About 30 seconds ago while working on our electrical board, we realized something: the colors we use every year for the same boards are blue and gold (our school’s colors). This year, however, FIRST has us working with color tracking cameras that pick up blue, yellow, green, and red. Now we realize that we need to use some form of color that wouldn’t lead a robot to follow us, but we were wondering if anyone else had given thought to this. In the rules, there is something about making your robots untraceable, isn’t there?
Hi,
I’m Kiara from team 1304. We had the same question but it is ok to use your colors. The only problem is that one of your partners might get attracted to your robot instead of the tetra. So it’s a judgement call to decide if you are going to use those colors.
:)krazykidbots
Thanks for the input, but we will probably play it safe and use different colors (its looking like either staining or black) because in the rules it says it is fine as long as its not intentional, but it is really up to the judges’ interpretation. We wouldn’t be looking forward to a penalty or a robot crashing into us ^^;;.
Its fine to paint your robot any color you want, but not to change color between matches. The reason, if you want to risk having a certain colored robot, go ahead, but you cant change it out if you want to not attract someone for a match.
And anyways, as long as your color isnt too close to the acutal color value of the tracked color, it shouldnt draw attention anyway(go with a lighter or darker shade than the one tracked by the camera).
you should chrome it!
There’s this thing called Gracious Professionalism I’ve heard around FIRST. Just use your best judgment when your considering what color. I know we changed our board’s normal color from red to white for this. Don’t want 2 other robots converging on us.
I’d classify a team that does this to be one full of freshmen (or annoying ).
Do you have a CMU cam hooked up, or know a team who does? You could quickly check to see if it picks up the colors on your robot. As far as I can tell, the camera is very picky when it comes to the colors it will track.
that is a thing my team is kinda saying (#1501) but ow well there is going to be fun with the colors if they are a problem i would use it to bring the other teams robots to follow your bot its going to be funny and not funny but i will say that is will be funny 
The arms on our robot are red. Red is part of our team colors. We’re not out to cause any problems for anyone else that just how we designed the robot. FIRST shouldn’t expect teams to give up their identity for the sake of a game element.
I agree. And thus, I will feel no remorse if by accident our robot happens to charge at a MOE drive team member. :rolleyes:
I don’t think our red will be of any distraction either.
Heh, our school colors are red and gold/yellow so Maybe ill crack open a can of spray paint to paint it as far as I know in the past there have never been a robot painted on our team so hmmm. Change is good.
Team 177 has changed it’s standard bright yellow to a metallic gold so that no interference occurs. The change was an easy one and required just a small comprimise on our teams part.
To do less would have been petty and foolish IMHO.
mirror coat a robot! that way its every color you want it to be. And you always match your alliance partners if you line up in the middle.
JUST MAKE YOUR ROBOT PINK!!! NO PROBLEMS WITH PINK HAHAHA 233 233
How about rainbow? Attracts everybody. And now you’re stuck (or in some chances picked up and stacked on a tetra). XD
We never really decorated our robot. Probably this year, but we are not sure what to put in.
How many points is that? :yikes:
IMHO I think the only colors you really have to be worried about are the green and yellow colors, and also I’m thinking gold and Sunny Summer (i think that’s the official name) might be different enough to not get confused. If you have doubt, what about going with a deeper gold? Maybe even a metal flake? That should give enough distinction and still be your team’s colors.
I wonder how many teams will be attempting to look for red or blue during the autonomous mode.
we’ve had a lot of concern about this too, we sent a help ticket to FIRST and they said we can use any color
I agree completely. It is rather lame to actually make your robot of those colors intentionally for kicks. We joked around about it ourselves but werent serious. A team that actually does that, I frown upon.
I’m sure the reference to chasing the MOE team driver was intended as humorous, but there is always some truth in humor.
Like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, many have their opinions about MOE. The positive opinions are earned because of their success on the floor and their hard work off the floor. The negative opinions arise from jealousy and ignorance.
Also like Jeff and Dale, MOE has enjoyed well deserved success on the floor. However, their contributions off the field - mentoring start up teams, sponsoring Lego League teams, co-hosting offseason competitions, etc. - is where their impact is truly felt. This effort contributes to the ongoing growth of FIRST. MOE has inspired hundreds of students, not only to become engineers, but to more importantly be the next generation of community volunteers.
As for me - I gotta logoff so I can finish watching the race. I hope 24 is still not leading - I can’t stand that guy;)