April 26, 2020: Free Online Game: UltraCorps

One of the hidden treasures of the Steve Jackson Games universe is getting a lot of renewed interest during the global pandemic "shelter at home" days. UltraCorps (www.ultracorps.com) is a turn-driven strategy game set in deep space. It started as a comic book, was turned into a massively-multiplayer browser-based game, spent time on the Microsoft Zone, and finally landed at SJ Games where it was completely re-coded and dropped onto a new server. The game is FREE, because we have never figured out a great way to charge for it . . . but Steve, and a volunteer staff, love it too much to let it die. It's fun and engaging and challenging and more. UltraCorps has outlasted some of the great computer games of ancient lore. It started not long after the internet and is still kicking. It features negotiation, secret movement with a full 24 hours to plan each turn, and an in-game chat room with a mechanism to create private chat rooms for ultra-secrecy in planning coordinated invasions.

There are also modes for solo and private games, so you can get a quick education in the game without worrying about your devious, untrustworthy neighbors who want to take the galaxy that, by right, is yours!

There are 13 races to choose from, each with distinctive starting fleets. Your home world has licenses to build ships, transport, ground defenses, and more. Megabots can be upgraded from the base model to the speedy V2, to the pounding V3, to the horrific V4 beast. Don't ask about the lowly Zenrin Monk and his journey toward invisibility and the Art of Silence.  

The new Mega "Escape to the Universe" opens to join on April 25th and will close to new players about 8pm on the 29th. The Acutron, the all-knowing all-seeing AI all-mind, will then produce a new map and players will be dropped into the field. You will have almost two days to make your moves, build ships, launch fleets, and begin negotiations and diplomacy. The game will start at 8pm Central Time on May 1st and will run about 30 turns. Happy Hunting!  

-- Fleet Admiral Starcharger