[Steven Smith]

Simply put, human brains are still much better at some things than computers... so your answer is no within the context of FRC. For a game as complex as an FRC game, do not expect for a fully autonomous robot control system to be able to outperform the combination of a human brain(s) + control assist.

Computers tend to excel in games that are extremely well defined with few variables. For chess/checkers/backgammon, you may only have a handful of possible moves to a few handfuls of spaces. A basic player is capable of looking at those moves and determining which is "best" right now. An expert player or computer iterates that forward, analyzing several layers deep. If I do this, my opponent's options change from set X to set Y, which gives me another set of options, etc. You can essentially play the game out for each of the possible moves, and look at which of your current moves has the best outcome.

If you are interested in this topic, which has intrinsic value (even if I wouldn't recommend applying it at the level you propose), I'd recommend writing a few game solver applications first. Start with a puzzle solver (like Sudoku) where you are essentially writing an algorithm to find the single "right" answer.

Approaching a new game with a mindset "like a computer" could also be fun as well. Just start describing your action table when you play out the game. If I'm located at mid-field and my opponent is between me and the goal, what are my options? What are his options? Is he faster than me? Can does he have more traction/weight than me? Is he taller or shorter? Generally, if you are not capable of explaining all these things in words, adding the complexity of a computer will not help you. However, the process of describing them might lead to good strategies, whether implemented by a computer or a human driver.

-Steven