...the cable would probably need defending or repair being an obvious weakness (to me) not to mention the power supply being immobile (presumably) will also be a Target.....[/spoiler] Ride the mech (outside)[spoiler]..but a new idea squirreled across my brain..... shadow of the Colossus... but with mechs....a small anti grav belt and mag boots...the bot is your playing field assisting with mech repairs,reloads, jams and using weapons to keep giant claws or hands off the mech...[/spoiler] Escort support... [spoiler] Keep the small swarm types from disabling the mech...clearing out sniper types in the mechs blind spots or opposing artillery and shield generators to allow the big guns a clear line....I like the idea and has room for many player freedoms to support in different meaningful ways...[/spoiler]

Giant mechs are amazing! I don't care if I'm in a support role or driving! "Chicks dig giant robots." -Coop., MEGAS XLR

big robot go brrrrrrrrrrrrr

For story-focused games, I'd want the perspective to remain with my character on the ground and have the fight be a set piece rather than a playable section. Switching feels jarring and kind of disruptive to the investment in my character, like we randomly abandoned them for a second to do a thing the artist themselves likes. Unless you're a Kojima-like figure, and people are here for the artist and not the art, don't do that. If it's focused on gameplay or constantly switching perspectives and styles, then it's fine to switch. It's not as unexpected or jarring, and it'd be another really cool new bit in the game. Whatever is chosen, keep mech in. Mech cool. Mech good.

Well just because you're not directly controlling doesn't mean you have no control over the mech and the presiding encounter. You'd just take the Captain Picard role you know? He doesn't directly control the Enterprise but instead he commands it.

I wanna feel like a scout Tatakae!

[u]On the argument of ground:[/u] It would make for a cool set piece for a ground battle and can bring up interesting objectives for whatever side. Defend anti-thing measures, or destroy them. A fight can take place in the distance, either Godzilla wrestling an MegaEvanGundaTron or two shielded titans sending volleys at/around eachother. If it is your “sidekick” piloting, this would (idk how long they’re around gamewise) be a neat opportunity to give ‘em some spotlight. [u][i]On the other hand:[/i][/u] Mech cool. Mech cinematic. If you’re the passenger I guess that brings me to two answers If player is now “the crew” piloting while mech: that’d be neat. But idk how it’d flow with gameplay. Does it come back in some multiplayer? Then sure. One off thing? Maybe not unless each mission more or less has a similar situation of “gameplay change”. If player is now turret guy: personally not my thing as it turns things a little too arcade-y (I’m a bad shot) and I like moving/using environment. [spoiler]That scenario makes me think of Battlefront II where the MTT (multi troop transport) on the droid side in [b]Capital Supremacy - Naboo[/b] is just a defense objective on tracks, but you control the turret for a minute to get kills It’s treated like a big prize when you rack up enough points during the that first stage of battle, but can’t do anything but sit in a moving box. Or the LAAT on the clone side. It flies on a track and you just aim a laser for a minute or two before it’s done. Which is disappointing since I kinda wanted to pilot an LAAT, even if I don’t shoot **but this is an old 2018 game’s PvP mode with preheld expectations that I’m ranting about, so probably not as relevant [/spoiler] [i]Alternatively[/i], if this is more of a cinematic/scripted sequence ([i]at/close to the end of a mission![/i]) where you keep buddy-o-pal safe, and maybe you have to fight on the mech [spoiler]I don’t know what kind of mech this is, my brain went straight for WH40k Warlord Titan whose upper half/top doesn’t move much beyond left and right and is slow/roughly stable enough to walk on. Second thought was an Evangelion which would not really be something you’d stand on in battle (or… ever I guess) though also not a two seater. Anything faster than a blimp at full speed wouldn’t really work well I guess…[/spoiler] then I’d be cool with it. Especially if said sidekick has been given moments to cement themselves in the player’s heart. Maybe just by being cool and having your back? —————— Ultimately, I’m unsure of the entire flavor of the game and how baked it is around the ground play. If it’s a majority, then probably best to keep it there in my opinion. If the game takes you (or could be optional) into different vehicles or gameplay styles/it’s not too weird to see a control scheme change, then yeah Mech fight time. Or maybe incorporate some of the ground play on the mech or with the mech? TL;DR Ground play with huemongoose mech in skybox. I rambled again…

Uhhh, Titanfall 2 Mech stands still and dies, OR, I unalive run into a buncha other mechs with my mech and self destruct [i]We shot his mech once and he dropped the sun on us[/i] I mean its either that or Gears 4 mech Voidmech is garbage So either nuclear unalive auto-mech or nuclear unalive piloted-mech

Xenogears is one of my favorite games of all time, and I am extremely hyped for Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition. Armored Core 6 is pure fun. Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of my favorite anime and manga series. I want to pilot the mech.

I prefer to be ground support for a big mech dude. It feels like having a big strong friend to help! Maybe he lets me ride on his shoulder to cover a distance quicker. And maybe we have special little names to call each other. It’s kinda comforting, especially in a single player game, to have a big guy friend. Or even a little guy pal. That’s the reason I’ve always loved Ghost in Destiny. I generally play alone but I can make silly comments to my Ghostie(as I call him). I guess I just enjoy the kind of false companionship it gives. The feeling of having a buddy but not the drainage of socializing. I loved BD-1 in Star Wars:Jedi Fallen Order for the same reasons. Maybe that’s just me tho [spoiler]sorry for rambling but you made the mistake of asking for my thoughts :p[/spoiler]