Why is north on the bottom of the map?

Started by Shurp, February 01, 2016, 06:55:58 AM

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Shurp

February 01, 2016, 06:55:58 AM
So has anyone else noticed that the shadows on Rimworld go from right to left?

Meaning the sun rises on the left and sets on the right...

Meaning north is on the bottom of the map.  Why is that?
If you give an annoying colonist a parka before banishing him to the ice sheet you'll only get a -3 penalty instead of -5.

And don't forget that the pirates chasing a refugee are often better recruits than the refugee is.

skullywag

#1
February 01, 2016, 07:13:28 AM
How do you know? This isnt Earth or the Sol system. ;)
Skullywag modded to death.
I'd never met an iterator I liked....until Zhentar saved me.
Why Unity5, WHY do you forsake me?

Veneke

#2
February 01, 2016, 08:06:11 AM
Quote from: Shurp on February 01, 2016, 06:55:58 AM
So has anyone else noticed that the shadows on Rimworld go from right to left?

Meaning north is on the bottom of the map.  Why is that?

Yeah 'north' is the bottom of the map. Apparently the Rimworld we land on is in a star system that formed with a clockwise (from a birdseye perspective, centered on the North pole), rather than counter-clockwise, spin. I don't think that there's anything terribly unusual about that - it all just comes down the circumstances of how any particular system forms. I *think* galactic rotation has some impact on this, but I'm not certain, and at any rate the galaxies of the universe are apparently divided on the clockwise/counterclockwise spin thing. So that works out nicely.

If it was deliberate I can only think that it was done to subtly suggest the alien nature of the Rimworld compared to Earth.

Shurp

#3
February 01, 2016, 08:01:42 PM
"From a birds-eye view, centered on the north pole" --

But how are you defining which pole is the north pole?  I figured it was exactly the pole that has a clockwise spin when viewed from above, as on Earth.

Perhaps you could define it magnetically instead?
If you give an annoying colonist a parka before banishing him to the ice sheet you'll only get a -3 penalty instead of -5.

And don't forget that the pirates chasing a refugee are often better recruits than the refugee is.

LittleGreenStone

#4
February 01, 2016, 09:38:46 PM
Quote from: Shurp on February 01, 2016, 06:55:58 AM
So has anyone else noticed that the shadows on Rimworld go from right to left?

Meaning the sun rises on the left and sets on the right...

Meaning north is on the bottom of the map.  Why is that?

Perspective.
I'm sitting next to a window, facing East.
Meaning the sun rises and blinds me first thing in the morning.
Meaning, per my perspective North is on the left side of the world "map", and not in front of me.

Should I face South and wait for hours, I'd be really, really bored but I'd see the shadows creep to the left.

It's all a matter of perspective; "up" doesn't equal to "North".

Shurp

#5
February 01, 2016, 11:54:43 PM
Sure, you *can* put South at the top of the map... I'm just wondering why you'd want to :)
If you give an annoying colonist a parka before banishing him to the ice sheet you'll only get a -3 penalty instead of -5.

And don't forget that the pirates chasing a refugee are often better recruits than the refugee is.

Fluffy (l2032)

#6
February 02, 2016, 01:57:31 AM
Quote from: Veneke on February 01, 2016, 08:06:11 AM
If it was deliberate I can only think that it was done to subtly suggest the alien nature of the Rimworld compared to Earth.

StorymasterQ

#7
February 02, 2016, 02:02:14 AM
Why not "Tynan messed up"? :D
I like how this game can result in quotes that would be quite unnerving when said in public, out of context. - Myself

The dubious quotes list is now public. See it here

Veneke

#8
February 02, 2016, 04:21:51 AM
Quote from: Shurp on February 01, 2016, 08:01:42 PM
Perhaps you could define it magnetically instead?

You could, but why would you do that here? The 'north' pole is centered on where the axial tilt of our planet 'hits' the Earth's surface, and it's the axial tilt of a planet that's important for this sort of thing. There's no reason to know or even consider the magnetic north and south poles (which as we know shift periodically, and even swap places, from time to time).

Quote from: StorymasterQ on February 02, 2016, 02:02:14 AM
Why not "Tynan messed up"? :D

No no, 'moar alien'. :P

I wonder though if it was simply an oversight. It would seem a strange thing to get wrong though given a fixed map perspective and the fact that, almost invariably, north is the top of the map in videogames.

Shurp

#9
February 02, 2016, 06:42:11 AM
Or something done intentionally to drive geeks who might notice crazy :)
If you give an annoying colonist a parka before banishing him to the ice sheet you'll only get a -3 penalty instead of -5.

And don't forget that the pirates chasing a refugee are often better recruits than the refugee is.

Tynan

#10
February 02, 2016, 08:34:58 AM
Oh... yeah.. you're right. Whoops...

Alien planet! It's a feature!
Tynan Sylvester - @TynanSylvester - Tynan's Blog

StorymasterQ

#11
February 02, 2016, 07:54:11 PM
Woo! Sometimes doubting your Godeveloper is actually the correct path!
I like how this game can result in quotes that would be quite unnerving when said in public, out of context. - Myself

The dubious quotes list is now public. See it here

Shurp

#12
February 02, 2016, 08:37:33 PM
Yeah, keep it, it adds character :)  If anyone asks just say "Rimworld is a captured rogue planet whose rotation is opposite that of the rest of the solar system it orbits in"
If you give an annoying colonist a parka before banishing him to the ice sheet you'll only get a -3 penalty instead of -5.

And don't forget that the pirates chasing a refugee are often better recruits than the refugee is.
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