[apalrd]

1. No matter how much you think you won't learn anything, you will still learn a lot by integrating a library, especially larger ones like libIrrlicht you mentioned earlier.
2. Why not start with semi-autonomous. Get the basic routines down, starting with position sensing, and generating autonomous paths on-the-fly and following them. If you can get it to do that, that would be a stepping stone to your goal. If you just say "i'm gonna go write AI just like that" you will never get there. You won't. You need to start with more basic things and work up to that level of autonomy.

I understand where you are coming from and your motivation to jump into autonomous programming. I learned that it is easier to not jump straight in, but to write software to get you a step closer there, and eventually you will make it. For you, you would need to get closed-loop control on everything, then follow your path, then generate the path to follow on the robot-end, then write game-piece finding code, etc... It's more work then you expect.

You may be surprised just how long it will take you to get to a point where you have a robot that can go to (x,y) on command, just getting it to go there and avoid fixed field elements like bumps or the rack from 07, etc.