Tunnel Runner

Quickstart

1. Craft the Tunnel Runner using the recipe below and place it on the ground facing the direction you want to travel.
2. Mount by right-clicking the vehicle. The camera automatically switches to third-person.
3. Drive: use W/S to move forward/backward and A/D to steer.
4. Press E to open the Tunnel Runner menu where you can access your player inventory, cargo hold, smelter, and utility bay.
5. Hold Left Click while riding to enter mining mode and start boring a 3×3 tunnel ahead of you.
6. Press Ctrl to dismount.

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Overview

The Tunnel Runner is a large, self-propelled tunneling vehicle that seats two players and handles every phase of underground work in one machine. It drills 3×3 tunnels, smelts your ore on the fly in a three-lane furnace, stores everything in a 54-slot cargo hold, lays rails behind itself automatically, and even defends against mobs with its active drill head. Everything is accessible from the saddle without dismounting.

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What It Adds

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How To Use

Mounting and Camera

Right-click anywhere on the vehicle to mount. The game automatically switches you to third-person view so you can see the vehicle. When you dismount, your previous camera setting is restored.

Driving Controls

The vehicle defaults to Drive Mode on mount. The on-screen HUD shows current speed (blocks/second), heading in degrees, fuel level, heat level, and the active mode.

Mining Mode

Hold Left Mouse Button to activate the drill. The vehicle slows to mining speed and bores a 3×3 tunnel directly ahead. The HUD updates to show the current drill grade.

Broken blocks are automatically collected into the cargo hold. The drill also damages and knocks back any mobs caught in front of the vehicle.

Block Placement (Utility Bay)

Hold Right Mouse Button while moving forward to place items from the utility bay. Placement works anywhere, including outside tunnels, and can run at the same time as mining. Manual placement matches the slower mining speed for precision.

Auto Place mode: when the vehicle detects an open 3×3 space ahead, it automatically places supports and the current grid layer from the utility bay without any button held.

The Tunnel Runner Menu (E)

Pressing E while riding opens a multi-tabbed menu that includes:

• Your player inventory — full access without dismounting.
• Cargo — the 54-slot hold where mined blocks land.
• Smelter (Furnace & Rail Layer) — three-lane furnace. Load fuel and raw ores; smelted output goes to cargo.
• Utility Bay — slots for rails and support blocks. The +1 / +10 / +32 / +64 buttons pull matching items from your inventory and cargo automatically, crafting from raw materials if needed. Clear returns all items to you as real items.

You can also Shift-click the rear of the vehicle model to open the rear utility bay directly.

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Crafting And Obtaining

Craft the Tunnel Runner at a crafting table. The recipe is unlocked as soon as you join a world.

The recipe combines two diamond pickaxes, a redstone lamp, two iron blocks, a chest, two minecarts, and a furnace — reflecting every system packed into the machine.

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Abilities And Mechanics

Automatic Rail Laying

As the Tunnel Runner moves, a rail-laying module under the rear deck places rails from the utility bay onto the floor behind it. Keep rail items stocked in the utility bay (use the +buttons to refill) and the vehicle will always leave a rideable track in its wake.

Three-Lane Smelter

The onboard furnace runs three independent smelting lanes simultaneously. Load fuel once and feed raw ore into any of the three input slots. Finished ingots go to cargo. The smelter runs continuously while you drive.

Mob Defense

The spinning drill head at the front damages and applies knockback to any mob that walks into it. Hostile mobs in a tunnel ahead of you will be pushed back or killed as you advance.

Occupant Safety

Riders cannot take suffocation damage while inside the vehicle, even when the drill head is actively cutting through solid rock.

Shift is Dive, Not Dismount

Because Shift is used for the forward dive maneuver, it does not dismount you. Use Ctrl to exit the vehicle.

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Progression And Strategy

• Early tunneling: stock the cargo hold with food and tools before a long run. The 54-slot hold fills quickly with stone; smelt it on the fly to free up slots (cobblestone → stone).
• Rail infrastructure: keep a large supply of rails and rail materials in the utility bay. Enable Auto Place so the vehicle lays track the moment it finishes each tunnel segment — no manual rail placement needed.
• Ore processing: feed raw ores directly into the three-lane smelter while driving. By the time you surface, your ore is already processed.
• Diagonal tunneling: use the shallow up/down cuts (W + Space/Shift) to connect different vertical levels smoothly without steep 45° drops. Use the true 45° modes (Space or Shift alone while drilling) when you need to ascend or descend quickly.
• Two-player runs: a second rider can monitor menus and manage cargo/smelter while the pilot focuses on steering and drill control, making long mining sessions dramatically more efficient.