Add Hardcore Mode with Save/Load Restrictions

[chaserli]

Description

Adds a Hardcore Mode for campaign missions.

When enabled, Hardcore Mode prevents the player from saving or loading the game during a mission, and changes the mission flow to better fit a no-save challenge.

Features

• Disables Save, Load, and Delete Game during the mission.

• Replaces the normal mission failure prompt with a Hardcore-specific Retry / Leave prompt.

• Displays a Hardcore indicator on the loading screen.

  • Uses hardcorelogo.shp when available.
  • Falls back to the TXT_HARDCORE_MODE CSF string.

• Updates the mission end dialog to use an appropriate exit option.

• Forces campaign scenarios using Hardcore Mode to end the game normally instead of allowing them to continue through the regular save/load flow.

Configuration

Enable Hardcore Mode with:

[Settings]
DisableSaveLoad=true

in spawn.ini

Additional CSF strings can be provided for localization:

TXT_HARDCORE_MODE
TXT_HARDCORE_FAILURE
GUI:CantSave
GUI:CantLoad

[github-actions]

Nightly build for this pull request:

• spawner-CnCNetYR-90717298450237b280d665d14b0c90f8b455d97b.zip
• spawner-90717298450237b280d665d14b0c90f8b455d97b.zip
  These artifacts will expire in 90 days and will not be available for download after that time.

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[Belonit]

I'm not sure that spawner should introduce such features. Perhaps this should be in Phobos?
@Metadorius Any thoughts?

[chaserli]

I'm not sure that spawner should introduce such features. Perhaps this should be in Phobos?

This is similar to the existing “Custom Mission” feature. It is originally designed around one game session launching one mission, then the mission ends and the session ends.

This also comes with the same constraints. For example, implementing it requires hard-patching certain addresses, which can break if the game proceeds to another mission. Putting the UI toggles in the vanilla launcher is both difficult, inappropriate, and unnecessary. RA2MD.ini is not the right place for this either, etc.

In Spawner, however, it fits naturally through spawn.ini, works seamlessly with the DTA client. The spawner skips the cumbersome procedures before starting the mission, which could avoid those shitty ass problems.

It also complements the " Custom Mission " feature a bit.

FYI original PR in Phobos Phobos-developers/Phobos#1402

[SadPencil]

Can this PR be merged? Or what else @chaserli needs to do

[SadPencil]

any updates on this PR? can it be merged?

[Belonit]

I made my own edits, and the original commits of chaserli were left as is. My changes are added on top of them in separate commits:

• added the current main to the PR thread.
• brought NoSaveLoadMode.cpp to a more readable form.
• replaced own Fetch_CSF_Text with StringTable::TryFetchString with the same fallback texts.
• added IsDisableSaveLoadEnabled() which checks both Spawner::Enabled and DisableSaveLoad. Mode hooks no longer access missing configuration when the spawner is disabled. The EndOfGame setting condition is also protected by the Enabled check.
• replaced a patch that damaged the save function,
  explicit termination via Debug::FatalErrorAndExit with recording of the reason in the log. Intentional crash when trying to save saved. Moved mode patches from Spawner.Hook.cpp to NoSaveLoadMode.cpp.
• disabled periodic autosaves with DisableSaveLoad=yes.
  Before this, the standard autosave could get into the save ban and end the game without user action.

@chaserli, I still have questions about ScenarioClass_ReadMapINI_SetEndOfGame, could you please explain:

• Why should DisableSaveLoad force EndOfGame=true? According to ASM, this includes the campaign ending path: if CampaignIndex is non-zero, the game tries to play CampaignClass::FinalMovie, then calls the credits from CREDITSMD.TXT to show. This changes how the campaign plays out, although no saves are required for the ban itself.
• Why force SkipScore=false by overriding the map setting? Is a mandatory results screen required in this mode?
• For CustomMissionID the EndOfGame setting is already in Spawner::StartGame() after loading the script. Need to clarify
  Why install it additionally when reading a map and force the results screen to turn on. If the goal is to complete a standalone mission without an ending video or credits, the current path requires separate consideration.

Changes require in-game testing.

I'll try to test it today, if I don't have time, then within 3 days