Shadowkeep

Coming Soon

Shadowkeep is currently in development. Check back soon!

What You’ll Build

Top-down maze explorer. Navigate rooms of a dark keep, collect keys, avoid creatures, find the exit.

The attribute system is the game. Walls are INK colour, floors are PAPER, items are BRIGHT, hazards FLASH. Collision detection is a single attribute read. The Spectrum’s most famous limitation — colour clash — becomes the core mechanic.

Why This Game?

The ZX Spectrum’s attribute system is what made Spectrum games look distinctly Spectrum. Each 8×8 pixel block shares one foreground colour and one background colour. Most games fight this constraint. Shadowkeep embraces it.

Every room is built from attributes. You’ll learn:

• Screen memory layout — the infamous non-linear thirds
• Attribute memory — INK, PAPER, BRIGHT, FLASH bits
• Wall collision — reading attributes to detect walls
• Room data structures — tile maps for multi-room worlds
• Item collection — keys, doors, and inventory
• Enemy patrol AI — simple path-following creatures
• Beeper sound effects — pitch variation for audio feedback

By the end, you’ll have a complete maze explorer worthy of the Spectrum’s golden age.

Skills You’ll Master

• Attribute system — INK, PAPER, BRIGHT, FLASH
• Screen memory — non-linear layout and thirds
• Character-cell movement — 8-pixel grid navigation
• Wall collision — attribute-based detection
• Room data — tile maps and transitions
• Item collection — keys, doors, inventory
• Enemy AI — patrol paths and chase behaviour
• Beeper sound — pitch variation effects
• Multi-room worlds — room transitions and state

Prerequisites

This is Game 1. No prerequisites — just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn Z80 assembly.

Time Investment

128 units at 60-90 minutes each. Roughly 128-192 hours total.