Orbinaut Framework 2 is the successor to the original Orbinaut Framework, a classic Sonic framework created for GameMaker. It prioritises ease-of-use and has a certain level of templating at its core (as it basically should), making it friendly for both beginners and advanced users. Orbinaut is written from scratch and everything here is new.
Orbinaut Framework 2 is specifically designed to work with the LTS'24 version of GameMaker and its preceding regular release, v2024.11. Compatibility with other versions is neither supported nor guaranteed.
OF2 includes detailed documentation, accessible in the Wiki section. While you might be tempted to skip it, be sure to review the installation guide to ensure everything is set up correctly.
- Uniqueness: The framework contains its own solutions that replace some features of GameMaker, simplifying the development process, particularly for Sonic games.
- Performance: While being slower than its predecessor due to a higher amount of things working behind the scenes, if used intelligently, the framework can reach high enough speeds thanks to its architecture and optimisation (within the GameMaker limitations).
Although the framework is designed to match the look and feel of the original four classic Sonic titles, it can be adapted to create non-Sonic gameplay due to its design.
- All gameplay objects in the framework provided by default are aimed to be accurate to their Sonic 2 presentation, code and animation-wise.
- Character physics, character-to-object and object-to-terrain collisions are faithfully recreated to provide similar or the same result as in the original games, making it one of the most accurate classic Sonic frameworks ever made, if this is what you're looking for.
- Four playable characters are available: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy.
- Support for multiple player objects, which can be set up to be controlled by either a computer or a real person.
- Up to 8 player splitscreen support.¹
- The ability to customise gameplay by toggling various differences between the four classic titles, ensuring you get the experience you want to have in your game.
- The framework offers various graphical effects you can see in the classic games, including its own background parallax, palette rotation, palette-based fade in/out and screen distortions.
- Overall, most methods are accurate or similar to the ones used in the original Sonic engine.
The framework is fully complete, with all features working as intended and ready for use. No further updates are planned. However, we will update the repository if a major GameMaker update is released that introduces significant changes, such as alterations to the project format.
If you have any questions about the framework, feel free to use the Discussions tab. All major news will be posted there and on Twitter. Please, do not use it for bug reports.
- Project Lead: Triangly
- Programmers: Triangly, Michael Gallinago, techncolour
- Framework Branding & Sprite Edits: Natufox
- Framework Trailer: Lapper, Triangly
- Tech Stadium Zone: Enrico Cartmanuel
- Level Design: FieryN8
- "Giganorbi" Boss Programming: techncolour
- Discord Rich Presence Plugin: nkrapivin
- Special Thanks: Lapper, Mercury, NicoCW, Valeev, Noah N. Copeland, The Sonic 1, 2 and 3 Dissasembly Community, and our Twitter followers!
- For fangames: non-profitable, as always.
- For original IPs: MIT License.
Please credit us as Team Orbinaut.
We'd also like to ask that you not distribute a modified versions of the framework, thank you!
¹ Default splitscreen support is basic, providing separate screens for CPUs that can be taken under control like in Sonic 2 or Sonic 3(K). There is no "complete splitscreen experience", as you may call it that.
