Game Mechanics

Overview

PenguMiner is a browser-based adventure game built on real DeFi yield. Players manage a Fish Generator, gear up their Pengu, and venture into the frozen wilderness to mine Hard Ice in skill-based expeditions.

The Fish Generator

Every player has a Fish Generator in their village garden. It is the core economic engine of the game.

• Fish Generator Strength is determined by the total amount a player has deposited into the ecosystem (measured in USDT equivalent)

• The generator produces Fish over time, proportional to its strength relative to all generators in the game

• Fish is not a token — it is an internal accounting unit that represents the player's share of real PENGU tokens held in the reward contract

The formula:

Your Fish per epoch = (Your Generator Strength / Total Generator Strength) × PENGU deposited into rewards this epoch

This is mathematically fair. If you contributed 1% of total deposits, you receive 1% of rewards.

Upgrading the Generator

When a player deposits into the ecosystem, Uncle Erby sends a package containing:

• Fish Generator Parts — 1.42 parts per USDT equivalent deposited, permanently increasing generator strength

• Metal — used for equipment upgrades and stat improvements

Both are delivered as an on-chain transaction (presented in-game as a letter from Uncle Erby).

Deposits and Currency

Entry Fee

To start playing, a one-time fee of 0.005 ETH is required. This activates the player's village, Fish Generator, and triggers the first letter from Uncle Erby with starter Generator Parts and Metal.

Ecosystem Deposits

Players can deposit ETH, USDT, or PGM into the ecosystem at any time. Each deposit:

1. Increases Fish Generator Strength (via Generator Parts)

2. Grants Metal for equipment upgrades

3. The deposited value is converted into DeFi liquidity that generates yield

PGM Deposit Bonus: Depositing PGM tokens grants 20% more Metal compared to an equivalent USDT or ETH deposit. This makes PGM the most efficient way to upgrade equipment, incentivizing players to acquire and use PGM. See The PGM Token for details.

Re-investing

After a successful expedition, players can choose to re-deposit earned PENGU directly back into the ecosystem, converting it into more Generator Parts and Metal rather than withdrawing.

Metal and Equipment

Metal is the upgrade currency. It comes exclusively from ecosystem deposits, making equipment progression tied to economic commitment.

Stats (upgraded with Metal)

Stat	Effect
HP	Total health points — survive more drone attacks
Attack	Damage dealt to hostile drones
Mining Speed	How fast you mine Hard Ice
Orca Detection	Tools and sensors to spot the Orca's shadow

Equipment

Players bring equipment into expeditions. Equipment can be purchased and upgraded using Metal. Better equipment enables higher difficulty expeditions.

Risk: Equipment is lost permanently on Orca death. Drone death preserves equipment.

Expeditions

Expeditions are the core gameplay loop. This is where Fish becomes PENGU.

Buying a Map

At the Exploration Vendor, players spend Fish to purchase an Expedition Map. The player chooses the difficulty:

• Higher Fish cost = higher difficulty = more Hard Ice available = more PENGU earnable

• Difficulty is balanced so that the PENGU reward roughly equals the Fish invested — but only if you successfully mine it all

• The challenge: can you actually clear the map with your current equipment and skill?

The Map

Once purchased, a Hard Ice deposit spawns in the wilderness around the village. The map has a fixed amount of Hard Ice to mine.

Threats

Mining Drones (Shielded)

• Invincible — cannot be destroyed

• Mine Hard Ice alongside you, reducing available resources

• Create time pressure

Combat Drones (Hostile)

• Attack the player on proximity

• Can be fought and destroyed

• Also mine Hard Ice when not engaged in combat

The Orca

• Patrols beneath the ice in patterns

• Instant kill on contact — no HP check, no defense

• Can be detected with Orca Detection equipment and skills

• Does NOT affect drones (they fly above the ice)

Time Pressure

Drones mine continuously. A map doesn't last forever — if you're too slow, the drones harvest everything. An expedition lasts roughly 20 minutes at maximum before drones clear the field, but a skilled player can finish much faster.

Map Completion

A map ends when:

• All Hard Ice is mined (by player or drones)

• The player dies to the Orca

• The player dies to drones (drones finish the rest)

• The player chooses to extract early

Death System

Drone Death

• Player is knocked unconscious, wakes up in village hospital

• Lost: All Hard Ice collected this expedition

• Kept: Equipment, XP earned this expedition, Fish Generator

• Cooldown: 30 seconds first death, 60 seconds second, doubling each time (resets per expedition)

• Remaining Hard Ice is lost to drones

Orca Death

• Instant and total

• Lost: All Hard Ice, all equipped gear, all XP from this expedition

• Kept: Fish Generator (always safe), lifetime accumulated XP

• A new Pengu hatches from an egg — the old Pengu passed on its lifetime experience before the final expedition

• Player starts with a fresh Pengu but retains cumulative progression

Experience and Progression

XP is earned through:

• Mining Hard Ice

• Destroying combat drones

• Surviving expeditions

• Completing higher difficulty maps

XP increases player level, unlocking:

• Access to higher tier equipment in the shop

• Skill bonuses (small passive multipliers)

• Cosmetic rewards

XP is play-to-progress — it cannot be bought. Combined with Metal (pay-to-progress equipment), this creates a system where both time investment and financial commitment matter.

Difficulty and Balance

The player's core decision each expedition:

"What difficulty can I actually handle with my current gear and skill?"

• Choosing too easy: low risk, low reward, slow PENGU accumulation

• Choosing too hard: high risk of death, gear loss, wasted Fish

• The sweet spot: the hardest difficulty you can reliably clear

This self-balancing mechanism rewards players who understand their own capabilities and improve over time.