ORK Framework 3 is an RPG development tool for Unity, now available as a public beta version (RC 2).

Update: ORK 3 is now officially available (as of January 31, 2022). The beta version is no longer available – download the free test version if you want to try out ORK 3.

ORK Framework 3 is an extension for Makinom 2 – the ORK 3 BETA contains the compatible Makinom 2.1.0 version needed. Since this is a beta version, you can expect things to change and there’s no guaranteed compatibility between beta versions or beta and production ready versions.

Currently only Unity 2019.4 or newer (i.e. Unity 2020, 2021) is supported. Using the Unity UI requires TextMesh Pro (and when using Unity 2019.3 or newer, Unity UI) package to be added to the project via the Unity package manager – more on UI systems can be found below. The packages are usually part of any new Unity project.

It’s recommended to use one of the long-term support versions of Unity, i.e. Unity 2019.4 LTS or Unity 2020.3 LTS.

Download ORK 3 Free Test Version

Please consider providing feedback and report bugs in the community forum or via email.

 

Quick Start

ORK Framework 3 is an extension for Makinom 2, it’s settings being displayed in the Makinom editor. This means that you need to open the Makinom editor to open ORK for your setup:

The rest is similar to how you remember it from ORK 2, you can even follow the old game tutorial series with ORK 3. Due to some settings being moved around, you’ll sometimes need to adjust for that – see below for a list of changed sections and sub-sections.

One of the first things to do when using Makinom 2 (and ORK 3) is to navigate to UI > UI System and change the used UI System Type to Unity UI to be able to use a UI.

Documentation & Tutorials

You can find ORK 3’s growing documentation and tutorials in the ORK 3 guide.

The documentation covers all major features of ORK Framework, including each editor sub-section, the new UI system, available components and more.

The tutorials contain:

And more.

I’d highly recommend to also check out Makinom’s documentation to learn more about some of the features you’ll use in ORK 3, e.g. the Makinom editor, schematics or general information on the modular UI system.

Upgrade from ORK Framework 2

ORK 3 will be a paid upgrade from ORK 2 – but there’ll be a grace period, guaranteeing a free upgrade if ORK 2 was purchased in 2021. More details upon ORK 3’s release.

There’ll be an upgrade tool available at a later time to upgrade your existing ORK 2 projects to ORK 3. Please note that due to a lot of changes, not all data can be upgraded, so you’ll have to redo some setup in any case.

3.0.0 Release Version

The following changes have been added from RC 2 to the official release version.

Please Note!

Due to the changes battle system replacing formulas with float value selections you’ll have to redo these settings. See above for details.

Previous BETA Versions

See the changes of previous BETA versions below.

RC 2

This is the second release candidate for ORK Framework 3. Official release is scheduled for January 31, 2022.

Please Note!

Due to the changes battle system replacing formulas with float value selections you’ll have to redo these settings. See above for details.

RC 1

This is the first release candidate for ORK Framework 3. Official release is scheduled for January 31, 2022.

BETA 27

This update is just a quickfix version for BETA 26, see below for all new features and changes.

BETA 26

Please Note!

Due to the changes to Auto Damage Dealers in battle animations (abilities, items) you’ll have to redo that setup. See above for details.

BETA 25

Please Note!

Due to the changes to the jump settings in the Button player control you’ll have to redo the jump settings (when using jumping). See above for details.

BETA 24

Please Note!

Due to the changes to crafting recipe audio settings you’ll have to redo them . See above for details.

BETA 23

Please Note!

Due to the changes to notifications you’ll have to redo some completely and some at least the default UI box setup. See above for details.

BETA 22

Please Note!

Due to the changes to quest conditions in Quest type HUDs and menu requirements you’ll have to redo these settings. See above for the details.

Save games including bestiary data with class/level separation will not be compatible due to changes in the entry separation. See above for details.

BETA 21

BETA 20

Please Note!

Due to the changes to shop layout (type box), reuse times (ability, item), menu screen portraits and quantity texts settings you’ll have to redo these settings. See above for the details.

BETA 19

BETA 18

Please Note!

Due to the changes to UI box input/tab settings and cast/delay time settings you’ll have to redo these settings. See above for the details.

BETA 17

Please Note!

