Created first as a piloted combat craft the War Walker evolved into a fusion of flesh and steel. While the pilot remained integral, developments in nerve interface allowed the military to jack the pilot directly into the War Walker's robotic circuitry, leaving the pilot limp and nearly lifeless. Since the pilot saw through fiber-optic nerves linked to IR enhanced cameras, the designers replaced the traditional glass canopy with one made of titanium. This combination of corpse-like pilot and coffin-like cockpit earned the fighting craft the nickname "Death Walker."