Correct or clarify backwards planet rotation

[freemapa]

I've noticed that, according to shadows, the sun appears to rise in the west on RimWorld. This obviously isn't a bug, but was it intentional? Is there any kind of backstory for RimWorld, as a planet?

[Kiame]

Just nitpicking here... There isn't just one Rimworld. Every new game is on a new planet which is, itself, a rimworld 

Scientifically speaking... billions of years prior to any of these Rimworlds from forming the molecules would have been rotating after the star they were thrown from exploded. It just so happened that that rotation was opposite than the Earth's forming molecules. This initial rotation would propagate through the formation of the planets and eventually cause all of the planets in that system to spin in the same direction.

Other possibilities would be if all the other planets in a RimWorld's system spun the same direction as Earth, the most likely cause of the RimWorld's counter-spin would be a large body smashed into it with such force that it caused the planet to spin in the other direction (like Venus) or (unlike this case) go off axis (like Uranus) OR the RimWorld was actually a large body that was caught in the star's gravitational pull as it was passing by and just so happened to have a counter-rotation.

In the end we'd need to know the rotation of the other planets in a RimWorld's system to know whether it's the exception or the rule

[freemapa]

The nitpicking is appreciated.

[Wanderer_joins]

Actually there is a mismatch between the local map (sun rises West) and the world map (sun rises East). But for the whole system West or East doesn't matter, it just depends on the initial conditions.

[SpaceDorf]

Holy Crap.

I never noticed that.
I had to launch a game to check this out myself.

[freemapa]

Holy Crap.

I never noticed that.
I had to launch a game to check this out myself.

Yeah. It becomes one of those things you can never unsee.

Shadow placement could become more important if the shadows ever start blocking solar panels or plant growth. But for now I guess it's just a "fun fact".

[Kiame]

Just thought of this too... maybe the rotation is correct it's just North is actually down 

[freemapa]

Just thought of this too... maybe the rotation is correct it's just North is actually down 

I thought about this. But when a caravan is leaving the map, north is still up.