Welcome to the second in the series where UK Uplander finds out a bit more about the guys behind the scenes at Upland. These are the people that make the magic happen so let's find out a bit more about them. We hear from the Founders quite a bit but now it's time to hear from the ones doing the real work and are implementing and supporting the Metaverse that is Upland. Next 'Up', we have:
John Connor, Product Manager and Live Ops. (AKA Blockunchained)
Tell us a bit about yourself, what do you do when you aren’t grafting away for the founders?
While I don’t always think about work, there are parts of my work that also translate into things I like thinking, reading and talking about all the time. That includes data (especially political misreadings of it), economics, technology trends, community building, and philosophy. When I’m not geeking out, I enjoy doing various physical activities like biking and yoga. If it wasn’t for Covid, I’d be studying BJJ and hosting local (in person) debates. I’m also usually scheming on some type of adventure with my girlfriend as well.
What part of the game do you work on – front/back end etc.?
Given that I focus on live operations, you could consider that front end. I gather feedback and try to improve the in game events by communicating requirements to our product lead and dev team. I also work with the community team on their events as well.
So what’s your background – are you interested in Gaming and/or Crypto?
I actually quit games at the age of 13, but I used to be super into RPGs (Final Fantasy) and games like Starcraft. I’m a big fan of game psychology though, and game theory as well, which applies heavily to my work at Upland. I’m definitely a crypto enthusiast, and am very interested in the empowerment/agency aspect of decentralization and trustless networks.
Good to know. Tell us a little bit how you work as a team – do you use Agile methodologies?
Yes. We are very agile. We have a general roadmap (which is published), but we’re constantly adapting our immediate focus based on what we’re learning from the community.
Where have you worked other than Upland? Any interesting projects you’ve worked on?
I’ve created a number of projects that are no longer live, and a few that still are. Some highlights can be found at johntconnor.com. A theme that connects my work is a passion for the intersection of community and education, powered by technology.
Nice website design, your passions really shine through! What’s your favourite part about Upland? What excites you about the game?
The opportunity to communicate the value of NFTs, while gamifying the experience. The ability to connect new players to the world of blockchain in a way that is accessible and fun.
That is genuinely exciting to me too, massive potential. Finally, what parts of the roadmap are you most looking forward to seeing being delivered?
Oh man, the future of Upland is so exciting that I almost want to go to sleep for 3 months and wake up with the upcoming features live. Specifically: property dev, businesses and NFT galleries. Once those are in place, Upland will be an undeniably powerful and robust metaverse.
Property development is the one I'm looking forward to, you can read more about that and Spark here. Thank you so much for your time John, it's great to get an understanding of the people behind the scenes of this amazing project.
New players: As always - learn the mechanics of Upland - areas, Treasure Hunts, Collections, Minted/Unminted properties and get a general feel for the game. There are interesting parts that don’t necessarily cost you.
Immerse yourself in the community. Ask questions, read the interactions, talk to people watch out for competitions. The more players there are in Upland, the better it is for ALL of the players and there are so many in the community willing to help out. If you want to get a head start in the game, sign up via this link and receive a 50% bonus on your first purchase.
If you get the chance, Pay It Forward.
Please comment below if you have any questions.
Thanks all and I hope you enjoyed reading!
Gawbie.
https://www.publish0x.com/upland-uk/upland-ive-started-now-how-do-i-progress-xwnmqrz
https://www.publish0x.com/upland-uk/starting-out-and-saving-money-in-upland-xllzxqo
https://www.publish0x.com/upland-uk/latest-rumours-fiat-out-in-upland-coming-very-very-soon-xoljzpl
https://www.publish0x.com/upland-uk/upland-behind-the-scenes-xejpwlp
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