A New Year’s Tree and a Computer Game

The "mini-websites" project continues, with two new sites added to the collection: Wizardry – sorcery and my New Year’s tree site. The first is dedicated to the Wizardry computer RPG series, covering everything from the very beginning up to the eighth installment—sharing memories, impressions, and expectations. The second is a festive site designed to bring a daily dose of New Year’s cheer. It feels new every day when you have a small, glowing tree on display. The holiday is just around the corner! Everything is bright—like frost, like winter. A bright winter day. And a celebration—just like a bright day.

Let’s start with the computer games. Wizardry. To be honest, I didn’t play it all that much; it’s a difficult game. I was more into the Might and Magic series (parts 6, 7, and 8). Still, I’ve heard a lot about Wizardry. I tried a bit of it, saw some gameplay, read about it in magazines, and spent a lot of time imagining what Wizardry was actually like. It’s more complex than Might and Magic, which is why I didn’t play it much in practice.

The site features a dark design, reminiscent of an old-school manual from the 80s, complete with the silhouette of a green snake or dragon. I’ve always really liked games of this type and dreamed of being a Wizardry player. So, this site represents my vision of Wizardry—how I imagined the game and the facts I know about it.

The series dates back to the 80s and the MS-DOS era. It essentially started its journey alongside the Might and Magic series, and both games even had versions released for the Famicom (NES/Dendy). Might and Magic later made its way to the Mega Drive as well. Later, Wizardry came to the Super Nintendo—specifically for the Japanese market, featuring beautiful anime-style visuals. There was even a version for the PlayStation 2. It was 3D—actually quite beautiful—and fit on a single CD, not even a DVD. But, once again, it was difficult to play.

And then, of course, there was the seventh installment for MS-DOS. It featured beautiful, hand-drawn graphics that were truly enchanting. You’d look at those game screens and dream—imagining yourself wandering through that world. You’d dream of becoming a programmer, learning to draw, and writing fantasy stories. But, again, the gameplay was tough. Then came the eighth installment—spanning three CDs for the PC. It featured 3D graphics and a fully three-dimensional environment. It was beautiful—not a 3D shooter, but the graphics were top-notch. Honestly, though, I didn't play it all that much. Might and Magic 6, 7, and 8 had completely captivated me. They were simpler and played in real-time. The penalty for mistakes was lower; you could just backpedal or turn around and run. Just sleep it off, and you were ready to try exploring the world again.

Item number two: my New Year’s tree. It represents New Year’s—but the kind that stays with you every day. You might think it’s silly, but maybe it’s actually fun—exactly the sort of thing you need in your daily life. I have one of these trees sitting right here on my desk. It’s plastic—a modern design, made of plastic and foil. It’s luminous; it reflects light and seems to glow. It has little New Year’s lights, tiny gifts hanging from the branches, and more gifts piled underneath, along with friendly little animal figures.

It gives me a reason to let my imagination run wild about my friends—those friendly little animals. They gather there under the little fir tree, waiting for gifts. Like Dendy cartridges. Just like in childhood. Or maybe a toy car. Wow! The little animals are all happy, so you should be happy too. Maybe you could sit right there in the circle with the friendly critters. Around the little tree?

This is a little site dedicated to that fir tree. I decided to devote so much time to such a small tree. It’s a celebration. A snowy, bright, blue celebration. A glowing celebration. With friendly little animals. And gifts. Cartridges and toy cars. Plush toys—that’s what I need. Time and time again. That’s what everyone needs. And all of this comes to life in the world of the little fir tree. It’s the focal point. The animals gather there. They sit there. Waiting eagerly for gifts. It’s a magical world. The little tree is right here. In this world.

These little sites are stylized creations built using minimal HTML.