The Product
Kwyll is a visual game-authoring tool for Windows, Linux and macOS. It enables people to create games for 8-bit computers, initially the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, without requiring them to become assembly-language programmers.
The Design Problem
The target machine has 48 KB of memory, a 3.5 MHz Z80 processor and a beeper for sound. Kwyll has to provide a friendly modern authoring experience while continuously respecting those hard runtime constraints.
The project combines desktop product design, visual tooling, compilers and code generation, a custom runtime, low-level assembly and the practical concerns of cross-platform delivery. It is both a game-development project and a broader example of building specialist software around the needs of creative users.
Find out more at kwyll.com.