Starting Position Details
 

I am aware that all the robots on one alliance have to start in a particular area before a match, but are the teams assigned an order in which to line up? I mean, could one team on an alliance place their robot anywhere in the starting area (with the consent of their alliance members), or is the position of the robot predetermined? I'd like to know for autonomous purposes.

I looked over the game rules, but I didn't find anything specific about it. If anyone has information, please let me know!

Re: Starting Position Details
 

No specific assigned placement of the robots.

The controls have assigned stations. The robots don't. As long as it fits the starting rules, anywhere is fine. You don't need to line it up with a line-tracking line, if you don't want to.

Re: Starting Position Details
 

In past years*, robot starting position has been up to the teams within the starting areas. Your alliance will determine where each robot starts. Last year, you could decide ahead of time who started in which zone, the year before who started in which starting position, the year before that who started in which location against the wall...

As the manual doesn't state either way, I would assume this same pattern would hold true this year... but the only way to know for certain is to ask the GDC through the official Q&A system. Personally, we're setting up out autonomous mode to allow for multiple starting positions along the entire starting zone.

*Note: What happened in the past isn't necessarily true this year

Re: Starting Position Details
 

It's usually negotiated while the drive teams are waiting in line, but...
...this is the best advice. If one robot is good at one thing and your's isn't as good at it, which robot should do it?

Re: Starting Position Details
 

Rule <T16> covers this. It is up to the teams within an Alliance to decide starting positions of each team's robot, as well as the playing position of the three human players (feeders and analyst).