Speed Miners: A Tiny RTS Resource Mini-Game

Speed Miners is a new mini-game that captures the essence of real-time strategy (RTS) resource management. Developed as a focused puzzle experience, it strips away combat and complex base-building to concentrate on one core objective: efficiency.

The game challenges players to gather and refine resources scattered across the map, starting from a central base. It serves as a streamlined experiment in RTS mechanics, built from the ground up using the Phaser game library.

The central objective in Speed Miners is straightforward yet demanding. Players must deploy drones from their central base to locate, mine, and refine every resource patch on the map. The primary metric for success is speed, turning each level into a race against the clock.

For newcomers or those seeking a relaxed experience, the game offers an automatic play mode. This feature allows the game to run on its own, though it does not operate with optimal efficiency. This design choice cleverly highlights the gap between basic automation and expert manual control.

Players can disable the automatic functions at any time to take direct command. The core control scheme is simple and intuitive:

• Select individual drones with a left click
• Issue move commands to specific resource patches via right click
• Earn upgrade points to enhance drone capabilities
• Manage the balance between automation and manual intervention

The project was built using Phaser, a popular and versatile 2D game framework for web development. This marks the developer's first foray into the library, demonstrating its accessibility for creating focused game prototypes. The choice of Phaser allows for a lightweight build that runs directly in a web browser.

However, the current implementation comes with a notable technical limitation. The game is designed for desktop play and will not function well on mobile devices. This constraint is likely due to the control scheme, which relies on precise mouse inputs for selecting and commanding drones, a method not easily translated to touchscreens.

Despite its simplicity, the game includes foundational elements to create a complete experience. It features three distinct levels that likely increase in complexity, providing a structured progression for players. Additionally, basic sound effects are integrated to provide audio feedback for actions like mining and upgrading, enhancing the overall gameplay feel.

At its heart, Speed Miners is a game about optimization. The automatic mode serves as a baseline, demonstrating the fundamental mechanics but leaving significant room for improvement. This creates a clear skill ceiling where players can measure their efficiency against the game's built-in AI.

Manual control is where the strategic depth emerges. Players must decide which resource patches to target first, how to route their drones to minimize travel time, and when to invest in upgrades. The upgrade system, powered by points earned through mining, allows for strategic specialization. Do players invest in faster drones, increased carrying capacity, or more efficient refining processes?

This focus on pure resource management offers a refreshing take on the RTS genre. By removing the pressures of combat and large-scale empire building, it allows players to engage with the logistical and planning aspects that are often the most rewarding part of strategy gaming.

The game was introduced to the public through a "Show HN" post, a forum where developers share new projects with the Hacker News community. The initial post garnered a modest but positive response, accumulating 4 points and sparking a small discussion.

As of the initial release, the comment section remained relatively quiet, which is common for new game prototypes still in their early stages. This initial feedback loop provides a valuable foundation for future development and iteration based on direct user experience.

The project represents a classic example of a developer sharing a work-in-progress concept. It invites players to experience a core gameplay idea in its purest form, offering a glimpse into the potential for future expansion, such as additional levels, more complex upgrade trees, or mobile-friendly controls.

Speed Miners successfully demonstrates how a single, well-defined mechanic can form the basis of an engaging game. By focusing entirely on the resource-gathering loop of RTS titles, it provides a satisfying puzzle experience that rewards planning and quick decision-making.

The project stands as a testament to the power of modern web game libraries like Phaser, enabling developers to prototype and share ideas quickly. While its current desktop-only nature and basic feature set mark it as an early prototype, the core concept is solid and enjoyable.

For fans of strategy games and puzzle challenges, Speed Miners offers a unique, bite-sized experience. It will be interesting to see if the developer expands on this foundation, potentially adding new mechanics, levels, or refining the controls for broader accessibility in future updates.