Multiplayer and Controls
CastleMiner Z runs on peer-to-peer multiplayer. There are no dedicated servers. One player hosts the session and everyone else joins through the Steam lobby browser or a direct invite. Understanding the hosting tools and the undocumented controls saves you a lot of frustration.
Hosting a Lobby
When you host a game, you control who joins and how the session runs. The host options menu lets you set a passcode, kick players, and ban disruptive users. Always set a passcode if you want a private session. Open lobbies attract random players, and overwhelmed hosts frequently panic-kick new joiners instead of managing their lobbies properly.
If you want to play solo but still need the Online connection for achievement tracking, host an Online Endurance lobby and set a passcode that only you know. You get the benefits of the network connection without any interruptions.
Finding Active Players
The public lobby browser often shows zero open games. This does not mean the game is dead. Most of the active community organizes sessions outside of the game itself.
The best place to find players is the dedicated CastleMiner Z community Discord. Coordinated "Endurance Rushes," boss-hunting lobbies, and achievement-farming sessions run weekly. Check the Steam community hub and Reddit (r/CastleMinerZ) for Discord invite links and event schedules.
Hidden Inventory Controls
The game provides no on-screen tutorials for advanced inventory manipulation. These controls are critical for efficient play, especially in co-op.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Split a stack in half | Right-click on any item stack in your inventory. |
| Drop items one at a time | After right-clicking to split, keep right-clicking before placing the items down. Each click drops a single unit. |
| Hotbar retention on death | Items in your hotbar stay with you when you die. Your main inventory drops on the ground. Always keep your best weapon, pickaxe, and ammunition in hotbar slots. |
| Bulk crafting | Hold Shift while crafting to process items in bulk rather than one at a time. |
Character Customization on PC
CastleMiner Z originally launched on Xbox 360, where players appeared as their Xbox Live Avatars. When the game moved to Steam in 2014, that proprietary Microsoft API became unavailable. All PC players use a generic, unalterable character model.
The developers originally planned a custom character creator for the PC version but abandoned those plans. Vanilla character customization does not exist on Steam.
The modding community has successfully extracted and rigged the original Xbox character models for use in other engines like Garry's Mod. If you want custom character visuals, external modding is your only option.