Due to the changes available equipment, stealing and ability research items you’ll have to redo some setups. See above for the details.

BETA 16

Please Note!

Due to the changes to animation setups, you’ll need to redo it for combatants (default and individual overrides), equipment and status effects.

Due to the change to the status effect end chance, you’ll need to redo that setup as well (defaults now to not using a chance, i.e. 100% removal after the defined turns).

BETA 15

Please Note!

Due to the renaming of Requirements to Menu Requirements you’ll have to redo the setup of those requirements (and their use in menu screens).

BETA 14

Please Note!

Due to the changes of status bonuses (moving status effect changes into status bonuses), you’ll have to redo the status effect setup (auto, attack and defence effects) in classes, combatants, equipment, passive abilities and status effects.

Due to the changes in difficulty bonus checks you’ll have to redo that setup (when used) in classes, combatants, equipment, passive abilities and status effects.

BETA 13

Please Note!

Due to the changes in ability/item status value change settings the change value has to be set up again.

Due to the combatant highlight changes, the cursor and color highlights in target settings, battle menus and raycast targeting (abilities/items) has to be set up again.

Due to the CSV value row/column key changes, the keys have to be set up again.

BETA 12

Please Note!

Due to the Timebar Use settings changes you’ll need to redo your timebar use setup in any Active Time type battle system and abilities/items that override their timebar use.

BETA 11

Please Note!

Due to the number formatting changes, all previous number formatting setup has been reset.

If you’re using number formatting overrides (e.g. in status values), you need to redo the settings, otherwise they can cause errors.

BETA 10

Please Note!

Due to the changes in status changes in abilities and items you’ll have to redo the setup of use costs, user changes and target changes.

Due to the changes in move AIs, you’ll have to redo the movement component setup (now set up in combatants and their general settings).

BETA 9

BETA 8

Please Note!

There are many changes that’ll reset certain settings, e.g. UI box selections (menu screens, battle menus, etc.), input key selections and the complete start menu (previously main menu).

BETA 7

Please Note!

Due to the changes in how item box content is managed, save games from previous BETA versions will not be compatible when containing item box data.

BETA 6

Please Note!

Due to the changes in how inventory content is managed, save games from previous BETA versions will not be compatible.

BETA 5

BETA 4

BETA 3

BETA 2

Please Note!

Due to the renaming of the equipment parts to equipment slots, your previous equipment part setup will no longer be compatible.

Delete the Equipment Part and Equipment Part Set Template folders in Assets/Gaming Is Love/_Data/ in your Unity project.

You’ll have to redo the equipment slot setup from scratch, i.e. also including equipment slot set templates, the slot sets on the individual equipments as well as the class/combatant equipment setups or equipment slot changes from passive abilities, status effects or other equipment. You also have to select the new equipment slots in Equipment Viewer components.

The old equipment part schematic node will no longer be supported, so either redo the schematic or remove the unused (empty) node and replace it with the new equipment slot nodes.

BETA 1

Initial beta release. All shiny and new.

What’s new in ORK 3?

There are a lot of changes throughout the framework, however, most of the features and workflow are still the same as you (probably) know from ORK 2. The most significant change is ORK now being an extension for Makinom 2, taking advantage of all the new features, quality of life improvements and performance boost that came with it.

ORK Framework is still the same development tool and has the same use case and workflow as it had before. See some of the most noticeable changes below.

Extension for Makinom 2

As said, ORK 3 is now an extension for Makinom 2 – which probably sounds more complicated than it is. Makinom handles some basic features that where previously part of ORK (e.g. input keys), but they still work the same as in ORK 2.

Some of the changes you’ll notice:

Makinom’s editor structure is similar to ORK 2’s editor, i.e. separated into different sections and sub-sections.

You can learn more about other features of Makinom 2 in it’s documentation. If you’ve already worked with ORK 2, you’ll probably be able to quickly adjust to the new editor, since it basically works the same as before – and things like input keys, variables or formulas are still the same, even if they’re now provided by Makinom 2.

UI System

The UI system has been completely remade in Makinom 2 – and this means it’ll also be completely new in ORK 3. There are still UI boxes (GUI boxes in ORK 2) and HUDs, but you’ll now set them up differently, based on which UI module you’re using.

