Welcome to Kwyll

What is Kwyll?

If you're new to Kwyll, a quick introduction to what it is, why it is, and how it came about would probably be useful, so here goes.

Kwyll is, at it's core, a tool for creating retro-styled games for retro platforms. What is "retro"? Well, in terms of Kwyll, it will initially include anything that existed at the start of the home computer revolution, so primarily 8-bit platforms, very low power, simple capabilities, such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, etc. It may extend beyond that in time, but that's the primary target. In its current form, Kwyll only targets the Sinclair ZX Spectrum (my personal favourite machine from the era).

That covers what it is, why it is, well that's a longer story, but I'll try to keep it as short as I can. I've been involved with computers and software development since I was 14 years old (1983!), and my first, well actually second, my first was a ZX81, computer was a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, the 16K version which I later upgraded to 48K myself when I got the upgrade as a Christmas present from my parents. I've spent a good portion of my career working in games, starting on the 8-bit platforms of the time at Incentive Software. As such, these platforms hold a great deal of nostalgia for me, memories of a time I've always been very fond of. Fast forward to recent times, after a career working in the software industry, with some very complex systems including visual effects, VR, modern video games systems, FinTech etc. I found myself drawn back to the early days, when things were simpler and more fun, well, that's how I remember it anyway. A new wave of respect for retro tech. in all shapes and forms seems to be taking hold, which only added fuel to my desire to revisit those times. Then along comes the "Spectrum Next" project on Kickstarter. Unfortunately, I missed the first round, but definitely got in on the second. In anticipation of it's arrival, I determined I was going to be making some games like the good old days. I bought an Agon Light, a cheap Z80 based open source system that had gained some popularity just about the right time, and set to remembering how to program in Z80 again. While this was fun, I soon realised that this was not what I wanted to do, I guess I'd become too spoiled by modern tools and technologies. So, I decided the best way to do what I wanted to do was to make a tool to do it. I'd already gained some experience with this, being responsible for the 3D Construction Kit at Incentive, and having worked on in-house tools at various games companies in my career, I knew this was something I could do and enjoy doing. And so Kwyll was born, as with all the best projects, a means of scratching my own itch, that garnered some interest from the community and grew into something else.