UE5-Modular-Game-Framework/docs/game/core-gamemode.md

Game Core — GM_HorrorGameMode (Game Mode)

Game: Project Void | Asset: GM_HorrorGameMode | Parent: GM_CoreGameMode Asset Path: Content/Game/Core/GM_HorrorGameMode.uasset Build Phase: 1 | Framework System: 05_GM_CoreGameMode

---

Purpose

The game-specific Game Mode. Inherits all core rules from GM_CoreGameMode (player spawn, chapter transitions, death handling, pause control). This BP child configures the horror-specific pawn, controller, state classes, and adds game-over routing, void-space transitions, and ending triggers.

---

Dependencies

System	Type	Why
GM_CoreGameMode (05)	Parent class	Inherits TransitionToChapter, HandlePlayerDead, etc.
BP_HorrorPlayerCharacter	Spawned	Default pawn class
PC_HorrorController	Spawned	Default player controller
PS_HorrorPlayerState	Managed	Default player state
GS_HorrorGameState	Managed	Default game state
WBP_GameHUDController	Created	Default HUD class
BPC_DeathHandlingSystem (39)	Dispatcher	Receive death events
BPC_EndingAccumulator (68)	Dispatcher	Trigger ending evaluation
BPC_NarrativeStateSystem (58)	Interface	Chapter flag coordination
SS_SaveManager (35)	Direct	Checkpoint data on level transitions

---

Creation Steps

Step 1 — Create Blueprint Child

Content Browser → Game/Core/
  Right-click → Blueprint Class
  Parent Class: GM_CoreGameMode (from Framework/Core/)
  Name: GM_HorrorGameMode

Step 2 — Configure Class Defaults

Open GM_HorrorGameMode → Class Defaults → Classes section:

Property	Value	Notes
Default Pawn Class	BP_HorrorPlayerCharacter	GASP-based horror player
Player Controller Class	PC_HorrorController	Custom input routing
Player State Class	PS_HorrorPlayerState	Player data
Game State Class	GS_HorrorGameState	Shared session data
HUD Class	WBP_GameHUDController	Horror-themed HUD
Default Player Name	"Dr. Eliza Vance"	In-game display name
bPauseAllowed	true (default)	Set false during scripted sequences

Step 3 — Add Game-Specific Variables

Variable	Type	Default	Category	Purpose
bVoidSpaceActive	Boolean	false	Game	True when player is in void/alt-death space
bEndingTriggered	Boolean	false	Game	Prevents multiple ending triggers
GameDifficulty	Float	1.0	Game	0.5–2.0 scalar for all difficulty systems
HorrorLevelNames	Map (GameplayTag → Name)	—	Levels	ChapterTag → Level name for transitions

Step 4 — Populate HorrorLevelNames Map

Key (GameplayTag)	Value (Level Name)	Description
Chapter.Entry	L_Asylum_Entry	Tutorial zone
Chapter.WardA	L_Asylum_WardA	First major area
Chapter.WardB	L_Asylum_WardB	Second major area
Chapter.Basement	L_Asylum_Basement	Dark horror area
Chapter.VoidSpace	L_Asylum_VoidSpace	Reality-shift zone
Chapter.WardensOffice	L_Asylum_WardensOffice	Climax
Chapter.Ending	L_Ending_Truth	Final cutscene
Chapter.Credits	L_Credits	Credits roll

