๐ป Programming ยท Getting Started โ Intermediate
Autonomous Routine Builder
Plan your autonomous before writing a single line of code. Fill in each segment โ what the robot does, how long it takes, and how many points it scores. The planner calculates your expected score and flags risky sequences.
Before this guide: Complete First 30 Minutes in VS Code and have a robot that drives. You'll need working drive code before you can run what you plan here.
๐บ Setup
Match Info
๐ Routine Segments
Break your auton into individual actions. Each segment is one thing the robot does. Be specific โ "drive to goal and score 2 blocks" is one segment; "spin up intake" is a separate one.
๐ Plan Summary
Segments planned0
Total planned time0s
Expected points0
Time remaining (buffer)โ
Risk levelLow
๐ Planning Guide
Field orientation
Know exactly where your robot starts โ tile coordinates, not "near the wall"
Decide your scoring priority before anything else: what is the highest-value action in the first 5 seconds?
Plan the return path. Many autons fail on the way back, not on the score
Timing budget
15-second auton is ~10 seconds of action + 5 seconds buffer
Each turn takes 0.3โ0.8s. Count them
Sensor reads add latency. Budget 0.1โ0.2s per sensor wait
Never plan to 100% of the time budget
Risk levels
Low โ drives forward, turns, scores in open space. Can recover if slightly off
Medium โ interacts with field elements, requires specific positioning
High โ depends on opponent robot position, very precise timing, or sensor accuracy
Good first auton
Score in your nearest goal (guaranteed points)
Park or touch the line for bonus points
4 segments maximum for your first auton
Consistent 8 pts beats unreliable 18 pts every time