Just to clarify something... the OTHER walker idea I need to ask about.

I was also thinking of using a couple of large electromagnets mounted to rack and pinion actuators as feet, which would work by moving the foot forwards, turning the magnet on to pull the foot down and anchor it to the ground, pulling it back (thereby pulling the robot forward), turning the magnet off again, and repeating the cycle - which would serve to make the mechanically actuated movement involved far simpler and faster to execute (just back and forth) while providing extra traction above a normal walking setup. As the foot is actuated in two axes (horizontally by a motorised actuator and vertically by the magnetic setup), I see no reason why this wouldn't count as a walker...

*has a vague ambition to build a walking featherweight so he can stick a truly enormous spinning weapon on it*