[Basel A]

Originally Posted by EricDrost

In 2012 you could not get the ranking point without working together. This year your ranking point is independent of your opponent.

Additionally, creating more scoring opportunities for your opponent is probably considered playing below your ability as you are contributing points to the other alliance with no direct* benefit for your own alliance.

*Obviously in an agreement, both teams benefit but it is not a direct benefit of creating scoring opportunities for your opponent, it is a direct benefit of your opponent creating a scoring opportunity for you.

It's not independent of your opponent, but I take your point (it's not entirely dependent). Another difference is that the agreement is unequitable: one alliance will almost surely benefit more than the other (especially if one gets the RP and the other doesn't, a very real possibility). Nevertheless, I'm okay with it. While the action of entering balls alone is playing below your ability, the higher level agreement is not (net positive). It's really not universally beneficial though; there are teams that will rely on short cycle times from balls going HP=>secret passage=>into robot=>low bar=>goal.