Notice that there are EIGHT digits in the original value, and you're replacing them with only SIX?
After some experimentation I was able (long ago!) to figure out that the first two (hex) digits are "opacity" - or how "solid" the color is rendered.
So I'll add to the original post that THE FIRST TWO (of EIGHT) hex digits should ALWAYS BE "FF"!
E.g. That "International Orange look" (from the color table) would be
ffff3300
Just FYI, since - if I recall - sometimes the text disappears completely unless you have the opacity enabled.
*edit*/note: I see that §åñdmåñ edited his post on 2011-01-31 at 12:29:54 to correct it for this. TY Sandy!