[Chris Hibner]

I would say the most important thing is to get the simulation tools working. Once you have that, you can then begin to develop and test your ideas without needing a real robot. That is great for two big reasons: 1) you can develop and test your code from the comfort of your home, and 2) you don't have to worry about breaking something if you make a mistake.

After you get the simulation running, there are a lot of ideas on chiefdelphi if you search. Here are a few things to try:

- Shooter speed control: bang-bang vs. PID

- Arm control: use an encoder or potentiometer with a PID controller to control an arm to pre-set posititions.

- Autonomous: use wheel encoders and a gyro to keep track of distance and heading. Use PID to keep your robot driving straight and to drive a set distance.

- Autonomous: control your autonomous routines through some sort of script