Upland
Say Hello to In-Game Chat!

December 21, 2022

Say Hello to In-Game Chat!

*User interface (UI) screenshots in this post may not reflect the final version of In-Game Chat. 

 

Chit-chat. Asking for directions. Initiating trades. Sharing tips. Trash talking. It’s time to let your fingers do the talking in Upland thanks to the new In-Game Chat features! With In-Game Chat, players will start live conversations with other active players to discuss anything and everything. Also, several Global Channels keep players in the loop on all things Upland! 

‍

And to celebrate this milestone moment, a new Chat Terraformer Block Explorer is up for grabs! The Jibber and Jabber Block Explorers are here to say loud and proud that In-Game Chat is a game-changer! 

‍

*Note: We are currently aware of a couple of glitches with the iOS version that are already being worked upon. We'll make an update there in the coming days.*

‍

Check out the details below, and stay tuned as we build out additional features for In-Game Chat soon! 

In-Game Chat Details

The idea behind In-Game Chat is to give players an environment to connect with their friends and the broader community while also providing convenient pathways to learn about what’s going on in Upland. Currently, the main features include one-on-one direct chats that players initiate and three Global Channels. 

Using Chat

There’s a new Chat panel in the bottom-left of the screen. Just tap the Chat button from the map screen (with no other menus open) and you’re in! The Chat icon also shows a “!” notification for unread messages. In the future, this notification will likely also indicate unread mentions from Global Channels.  

‍

  

‍

Before using Chat, players need to enable Chat, which is a quick, one-button step before jumping into Global Channels and Direct Messaging. Players can search for any Upland user. However, they can only send direct messages (DMs) to players who have enabled Chat. 

‍

Players can edit and delete any of their own messages. Also, they can reply to other messages, copy them, or mute other players (when Global Channels with chat functionality are added). 

‍

Note: Players in Alcatraz will only see the first screen with the Enable Chat button but can’t go deeper until they are out of jail. 

Global Channels

After opening Chat, every player will see three “read-only” Global Channels, including: 

‍

  • Announcements: The Announcement Channel offers important platform, feature, and activity news similar to News and Events page on the Upland website.
  • Live Updates: This Global Channel offers a quick glimpse at the current activities happening in Upland, so players never miss out on the action. 
  • Change Log: Here, players will see a record of the bug fixes, troubleshooting, and other technical updates. 

‍

The goal is to give players the information they need to enjoy Upland without having to leave the metaverse. And while these Global Channels are read-only, players can view other users and initiate a DM. 

‍

In the future, players can expect to see additional Global Channels for trading hubs, new player guides, forums, and more. Several of these new channels welcome players to DM each other or reply publicly in a Global Channel thread with a comment or emoji! Players will also be able to mute players if desired. 

Direct Chat (DMs) 

Players start DMs by clicking the Chats tab at the bottom of the Chat panel. In a DM, players engage one-on-one in an experience similar to Discord or SMS. Players will exchange messages and emojis, and they can use a Thread Reply function to start a deeper side discussion for a single message. And if things turn sour, players have the option to mute someone else. (But everyone in Upland is a good llama, so we don’t expect this to happen much.) 

‍

The search function inside Chat helps players find each other and start a DM. If a player has a green dot over their Block Explorer, that indicates they are currently in Upland and will receive a notification from a DM. If the player is offline, they will see a notification in the Chat slider when logging in. 

‍

Upland Moderators In Chat

Just like Upland’s Discord, Upland Moderators are joining the community in chat to provide useful information and promote healthy discourse. Upland Moderators will have a green checkmark next to their username. 

‍

Also, along with bringing the Upland team to Chat, players will start seeing Upland employees in the metaverse! Employees will have a checkmark on their profile and an “Upland Team” badge. In the future, team members will be allowed to participate in some activities but will have restrictions to ensure fair play. As such, Upland team members: 

‍

  • Cannot level up past Uplander.
  • Are not allowed to participate in voting.
  • Are not permitted to sell assets for USD. 
  • Are not permitted to operate Metaventures. 
  • Are not allowed to participate in any competitive event, including city openings. 
  • Cannot participate in Competitive Treasure Hunts, including Treasure Rush.
  • Cannot purchase properties in new cities until one week after the Collection is revealed.
  • Team members are not permitted to register for sale items in the store and can only purchase during the open sale if inventory still exists

Team members can purchase UPX, Outdoor Decor, Legits, Block Explorers, and other items – as long as it doesn’t level them above Uplander status.

‍

Bringing the Upland team into the metaverse helps our team learn more about the player experience and connect with the ecosystem and community on a deeper level. Also, following X1TheGamer around Los Angeles or finding GeneralMort in Detroit is a pretty interesting little game of “Where’s the Llama”! 

Chat Terraformer Sale

Registration for the Chat Terraformer Block Explorer is open today! We only have Terraformer Block Explorers for major milestones, and In-Game Chat definitely deserves this honor. There are only five Chat Block Explorers each for the body and head, so reserve a spot in this Block Explorer Sale and put a piece of Upland history in your wallet! 

‍

As a preview, meet Jibber (the head Block Explorer) and Jabber (the body Block Explorer)! 

‍

Chat Terraformer Sale Registration 

Registration starts: December 25 at 8:00 AM PT

Registration ends: December 26 at 8:00 AM PT

Sale starts: December 26 at 9:00 AM PT

What’s Next?

Thanks to In-Game Chat, it’s easier than ever to stay connected to the community and the action going on all around you in Upland. Jump into Upland today to check it out, and be sure to say hello to your fellow players!

‍