Many new players ask the same questions after creating an account in Upland. The first of which is typically “I’ve just started Upland, what do I need to know?”. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to start my blog by answering what I believe first time players need to know about Upland.

Question #1 for the new player: what do you want out of Upland?

Are you looking to become a treasure hunting bandit? Do you want to collect ALL. OF. THE. COLLECTIONS? Are you wanting to sit on properties and sell at a later time for 200% markup or more? Do you want the title of executive soooooo bad you're thinking about spending the money to make it happen? What if you don’t know what you want in Upland yet?

These are all good questions, because there isn’t a wrong answer – yes, even the one about not knowing what you want to do yet. It's okay to start small wherever you are and go from there.

First and foremost, I would highly recommend newer players complete collections as able to keep the active monthly earnings going up. There are players out there who will do collection swaps so both players get the sticker from the collection and then split the collection bonus. Personally, I don't like collection swaps so I’m not going to spend any further space on the topic. Frankly, I'd rather have the collections for the ongoing earnings bonus.

As you continue to complete collections, you'll find other ways you want to expand as well. Buying and flipping for a markup can be a great way to create a steady flow of income. Especially when it comes to collection properties. Oakland appears to be coming out next which is a prime time to buy extra collection properties to sell.

From there, you have some options. You can start by minting more properties than the collection needs and listing them for what you'd like to make off them and waiting. If this seems too uncertain or lengthy, you could list the property for just a little bit more than the mint price to sell quicker. While listing it is important to know what the markups and the floor prices are of the surrounding area. This can be done by using a 3rd-party tool, such as https://upx.world/, or simply zooming out in an area and pressing the building icon in the lower right side of Upland.

An important note about listing a property by sale for markup, and not lowest price: some people only want the cheapest property they can find. Once you reach a certain UP2 (property size), you’ll find the lowest prices on the secondary market are still cheaper than what you minted your property for. Obviously, you shouldn’t sell your property for less than you minted it for, which is where the markup percentage comes in handy.

Another critical piece are Fair Start Act (FSA) properties. FSAs are properties which are cheaper than regular properties and are only available to Uplanders with a net worth of <100k UPX. At the time of this post, Visitors and Uplanders are able to purchase as many FSAs as they would like, but are only able to sell 2 of them per week, resetting every Sunday at 00:00 UTC. FSAs are amazing when purchased and used correctly. While every property will add to your monthly earnings, you could still feel stuck with FSAs. Considering the above paragraphs, how would you be able to earn a steady income if you can only flip 2 per week?

A recommendation is to continue to purchase the FSAs, but do it on your terms. If you want to amass as many FSAs as possible, go for it, but flipping them is going to be slow. A better strategy might be to focus on procuring the FSAs you want, especially in a new city where collection properties are still available. Another option would be to buy in places which are more desirable to treasure hunters, for instance. Pieces on the corners or ends of a row are nice, or especially in places where everything else is sold out.

I’ll cover more about treasure hunts in another post as they are one of the most salt-inducing features of Upland from what I’ve heard. Treasure hunts can be a great way to make UPX, but can also be confusing or difficult. If you are starting out with treasure hunts, begin with the “Spawn Free” on the Standard hunt and practice with one every day. You are given 3 sends every 24 hours to use how you want. Add a few more from the paper airplanes on the map, until you have 6-7 or how ever many feels more comfortable for you, and don’t be afraid to mess up the first few times. Lastly, if you only have a few properties start away from them. The treasure arrows will show on any minted property you are next to so don’t be afraid to start on the other side of the city; you can always send to your property for free. This gives you more area to work with to triangulate the direction of the treasure.

Completing collections, flipping properties for a gain, and even treasure hunts are the best ways to make UPX in Upland and continue growing. As you become more familiar with the game and making UPX you’ll find your monthly earnings going up as well as figuring out what your next purchases are.

Keep going,

Wulf