Miner Dig Deep Wiki

Overview
Miner Dig Deep was an Xbox Live Indie Game released on February 4, 2009. Developed and published by Robir, Miner Dig Deep cost 80 Microsoft Points, or $1.00. The game is no longer available for purchase, with the removal of all Xbox Live Indie Games from the Microsoft Store. The game is a 2D mining/exploration game, where the player character mines minerals, ores and other resources to sell at a shop, allowing them to buy and upgrade their mining gear and progress deeper into the mine. The game only ends after every single upgrade is purchased.

Developed by a team of three people (James Ribaux, Brendan Ribaux, and Will Ribaux), an interview with James Ribaux revealed some information about the game's development. Initially conceived by Brendan Ribaux, the Robir team only consisted of two people until the game reached the end of its development, when the brothers brought Will Ribaux on board. Overall development time was approximately three months.

Gameplay
Miner Dig Deep is a game about digging deeper, collecting resources, and upgrading equipment. Collecting resources is done by digging into a certain area (with the pickaxe tool, available from the start), and then mining the resource by hitting it repeatedly. Resources vary in rarity and price, with early metals only worth $70 and later minerals worth much more. Along with resources are rocks strewn throughout the subterranean world. Rocks are triggered by digging beneath them, causing them to begin sinking into the earth, possibly killing the miner if the player is not quick enough.

Lantern oil, named in game as kerosene, is an important aspect of Miner Dig Deep's gameplay. As the player explores the underground world, the lantern reveals what is hidden in the earth surrounding the player. When the player is completely out of lantern oil, they can continue to explore, but are unable to see anything without actually hitting it. Lantern oil capacity, overall inventory capacity, and the pickaxe can all be upgraded for set amounts periodically.

Along with lantern oil and inventory capacity, there are a variety of other purchasable items in the overworld store. Ladders, and elevators. These, and Teleportation panels under the surface, help to speed up the exploration of the underground world. Ladders are the cheapest, and can be used to place a single climbable object underground. Elevators are sold in varying degrees, and can be used to quickly go up and down underground. Teleportation panels are meant for when the player gets truly deep underground. They warp the player right back to the surface.

The underground world is randomly generated with each play session.

Minerals
Here is a list of all mineral prices in the game...