Hardcore Mode

Hardcore mode is an achievement and trophy, as well as a difficulty mode in Fallout: New Vegas which introduces new aspects of survival into the gameplay.

Achievement/trophy
The achievement/trophy is awarded for completing the game from start to finish in Hardcore mode. The mode is initially available just before the player character leaves Doc Mitchell's house for the first time and they are given the achievement/trophy for keeping Hardcore mode on continuously from this point until completing the main questline. Hardcore mode can be toggled off at any time through the options menu. It can still be turned back on, but the achievement/trophy will be unobtainable.

Game mode
In this mode, stimpaks and other healing items heal over time instead of all at once, RadAway removes radiation over time in a similar manner, ammunition has weight, and the Courier must stay hydrated, eat periodically, and have a regular sleep cycle. Limbs can only be restored by a doctor's bag, hydra, weapon binding ritual, healing poultice, Auto-Doc, or by visiting an actual doctor. Sleeping does not heal health points or crippled limbs, unless it's in an owned bed or having the Roughin' It perk. In addition, recruited companions can die permanently.

Gameplay differences


Status effects

 * Note: the hours are for game time; the seconds for real time.

Behind the scenes
The survival and hunger mechanics in the 2009 video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat greatly influenced hardcore mode, to the point that Joshua Sawyer called hardcore mode "basically" a rip-off.

Bugs

 * For unknown reasons, sometimes one or more of the Hardcore needs (such as H2O, FOD, SLP) will disappear, and will not even indicate a 0 integer. One can fix this by going into the options then turning hardcore off/on again, which will reset all needs to 0. However, this seems to be a redundant problem once it happens the first time and starts again upon loading a save. A way to fix it is to make a backup save, and delete the old file.
 * Another fix for the above bug is to use an item that increases/decreases the meter of said needs (i.e. if 0 integers are missing in SLP then take a nap and the integer will reset to 0). This may need to be repeated before the fix takes effect.
 * The unpatched version of the game sometimes glitches and stops players from leveling up though still registering experience.
 * If one transfers their save game to a new computer and continues playing, the Hardcore achievement may not register upon completing the game, even if Hardcore mode was left on.
 * The sleep meter will not go below 2.
 * Hardcore meters may stop increasing in "real-time." Sleeping, waiting, or fast traveling will still cause them to increase. Reloading a previous save can sometimes "unstick" the meters, but they become stuck again after a few minutes of gameplay.
 * When loading a game, the needs meters may be higher than they were when it was saved, causing the player character to be hungry, tired, or dehydrated even though they were fine at the point of saving.