For now, there’s only an UI module for the Unity UI available (and already included), i.e. the legacy GUI has been dropped completely. In Unity UI, you’ll set up your UI boxes and HUDs in the scene view and create prefabs out of them.
Using the Unity UI requires the Text Mesh Pro package and Unity UI package (when using Unity 2019.3 or newer).

There are a lot of quick setup shortcuts available in the context menu of the scene hierarchy to make the setup fast and easier.

Learn more about Makinom 2’s new UI system in this documentation, or the Unity UI module in this documentation.

Displaying Info/Title Content

You’ll often want to display some info content, e.g. use costs in battle menus or quantities in item menus, etc.
In the new UI system, this is handled by additional content that’s added to the buttons. The default setup in the editor usually already has that set up where it’s used (e.g. the battle menu), but it also has to be added to the button prefab used to display the choice.

The context menu has a quick setup for such a button: Makinom > UI Box > Input > Choice Info Button

For title buttons (e.g. in ORK 2 used by the equipment menus to display the equipment part in front of the button) it’s the same. The context menu quick setup: Makinom > UI Box > Input Choice Title Button

Schematics replacing Event System

Makinom’s schematics work pretty much the same as ORK 2’s event system, so the transition should be pretty easy. However, there are no longer separate event types for game events, battle events, etc. – they’re all just schematics.

This means that there are no longer special actors automatically used like they where in battle events or battle start/end events, but you sometimes have to manually add them as actors to the schematic. ORK 3 adds a bunch of new actor types to Makinom 2 to e.g. quickly access all enemies in battle, etc.

Schematics also automatically have some actors/objects available, especially the Machine Object and the Starting Object.

Replacing Battle Events

In battle events, the User is now the Machine Object, the Target is the Starting Object.

Replacing Battle Start/End Events

You need to manually add player group and enemy group participating in the battle as actors – using the Player (Battle) and Enemy (Battle) actor types.

Replacing Phase Events

The combatants starting or ending their phase are avaialble as Machine Object.

Battle System

The overall battle systems (turn based, active time, real time and phase) are still around as you know them, but you can now set up different variants!

In Battles > Battle System you can set up different battle systems, while you can select the default battle system in the General Settings of the same sub-section.

Battles in your scene will use the default battle system (unless the component replaces it with a different one), i.e. it’s easy to switch out battle systems if you want to test new things.

Value Fields

Beside the searchable popups, the value fields (for float, bool and string values) now also have some easy to use combatant-related values available.

E.g. you can directly use a status value or the name of a combatant as value.

Settings Changes

There’s been a lot of changes and shuffling around in the countless settings of ORK 2, both moving sub-sections around as well as individual small settings within sub-sections.

I’ll only focus on the bigger changes here, you should be able to quickly find the settings you’re looking for due to the new, tidied settings structure.

Removed Settings

Some settings have been removed completely, but no functionality has been lost at all.

Things where only removed due to offering the same functionality as other features (e.g. ability trees vs research trees) or if they added too much features where they where not needed (e.g. items/abilities changing random battle factor, can be handled via schematics).

Game > Colors

No longer available.

Colors are now directly selected via regular color fields, use Unity’s own functionality to store different colors for reuse.

Status > Abilities

Beside a lot of reshufling of settings, some features have been removed from abilities to make the settings less cluttered – e.g. changing the random battle factor or the target’s class and other features that probably haven’t been used in 99.9% of use cases.

All the functionality can still be used via schematics.

Status > Ability Trees

Ability trees and all related features (e.g. menu screen part, event nodes) have been removed.

Use Combatant > Research Trees instead, they offer the same functionality with even more features.

Inventory > Items

Beside a lot of reshufling of settings, some features have been removed from abilities to make the settings less cluttered – e.g. changing the random battle factor or the target’s class and other features that probably haven’t been used in 99.9% of use cases.

All the functionality can still be used via schematics.

Moved Settings

Some of ORK 2’s functionality has been completely replaced by Makinom 2’s counterpart, but they’re only listed here if they’re now found in a different section, e.g. input keys are still found where they where (Base/Control > Input Keys).

The World section is completely gone, though – the content has been moved to different other sections, mostly to the Game section. Also, the Battle System section has been renamed to Battles.

