Hybrid Challenge-No Robot Left Behind

[Steve_Alaniz]

I ...agree in THEORY .... with leaving no team behind, but realistically, isn't this, in effect reducing the autonomous period to another operator controlled period? The documentation for the IR board is a bit shaky and I think there is a learning curve here but by Regional time we'll have everything worked out and cataloged so that it will be a plug and play situation.
FIRST gives a default program so you don't HAVE to program if your team is weak in that area and we'll soon have (in fact... already have) the code for simple forward, left, right and reverse(or stop). In fact, virtually a driver controlled "drive" mode
That being said I also agree that a true autonomous robot can benefit by having a creative autonomous program supplemented by the Hybrid control.
but the point is, including everybody.
( I personally think the autonomous should be a separate task that happens concurrent with the round but scores differently. Then, at the end of the autonomous, they join in regular play... but thats a pipe dream.)
In the end, the autonomous periods have never had a scoring structure that makes an insurmountable difference in the game play and they have always been relatively short for the amount of work that goes into them.
Bottom line :
1) Sure, give code if asked.
2) Involve other teams if they want.
3) but keep the autonomous period a challenge to some degree.

Heck I wouldn't mind doing away with autonomous if we're really excluding people, but I kind of like the challenge. ( By the way... We've never had a truly successful autonomous code... but I still like it!)

Steve