Modder Creates Unforgiving Hardcore Mode for Stardew Valley That Deletes Save Files if You Use the Wiki

A Stardew Valley enthusiast has transformed a jest about "hardcore mode" into a daunting reality, developing a mod that unrelentingly eliminates your save files if you resort to guides.

It all began with an online joke pertaining to a "hardcore mode" in Stardew Valley that combats the use of the wiki by erasing the saved files of offending players. This clever individual has now brought this challenging mode to life.

Recently, a satirical piece by Hard Drive, a gaming-themed parody news site akin to The Onion, discussed a new "hardcore mode" in Stardew Valley that detects when players access the game's wiki and subsequently obliterates their save files. The jest quickly made waves through the farming simulation community before catching the attention of a proficient modder who succeeded in creating a fully operational "hardcore mode," as depicted by Hard Drive's post.

This new mode is presented as a mod created by Sylvie Nightshade, a software engineer characterized as "a hobbyist programmer and musician who spends excessive time online." Similar to the imaginary "hardcore mode" fabricated by Hard Drive, Nightshade's mod would delete your save file if you even dare peek at the wiki on a browser tab.

The creator explains that it functions by scanning the title of every open window on your computer and deleting everything if any window includes 'Stardew Valley Wiki' in its title. Nightshade's strict mod doesn't end there; she has also enabled it to close the browser window that contains the wiki. Apparently, this is done "just to add insult to injury."

It's impressive that Nightshade's mod came to fruition only a day after Hard Drive's witty article gained traction among Stardew enthusiasts. She also claims to have taught herself how to develop SMAPI mods "within two hours" to create it. Meanwhile, I struggle with even the thought of downloading and attempting to play without guides—can you imagine casually opening the wiki to check bundle requirements and losing your entire farm in an instant?