If you thought that Excel spreadsheets were just for mind-numbing office work, think again. A gaming hobbyist has created an Excel-based RPG game that he based on the popular post-apocalyptic game Fallout. It’s the end of the world, all over again.
How do you turn spreadsheet software into a video game? Don’t ask me because I have less than zero idea. That said, the game’s creator, YouTuber “Dynamic Pear,” has offered a quick tutorial on how to use his weird, makeshift game that was developed via everybody’s least favorite office software.
On his website, “Pear” gives a brief description of the game’s story like so:
It is the 145th year of the second age. Life in Mercer is unrecognisable to that which came earlier – The bombs saw to that. Humanity may never fully recover…Adventure beckons once more, and you are ready to answer its call!
The YouTuber explains that his game has two components: “Mapping and Questing” and “Battling.” You can move through the various areas of the bombed-out RPG environment...
...or you can duel with the various characters you encounter along the way.
The website also offers more details about the various quirks of the gameplay and includes a link where you can download the game.
The inspiration behind this creation, Fallout, is a popular post-apocalyptic video game that takes place after a nuclear war. The first version of it was originally released in 1997 and was playable on Mac, Windows, and MS-DOS. It was originally spawned by a previous 1988 game, dubbed Wasteland. Since then, there have been four sequels and a number of spinoffs. But the big reason we’re seeing this now is that the Amazon Prime Video TV series based on the games has exploded in popularity and inspired people to head back to the experiences that started it all. In this case, someone made a new experience just for you.
Anyway, if you’re looking to make your workday slightly more interesting and you don’t have access to the Eggman Game, my suggestion would be to check out Dynamic Pear’s interesting creation. It’s probably the most fun you’ll ever have with spreadsheets.