Game Mechanics
Fish Generator
Every player has a Fish Generator in their village garden. It produces Fish over time.
- Generator Strength determines your Fish output
- Your share of Fish is proportional to your Generator Strength relative to all players
- Strength is increased with Fish Generator Parts — Uncle Erby sends them to the village, and they are available in the Diamond Shop
Upgrading
Everything in the game is bought with Diamonds — upgrades, equipment, skins (see Diamond Shop). For example:
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Fish Generator Parts | Permanently increase Generator Strength |
| Metal | Upgrade equipment and stats |
$PGM Bonus: Paying for Diamonds with $PGM gives you 20% more Diamonds than paying the same amount with USDC.
Metal and Stats
Metal is the upgrade currency. Use it to improve your Pengu:
| Stat | Effect |
|---|---|
| HP | Survive more drone attacks |
| Attack | Damage dealt to hostile drones |
| Mining Speed | How fast you mine Hard Ice |
| Orca Detection | Spot the Orca before it's too late |
Equipment
Equipment is brought into expeditions. Better equipment enables harder maps.
Equipment is crafted or purchased using Metal. Choose wisely — some of it can be lost permanently (see Death).
Expeditions
Spend Fish at the Exploration Vendor to buy an Expedition Map. You choose the difficulty:
- Higher difficulty = more Fish cost = more Hard Ice available = more PENGU earnable
- The challenge: can you handle the difficulty with your current stats and equipment?
Time Limit
Drones mine continuously alongside you. An expedition lasts roughly 20 minutes before the deposit is cleared. A skilled player can finish much faster.
Threats
| Threat | Behavior | Danger |
|---|---|---|
| Shielded Drones | Mine Hard Ice, invincible | Time pressure — they take what you don't |
| Combat Drones | Mine and attack on proximity | Damage + time pressure — can knock you out |
| The Orca | Patrols beneath the ice | Instant kill on contact — no defense, only detection |
Map Completion
A map ends when:
- All Hard Ice is mined (by you and/or drones)
- You die to the Orca
- You choose to extract early
Collected Hard Ice is traded at the Vendor for PENGU tokens.
Death
Drone Death — Knocked Out
You wake up in the village hospital. Bruised but alive.
| Status | |
|---|---|
| Hard Ice collected this expedition | Lost |
| Equipment | Kept |
| XP earned this expedition | Kept |
| Fish Generator | Always safe |
Hospital cooldown: 30 seconds after first knockout, 60 seconds after second, 90 after third — escalating within the same expedition. Resets on a new expedition.
After recovery you can head back out — if there's any Hard Ice left.
Orca Death — Gone
Instant. Total.
| Status | |
|---|---|
| Hard Ice collected this expedition | Lost |
| Equipment you brought | Lost |
| XP earned this expedition | Lost |
| Lifetime XP | Kept — a new Pengu hatches, inheriting the wisdom of the one before |
| Fish Generator | Always safe |
Experience and Progression
XP is earned by mining, destroying drones, and completing expeditions.
XP increases your level, unlocking:
- Higher tier equipment
- Skill bonuses
- Cosmetic rewards
XP is play-to-progress — it cannot be bought. Both time invested and skill matter.
Difficulty and Balance
Your core decision each expedition:
"What difficulty can I actually handle right now?"
- Too easy → low risk, low reward, slow PENGU earnings
- Too hard → death, gear loss, wasted Fish
- The sweet spot → the hardest difficulty you can reliably clear
This rewards players who understand their own capabilities and improve over time.