I didn't mean to imply that powerhouse teams do not improve over the season, or show up to week 1 with perfect bots. I just meant that they generally go to their first event better equipped to handle the game than the average robot.
I can't speak much to the California bots not having seen them firsthand, but I did see 2056 draining shots at GTR-E when most robots were still adjusting their shooters to hit the target.
Similarly, last year 1114 was putting up 3 capped 6 stacks at GTR-E when most teams were just figuring out that they needed a ramp to be a HP bot.
Both of these robots made improvements over the season, but when you're at 95% capability, 100% is not as far away as when you start at 50%.
I just want to be clear, I'm not trying to belittle teams that come out of the gate with near-perfect robots. On the contrary they should be praised. But it is unreasonable for the majority of teams to expect this experience without prior planning. It is important to note that this experience is not out of reach for any team, they just need to set the proper goals for their individual situation.
Karthik's strategy seminars are a great place to start, as are the
Minimum Competitive Concept threads.