[CGMZ] Hardcore (Patreon)

Allows you to make save files hardcore, which will delete the save if the player gets a game over. The save file will also get a special text or icon on the save screen. Hardcore can be mandatory or up to the player when a new game is started.

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Hi all, introducing [CGMZ] Hardcore!

Hardcore Mode

Many games feature a hardcore mode which typically adds a permadeath mechanic where the player can no longer use their save file if they have reached a game over. This plugin adds that functionality to RPG Maker.

When the Game Over screen is reached, either through battle or event command or any other means, the player save file will automatically be removed if it is set to hardcore mode. This plugin can also optionally remove any autosaves if your game uses that feature.

Hardcore Select

So, how does entering / exiting hardcore mode work? Well, it is up to you, the game developer. This plugin supports a few ways to change the hardcore status of the save file.

Setup - During plugin setup, you can choose to start new games as hardcore. This will automatically make any new game started hardcore by default

Plugin Command - This plugin includes a plugin command to change the hardcore status. You can use this to ask your player if they want to enable or disable hardcore mode, or any other way you may want to manually change hardcore status in your events. For example, if you want a "safe" minigame or zone in your game where the player can gameover without losing their save file, you can turn hardcore OFF when they enter this area and then back ON when they leave.

Scene - This plugin comes with a Hardcore Select scene where the player can choose to enable or disable hardcore mode. It has many customization options, but one configuration may look like the below screenshot:

Save File Changes

This plugin can automatically add text to the save file to mark it as Hardcore, and this text supports text codes so you can draw icons as well. See below screenshot for a skull icon being added to a hardcore save file for how it can look:

If you use [CGMZ] Save File, I will also be adding the option to show hardcore text in its custom save file screen as well.

Integrations

This plugin includes additional features when used alongside the following [CGMZ] plugins:

[CGMZ] Scene Backgrounds

Show a custom background image in your hardcore select scene, including video or scrolling animated parallax images. You can even carry the map weather over!

[CGMZ] Window Backgrounds

Show a custom background image in your select window, including scrolling animated parallax images and some more animated options.

[CGMZ] Window Settings

Control the window background type, windowskin, padding, tone, and more. This plugin allows total control over most window customizations.

[CGMZ] Controls Window

Show the player the controls of the hardcore scene. Controls automatically swap between keyboard and gamepad controls depending on the last input type the player used, and buttons can be animated to show them being pressed.

Quick Facts

✅ RPG Maker MZ✅ No obfuscation✅ No AI used at any point in the creation of this plugin

Support

Casper Gaming provides quick support to any user who needs it. You can leave a comment below with your question or issue, I try to check my Patreon at least once a day. For even quicker support, you can come into the Casper Gaming Discord and ask for help in the #support channel.

Roadmap

I plan to expand this plugin by adding more control over hardcore, such as easier access to check the current hardcore state so you can use hardcore in your events. I will also be adding more integrations, such as controlling hardcore status via [CGMZ] Difficulty and showing the hardcore status in [CGMZ] Save File.

Casper Gaming plugins are made better through community suggestions. I am always happy to hear any features you'd like to see added that I may not have thought of already. Please leave any suggestions you have in the comments below, or in the #suggestions channel of the Casper Gaming Discord. I add all suggestions to my to-do list.

Happy RPG Making!

This version makes it so that hardcore files can only save over one save file slot. If they start a new game that is hardcore, they will only be able to save over the next available save slot. If all save slots are taken, they will be able to choose which save file to use but after that will only be able to save over the save file they saved in. This will prevent your players from saving over multiple files to try and avoid the hardcore mechanic.

This version allows you to keep hardcore save files that have gotten a game over around, but make them unloadable instead of deleting them. To help convey to the player why the save file is not able to load, a new text parameter was added that will take the place of the hardcore text when a hardcore game is failed. See below gif for how it may look:

Some plugin commands were also added. You can now manually fail a hardcore game via plugin command, without needing to go to the game over screen. You can also check if a save file is hardcore and if the hardcore save is failed.