Step 5 — Wire Event Graph

Override: Event OnPostLogin

Event OnPostLogin (NewPlayer: PlayerController*)
   │
   ├─ Parent: Event OnPostLogin (call parent first)
   │
   ├─ Get GI_HorrorGame → GetSessionFlag("HasSeenIntro")?
   │    ├─ False → (first time in level)
   │    │    ├─ Set bPauseAllowed = false
   │    │    ├─ BPC_CutsceneBridge → PlayCutscene("Opening")
   │    │    │    └─ Player wakes in padded cell (3-5 second sequence)
   │    │    ├─ GI_HorrorGame → SetSessionFlag("HasSeenIntro", true)
   │    │    ├─ BPC_TutorialSystem → StartTutorial("Controls")
   │    │    └─ Set bPauseAllowed = true (after cutscene)
   │    │
   │    └─ True → (returning from death, reload, or later visit)
   │         └─ BPC_PlayerRespawnSystem → RestoreState()
   │              └─ Restore health, inventory, position from last checkpoint
   │
   ├─ BPC_NarrativeStateSystem → SetChapterFlag("Entry")
   └─ GI_GameFramework → SetGamePhase(InGame)

Override: HandlePlayerDead

HandlePlayerDead (CalledBy: BPC_DeathHandlingSystem dispatcher)
   │ Player: Pawn, DeathCause: E_DeathCause, KillerLocation: Vector
   │
   ├─ Set bPauseAllowed = false
   ├─ Increment GI_HorrorGame.TotalDeaths
   │
   ├─ [Check Void Space Conditions]
   │    ├─ GI_HorrorGame → GetSessionFlag("VoidSpaceVisited")? → Branch
   │    │    ├─ False AND DeathCause == "Void"?
   │    │    │    └─ True:
   │    │    │         ├─ Set bVoidSpaceActive = true
   │    │    │         ├─ BPC_AltDeathSpaceSystem → EnterVoidSpace()
   │    │    │         ├─ Transition To Chapter (Chapter.VoidSpace)
   │    │    │         └─ Return (void space handles own exit)
   │    │    │
   │    │    └─ False → [Normal Death — Respawn]
   │    │
   │    └─ [Normal Death Flow]
   │         │
   │         ├─ BPC_PersistentCorpseSystem → Leave Corpse (Pawn, DeathCause)
   │         ├─ BPC_RunHistoryTracker → Log Death (DeathCause, CurrentChapterTag)
   │         │
   │         ├─ BPC_PlayerRespawnSystem → Get Respawn Chapter
   │         │    └─ Returns last checkpoint's chapter tag
   │         │
   │         ├─ BPC_PersistentWorldStateRecorder → Save World State
   │         │    └─ Capture door states, item pickup flags, enemy states
   │         │
   │         ├─ SS_SaveManager → Create Auto Save ("DeathRespawn")
   │         │
   │         ├─ Transition To Chapter (RespawnChapterTag)
   │         │    └─ Parent function loads the level
   │         │
   │         └─ (On level loaded) BPC_PlayerRespawnSystem → RestoreState()
   │              ├─ Restore inventory (minus items lost on death)
   │              ├─ Restore health to checkpoint value
   │              └─ Restore world state (doors, items, enemies)
   │
   └─ Set bPauseAllowed = true

Override: TriggerEnding

TriggerEnding (EndingTag: GameplayTag)
   │
   ├─ bEndingTriggered? → True → Return (already triggered)
   │
   ├─ Set bEndingTriggered = true
   ├─ Set bPauseAllowed = false
   │
   ├─ GI_HorrorGame → ActiveEndingTag = EndingTag
   │
   ├─ BPC_EndingAccumulator → Evaluate Ending (EndingTag)
   │    └─ Returns: EndingResult (which final cinematic to play)
   │
   ├─ BPC_CutsceneBridge → Play Final Cutscene (EndingResult)
   │    └─ Cutscene duration: 30-60 seconds
   │
   ├─ (After cutscene completes):
   │    ├─ SS_AchievementSystem → Unlock ("CompletedGame")
   │    ├─ SS_AchievementSystem → Unlock (EndingTag-specific achievement)
   │    └─ BPC_ProgressStatTracker → Log Completion (EndingTag, playtime, deaths)
   │
   ├─ Transition To Chapter (Chapter.Credits)
   └─ (After credits) OpenLevel → "L_MainMenu"

