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Official Q&A: VRC 2020-2021: Change Up
710: Covering color on flags from Turning Point
Hello,
Our team is using flags from Turning Point as Lexan this year for our hood loop to eject and hold balls. These flags were previously legal because they meet specifications laid out for Lexan in R10.
We were wondering if it is legal to leave the red and green coloring on the flags, or does it need to be removed for teams with vision sensors, because the color matches a game element and will be detected as a signature? And if the color needs to be removed, is masking tape or grip shelf liner a legal way to do so? (This was not questioned during Tower Takeover because there were no red or lime green game elements.)
Please see rule R13-e, quoted below for emphasis:
Decorations that visually mimic field elements or could otherwise interfere with an opponent’s Vision Sensor are considered functional and are not permitted. This includes lights, such as the VEX Flashlight. The Head Inspector and Head Referee will make the final decision on whether a given decoration or mechanism violates this rule.
It is impossible to issue a blanket answer based upon a written description of a hypothetical design. There are versions of the design you are describing which would likely be ruled illegal, and versions which would likely be ruled legal. Whenever a rule relies on a Head Referee judgment call, we would always advise minimizing risks of a conflict by making it abundantly clear that the rule is not being violated.