In you opinion, is it worth designing a drop down center that is just a large rectangle- like something that could help prevent being shoved around when you are trying to shoot the basketballs?
Pros:
-More options where to shoot from without being pushed around
-Could stand stronger against defensive teams
Cons:
-Adds extra weight/ complexity
-Only 3 balls that you can shoot at once. It isn’t worth the positioning time.
-There are protected zones anyway…
I think you’ve made up your mind already. 
But to add a few more to your pro/con list:
Pro:
-You don’t need to track the target, just do the math/testing beforehand. You’ll be firing from the same place every time.
Cons:
-You’ll be firing from the same place every time. If you misaligned setting up your robot before the match, you’ll need alliance partners to fine tune your position if you don’t have a shooter that can vary power/angle of shots.
-You rely heavily on your alliance for ammo.
-You can’t contribute in the endgame, either for coopertition points or for the ramp bonus.
EDIT: Rereading your post, I guess I’m a bit confused. This rectangle is retractable? Regardless, it still stand that you are immune in the key and the alley, so why spend the weight on such a mechanism?
I think what he’s saying is that this system has a normal drive chain but can deploy studs or high friction pads preventing it from being pushed while scoring.
Yeah that’s what I got out of the original question as well.
My team’s been thinking about doing such a think. One of our reasons for considering it was the fact that since you only have 3 shots, you want all of them to be guaranteed, it’s not like Aim High where you had the luxury of missing a few. This game’s gonna require much more accuracy. So by planting yourself with such a mechanism, you’d guarantee a good positioning for firing, and when you’re empty you (for lack of a better term) un-siege your bot and go get more ammo.
Just keep in mind that there is some material that is not allowed to touch the floor.
[R06]
Traction devices may not have surface features such as metal, sandpaper, hard plastic studs, cleats, or other
attachments. Traction devices include all parts of the Robot that are designed to transmit any propulsive and/or
braking forces between the Robot and the Court.
Could that be anymore vague? I can’t even tell if roughtop tread is allowed.
I interpret that as nothing can drop fro the robotot contact the field for traction.
I disagree. If the bottom of the ‘rectangle’ in the OP is covered by roughtop tread, that would be a material permitted to contact the field and it would be very hard to slide.
In 2003 we had a plate under the robot (our “foot”) on a short pneumatic. It was covered in sorbothane. When depressed our robot was pretty much immobile on top of the ramp. If you can make a shooter that is very accurate in close, this is not a bad idea. Particularly if you have some leeway (via articulation or speed control) so that it does not have to be “inch perfect” when lined up.