Elden Ring's Spreadsheet Realm: A Fan's Detailed Creation

A Reddit user, brightyh360, 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 stated, "I built a top-down Elden Ring in Excel using formulas, spreadsheets, and VBA. It was a lengthy undertaking, but the outcome justified the effort."

The impressive recreation boasts:

• A sprawling 90,000-cell map;
• Over 60 weapons;
• More than 50 enemy types;
• A comprehensive character and weapon upgrade system;
• Three distinct character classes (tank, mage, assassin) with unique playstyles;
• 25+ armor sets;
• Six NPCs with associated quests;
• Four different game endings.

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

Interestingly, on Christmas Eve, Elden Ring fans noted the Erdtree's resemblance to a Christmas tree. User Independent-Design17 proposed the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, as a possible inspiration. They highlighted the striking similarity between the in-game Small Erdtrees and the Nuytsia. Further parallels were drawn between the catacombs at the base of the Erdtree (where souls are guided in Elden Ring) and the Aboriginal Australian reverence for Nuytsia as a "spirit tree," associating its vibrant hues with the sunset and the journey of spirits, with each flowering branch representing a departed soul.