To start out, I am posting the one-sheet for the game to set direction and expectations.
Tunnel Lords: Mining Epsilon Eridani
You are a miner with a fabulous mining ship in the not too distant future. Your colony needs resources to grow, thrive and provide money for upgrading your sweet mining ship. Mine deep beneath the planet's crust in search of valuable minerals. Help your meager colony grow into a thriving city on the single planet of the Epsilon Eridani star system.
The game will be a vertical 2D scrolling game with pixel graphics. The intended ESRB rating would be E for everyone, if it were to get rated. The platform is XBOX 360 and PC.
Increasingly valuable metals will be mined as you travel deeper underground. Environmental hazards will hamper your progress, such as dirt becoming more difficult to remove, magma wells damaging the ship if dug into, and increased hull temperature. Purchasing ship upgrades such as new fuel tanks and new hull plating will help you overcome the difficulties of the lower levels.
A simple story line will progress based on tasks given by fellow colonists. Fulfilling the tasks will require different minerals. All other minerals will be sold for money to buy upgrades. These tasks will open up new upgrades for your mining ships and buildings. The colony will consist of buildings right above where you mine. Game saves will be limited to one location in the colony. Death in the mine will require reloading from your last saved game. Game play will consist of a couple of hours of mining and upgrading.
And that is most definitely too aggressive for one month of work… Also, I'm no artist, so please bear with the bad programmer art. My first goal will be to get a working 2D tilemap on the screen.