I pick yellow almost exclusively.  Picking the same color helps me quickly identify my position on the board, and it's a bright color that stands out.  But mainly, I noticed that it was a color rarely chosen in most games, giving me the chance to usually get it.  I played as red before that, but lots of people like to be red, so I switched to yellow a long time ago.

There have been many a game that I would have joined otherwise, if only yellow hadn't already been taken.  The only problem I have is in tournament games when yellow is taken before I can get it.  Those games suck for me, because every turn I'll first analyze the yellow position, and then realize that I'm not yellow.  I've had many times when I'd go to the board and think I was kicking ass, only to be disappointed when I realized I wasn't yellow :)  And a couple times, the other way around.

So, if you want to confuse the hell out of me in tournaments, take yellow before I can.  And if you want to prevent me from joining one of your regular, non-tourney games, play as yellow and I won't give the game a second look.

I think red is popular because it's the first default color. (if you don't care, it's the first on the list)

ratsy wrote:

I think red is popular because it's the first default color. (if you don't care, it's the first on the list)

When designing, I sometimes (not always) design colors specifically for the board, and when I do that I tend to pay attention to which colors go first for this very reason.

Slander wrote:

I pick yellow almost exclusively.  Picking the same color helps me quickly identify my position on the board, and it's a bright color that stands out.  But mainly, I noticed that it was a color rarely chosen in most games, giving me the chance to usually get it.  I played as red before that, but lots of people like to be red, so I switched to yellow a long time ago.

I have the exact same thoughts about orange. When I first stared I didn't care, but I started getting into games where my blue was hard to see with the other default blues. I started using orange to quickly see my position.  I am less concerned about blending in because I figure good players are going to see the board as it is and deception isn't going to help.  

I use Orange so often that I even made my avatar orange to match.

I play grey, if it's available. At this point it's mostly habit, but I originally thought it would be seen as less aggressive a color. The fact that it tends not to stand out is a bonus.

My fallback colors are green, khaki and pink, for much the same reasons.

Personally I think pink stands out too strongly against most backgrounds, but I figure the association with girly-ness makes people discount aggression.

Some players use grey and play super fast games where you have to react very quickly. That makes it impossible to fairly evaluate their position and in my opinion is basically cheating. I'd be in favor of eliminating grey as an allowed color. I'd also like to eliminate any colors that are too similar to each other. Two of the blues on the civil war map are too close together and make it difficult to distinguish players sometimes, especially if you're trying to kill someone and take his cards. My opinion is that colors should not influence the game.

Footfungus wrote:

Some players use grey and play super fast games where you have to react very quickly. That makes it impossible to fairly evaluate their position and in my opinion is basically cheating. I'd be in favor of eliminating grey as an allowed color. I'd also like to eliminate any colors that are too similar to each other. Two of the blues on the civil war map are too close together and make it difficult to distinguish players sometimes, especially if you're trying to kill someone and take his cards. My opinion is that colors should not influence the game.

Designers have total control over this.  If the review board lets it pass then it is what it is.  If you don't like the way a board is designed, you have two options:

1. Ask the designer to change it
2. Don't play the board.

I dunno.  I'm with foot fungus on this one.  I think unless a board doesn't have neutrals, that grey color should not be allowed (especially makes sense for lightning games). 

Not saying you are wrong M57 - those are the current possible options, but I wish Tom would ban it.

There is an issue with grey indeed. But also red vs orange for example, I got fooled by that. Also with some small territories, the color looks darker and you can get fooled. 

There hundreds of shades of grey -- some closer and some further from the 'standard' neutral grey. Not only that, but designers can actually change the neutral color.  When I want a grayish color for one of my boards, I try and make sure that it is easily distinguished from neutral grey.

As for other colors, there are lots of considerations. The density and color palette of the textural background/overlay for instance (at least with my boards).  Yes orange and red are close, but so are violet and purple.  I know there are a number of semi-colorblind players on this site.  They have to pay close attention to 'value'. 

I think it really is the designers responsibility to choose good colors, and to try to eliminate the things that make playing not fun (like the colors are bad).  

I can imagine a map where I would only want the players to have shades of grey (for example) on a board, and therefore think that disallowing the color would be bad. 

Maybe the review board should add - no frustrating color choices - to their checklist? 

When I am a reviewer, I certainly look for things like this, and I think others do too.  No doubt, sometimes these things slip through the cracks.

Perhaps someone could add a  comment on the wiki in the appropriate place.

I'm board dependent. Do I want to be noticed? Stealthy? Taken Seriously? Not taken Seriously? Favorite colors taken, but love the map...

No posts here from either of them, but I know Gimli always took grey and Nikolai always chooses purple. I remember asking Gimli about it once and he replied with something to the effect of grey being a neutral color, sometimes confused with neutrals, etc. no idea why Nik likes purple.

Nik likes purple because cool people play purple.

Amidon37 wrote:

Nik likes purple because cool people play purple.

+1

ratsy wrote:

Using color as a strategy or tactic. 

Discuss.

I use color as a necessity since I am color impaired.  haha!

Slander wrote:

I pick yellow almost exclusively.  Picking the same color helps me quickly identify my position on the board, and it's a bright color that stands out.  But mainly, I noticed that it was a color rarely chosen in most games, giving me the chance to usually get it.  I played as red before that, but lots of people like to be red, so I switched to yellow a long time ago.

There have been many a game that I would have joined otherwise, if only yellow hadn't already been taken.  The only problem I have is in tournament games when yellow is taken before I can get it.  Those games suck for me, because every turn I'll first analyze the yellow position, and then realize that I'm not yellow.  I've had many times when I'd go to the board and think I was kicking ass, only to be disappointed when I realized I wasn't yellow :)  And a couple times, the other way around.

So, if you want to confuse the hell out of me in tournaments, take yellow before I can.  And if you want to prevent me from joining one of your regular, non-tourney games, play as yellow and I won't give the game a second look.

 

 

Exactly, I couldn't have said it any better.

Green has always been my favorite color, but I wish there was a darker shade of green. I often go with navy, blue, or purple instead, but it depends on what other colors I see and what mood I'm in

Patton wrote:

Slander wrote:

I pick yellow almost exclusively.  Picking the same color helps me quickly identify my position on the board, and it's a bright color that stands out.  But mainly, I noticed that it was a color rarely chosen in most games, giving me the chance to usually get it.  I played as red before that, but lots of people like to be red, so I switched to yellow a long time ago.

There have been many a game that I would have joined otherwise, if only yellow hadn't already been taken.  The only problem I have is in tournament games when yellow is taken before I can get it.  Those games suck for me, because every turn I'll first analyze the yellow position, and then realize that I'm not yellow.  I've had many times when I'd go to the board and think I was kicking ass, only to be disappointed when I realized I wasn't yellow :)  And a couple times, the other way around.

So, if you want to confuse the hell out of me in tournaments, take yellow before I can.  And if you want to prevent me from joining one of your regular, non-tourney games, play as yellow and I won't give the game a second look.

 

 

Exactly, I couldn't have said it any better.

I managed to get Patton to use red in a Dev game.  http://www.wargear.net/games/view/416606 ; The trick was to name the red colour Patton!