Obviously, due to the event system being replaced by schematics, the Events section is now replaced by Makinom’s Schematics section.

Base/Control > Game Controls

ORK’s game control settings are part of Makinom’s Base/Control > Game Control settings.

Base/Control > Animation Types

The Default Animation Types settings are now available in the General Settings.

Base/Control > Variable Condition Templates

Replaced by Makinom’s Templates > Variable Condition Templates.

Base/Control > Status Requirement Templates

Moved to Templates > Status Condition Templates.

Game > Game Settings

ORK’s game settings are part of Makinom’s Game > Game Settings.

The Area Settings have been moved to Game > Area Settings & Types, available as the General Settings of this sub-section.

Game > Requirements

Moved to Templates > Requirements.

Game > Console Types

Moved to UI > Console Settings & Types.

Game > Console Settings

Moved to UI > Console Settings & Types, available as the General Settings of this sub-section.

Game > Quest Settings

Combined with Quest Types to Game > Quest Settings & Types, available as the General Settings of this sub-section.

Game > Quest Types

Combined with Quest Settings to Game > Quest Settings & Types.

World > Scene Connections

Replaced by Makinom’s Game > Scene Connections.

World > Camera Positions

Replaced by Makinom’s Game > Camera Positions.

World > Music

Replaced by Makinom’s Game > Music.

World > Global Events

Replaced by Makinom’s Base/Control > Global Machines.

World > Area Types

Moved to Game > Area Settings & Types.

World > Areas

Moved to Game > Areas.

World > Teleports

Moved to Game > Teleports.

World > Shop Layouts

Moved to UI > Shop Layouts.

World > Shops

Moved to Inventory > Shops.

World > Log Types

Moved to Game > Log Types.

World > Logs

Moved to Game > Logs.

World > Log Texts

Moved to Game > Log Texts.

World > Scene Object Types

Replaced by Makinom’s Game > Scene Object Types.

World > Scene Objects

Replaced by Makinom’s Game > Scene Objects.

Status > Attack Attributes

Renamed to Status > Attack Modifiers.

Status > Defence Attributes

Renamed to Status > Defence Modifiers.

Status > Status Bonuses

Moved to Templates > Status Bonuses.

Inventory > Inventory Settings

The Default Recipe Layout and Crafting Notification settings have been moved to Inventory > Crafting Settings & Types, available as General Settings of this sub-section.

Inventory > Equipment Parts

Renamed to Inventory > Equipment Slots.

Inventory > Weapons/Armors

Weapons and armors have been combined to Inventory > Equipment.

There’s no longer a distinction between them, e.g. a shield can also override the wearer’s base attack.

Inventory > Crafting Types

Combined with some crafting settings to Inventory > Crafting Settings & Types.

Combatant > Faction Sympathy

Moved to the General Settings of Combatant > Factions.

Combatant > AI Types

Moved to Inventory > AI Types.

Combatant > AI Behaviours

Moved to Inventory > AI Behaviours.

Combatant > AI Rulesets

Moved to Inventory > AI Rulesets.

Battle System > Battle Settings

Moved to the General Settings of Battles > Battle System.

The Combatant Settings have been moved to the General Settings of Combatants > Combatants.

Battle System > Field Mode

Moved to the General Settings of Battles > Battle System.

Battle System > Turn Based Battles/Active Time Battles/Real Time Battles/Phase Battles

Replaced by Battles > Battle System.

You can now set up different variants of the 4 battle system types. The default battle system that will be used is defined in the General Settings of Battles > Battle System. Individual battle components can optionally use a different battle system, reducing the needed setup and making it easier to switch out battle systems.

Battle System > Battle Menus

Moved to UI > Battle Menus.

Battle System > Battle Range Templates

Moved to Templates > Battle Range Templates.

Battle System > Battle Grid Cell Types

Renamed to Battles > Grid Cell Types.

Battle System > Battle Grid Formations

Renamed to Battles > Grid Formations.

Menus > Menu Settings

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > UI System and UI > UI Settings.

The Menu Backgrounds settings have been moved to the General Settings of UI > Menu Screens.

The Shop Backgrounds settings have been moved to the General Settings of UI > Shop Layouts.

The Save Backgrounds settings have been moved to UI > Save Game Settings.

The Default Combatant Selections settings have been moved to the General Settings of UI > Combatant Selections.