Custom Function: GetDifficultyScalar

GetDifficultyScalar() → Float
   │
   ├─ Return GameDifficulty × GI_HorrorGame → FearIntensityMultiplier
   └─ Clamp result between 0.5 and 2.0

Custom Function: IsChapterUnlocked

IsChapterUnlocked (ChapterTag: GameplayTag) → Boolean
   │
   ├─ BPC_NarrativeStateSystem → GetChapterFlag (ChapterTag) → Check "IsCompleted"
   └─ Return result

---

Key Differences from GM_CoreGameMode Parent

Aspect	GM_CoreGameMode (Framework)	GM_HorrorGameMode (Game)
Default Pawn	Not set (abstract)	BP_HorrorPlayerCharacter
Player Controller	PC_CoreController	PC_HorrorController
Player State	PS_CorePlayerState	PS_HorrorPlayerState
Game State	GS_CoreGameState	GS_HorrorGameState
HUD	WBP_HUDController	WBP_GameHUDController
Death Handling	Generic respawn	Void space branching, corpse persistence
Level Map	Abstract	HorrorLevelNames map (tag → level name)
Post-login	Generic setup	Opening cutscene + tutorial trigger

---

Level Override Configuration

When creating each .umap level, open World Settings:

Window → World Settings
  Game Mode Override: GM_HorrorGameMode
  (This ensures all levels use the horror game mode)

Optionally, set chapter-specific settings per level in World Settings:

Level	World Settings Override
L_Asylum_Entry	bPauseAllowed: true (after cutscene)
L_Asylum_VoidSpace	bPauseAllowed: false (pressing ESC shows "No escape from the void")
L_MainMenu	bPauseAllowed: false (main menu has its own pause equivalent via UI)
L_Ending_Truth	bPauseAllowed: false (cutscene lock)

---

Blueprint Wiring Checklist

• Create BP child of GM_CoreGameMode named GM_HorrorGameMode in Game/Core/
• Set all 5 Default Classes in Class Defaults
• Add 4 game-specific variables (bVoidSpaceActive, bEndingTriggered, GameDifficulty, HorrorLevelNames)
• Populate HorrorLevelNames map with all 8 chapter → level mappings
• Override Event OnPostLogin → opener cutscene + tutorial
• Override HandlePlayerDead → void space branch + corpse + respawn
• Override TriggerEnding → cutscene → credits → menu
• Add GetDifficultyScalar function
• Add IsChapterUnlocked function
• Set GM_HorrorGameMode as GameMode Override in each level's World Settings

---

Communications With

Target System	Method	Why
GI_HorrorGame	GetGameInstance → Cast to GI_HorrorGame	Session data, fear intensity, ending tag
BP_HorrorPlayerCharacter	Spawned by engine	Player pawn
PC_HorrorController	Spawned by engine	Input routing
BPC_DeathHandlingSystem	Dispatcher (receives)	Death events
BPC_AltDeathSpaceSystem	Direct	Void space entry
BPC_PlayerRespawnSystem	Direct	Respawn restore
BPC_CutsceneBridge	Direct	Play/end cutscenes
BPC_EndingAccumulator	Direct	Evaluate ending
BPC_TutorialSystem	Direct	Start tutorials
SS_SaveManager	GetSubsystem	Auto-save on death/respawn
SS_AchievementSystem	GetSubsystem	Unlock achievements on completion

---

Notes for Expansion

• To add permadeath mode: override HandlePlayerDead → skip void space → wipe save → restart
• To add co-op support: the horror game mode would need to handle multiple player spawns and sync void space
• To add New Game+: in Event OnPostLogin, check bIsNewGamePlus flag → increase GameDifficulty → spawn harder enemies
• The HorrorLevelNames map approach allows designers to reorder chapters without touching blueprint logic
• Consider adding OnPreDeath and OnPostRespawn event dispatchers for other systems to bind

---

GM_HorrorGameMode — Core game mode for Project Void. See GAMEINDEX.md for full game structure. See 05_GM_CoreGameMode.md for parent class spec.