Excel Masterpiece: Elden Ring Reborn in Digital Alchemy

A Reddit user, brightyh360, recently shared an incredible project on the r/excel subreddit: a top-down version of Elden Ring, painstakingly recreated in Microsoft Excel. This feat of programming prowess took approximately 40 hours – 20 hours dedicated to coding and another 20 to rigorous testing and debugging. The creator proudly stated, "I made the top view version of the Elden Ring in Excel using formulas, spreadsheets and VBA. It was a long project, but the result was worth it.”

The impressive scope of the Excel-based Elden Ring includes:

• A sprawling 90,000-cell map
• Over 60 unique weapons
• 50+ distinct enemy types
• Character and weapon upgrade systems
• Three character classes (tank, mage, assassin) offering diverse playstyles
• More than 25 armor sets
• Six non-player characters (NPCs) with accompanying quests
• Four distinct game endings

While completely free to play, controlling the game requires keyboard shortcuts: CTRL + WASD for movement and CTRL + E for interaction. Reddit moderators have verified the file's safety, but users are advised to exercise caution due to the extensive use of macros.

Interestingly, the game's Erdtree has sparked a fascinating discussion among Elden Ring fans. Some have likened it to a Christmas tree, particularly on Christmas Eve. User Independent-Design17 proposed that the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, may have served as inspiration for the Erdtree's design. They pointed out striking visual similarities between the in-game Small Erdtrees and the Nuytsia floribunda. Further comparisons delve into deeper symbolic parallels: the catacombs at the base of the Erdtree, where souls are guided in Elden Ring, mirror the Aboriginal Australian cultural view of Nuytsia as a "spirit tree," its vibrant colors associated with the sunset, the perceived pathway of spirits, and each flowering branch representing a departed soul.