The Default Quantity Selections settings have been moved to the General Settings of UI > Quantity Selections.

Menus > Main Menu

Moved to UI > Start Menu.

Menus > Save Game Menu

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > Save Game Settings.

ORK’s save options are also available there.

Menus > GUI Layers

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > UI Layers.

Menus > GUI Layouts

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > UI Layouts.

Menus > GUI Boxes

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > UI Boxes.

Menus > HUDs

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > HUDs.

ORK’s HUD types are available there.

Menus > Menu Screens

Moved to UI > Menu Screens.

Menus > Combatant Selections

Moved to UI > Combatant Selections.

Menus > Quantity Selections

Moved to UI > Quantity Selections.

Menus > Text Display Settings

Moved to UI > Text Display Settings.

Menus > Shortcut Settings

Moved to UI > Shortcut Settings.

Menus > Cursor Settings

Moved to UI > Cursor Settings.

Menus > Text Codes

Replaced by Makinom’s UI > Text Codes.

Other changes

To make things easier, there are now a lot more default settings available to reduce the amount of things you need to set up.

UI > Shortcut Settings

Due to the changes to the UI system, the shortcut layouts have been replaced by a new system, Shortcut UI settings.

The shortcut settings define the default shortcut UI, each item, ability, etc. can add/replace the default settings. You can also set up different shortcut UIs via Key Setups, which combine a UI key with a shorcut UI setup. E.g. you can set up different styles on how to present an item, ability, etc. based on where it’s used, like in different HUDs or menu screens – a shortcut slot HUD displaying different content than a menu screen’s button.

When using the Unity UI module, the shortcut UI is defined via prefabs that contain the HUD setup (components). The root game object should have a HUD Content Provider component attached, which is responsible for distributing the information to other content components on the prefab. The scene hierarchy context menu offers quick setups for this, e.g.: ORK Framework > HUD > Shortcut > Shortcut Content+Info (for prefabs)

Templates > Equipment Part Set Templates

This new sub-section allows you to create templates for equipment part sets, i.e. which equipment parts will be occupied, blocked or hidden (Equipment Viewer) by an equipment.

Status > Status Values

Value bars have been replaced by a similar system like the Shortcut UI setup, i.e. you can define different UI setups via UI keys.

The default Status Value UI setup is defined in UI > UI Settings, each status value can add/replace it with custom setup.

HUDs can use this to display differently styled UI representations for status values.

Status > Status Effects

Status effects also have a similar system like the Shortcut UI setup, i.e. you can define different UI setups via UI keys.

The default Status Effect UI setup is defined in UI > UI Settings, each status effect can add/replace it with custom setup.

HUDs can use this to display differently styled UI representations for status effects.

Status > Status Developments

You no longer have to set up a status development for all Normal and Experience type status values. Rather, you can just set up those you want to have a development.

Combatants can combine status development and defined values – if the combatant’s status development has a status value added to it, it’ll handle the status value, otherwise the start value will come from either the combatant’s defined start values (if set up) or from the status value’s default start value.

Status > Attack/Defence Modifiers

As stated above, attack/defence attributes have been renamed to attack modifiers and defence modifiers. The functionality remains the same.

Also, the sub-attributes are now just named attribute – e.g. Element being the attack modifier and Fire the attribute that will be used.

Inventory > Inventory Settings

The inventory settings offer more default settings, e.g. for inventory space (of an individual item) and a default item prefab (also used by equipment, crafting recipes, etc.).

Inventory > Equipment Slots

As stated above, equipment parts have been renamed to equipment slots. The functionality remains the same.

You can now define content to display for an empty or unavailable equipment part (used by menu screens).

Inventory > AI Behaviours/AI Rulesets

The General Settings allow you to define content for the behaviour/ruleset slots that are displayed by menu screens.

Combatants > Combatants

The new General Settings of this sub-section offer a lot of default settings that are used by all combatants. Individual combatants can optionally override or extend the default settings. E.g. the base/counter attack, AI setup or defining default loot (and much more).

This also includes combatant-related settings that where previously defined in Battle System > Battle Settings, e.g. the Default Battle Animations.

Combatant’s often share the same setup, so this’ll reduce the large amount of setup you need to do.