Here Comes Spark!
On Friday, June 11th, the Global Spark Drop will begin! All players who are eligible will receive an in-app popup for the collection of Spark. Once collected, Spark tokens will be available on each player’s profile page. Players will have 1 week to claim their Spark before it is reclaimed for use in future events and activities.
The Spark token enables players to begin developing buildings on their properties. These buildings will eventually be utilized for homes, business, and more! Property Development and Spark are massive milestones for Upland and its amazing community, and we’re incredibly excited to finally share this feature with you all!
TL;DR: You’re getting Spark!
The Spark Drop: Inside the Numbers
The development of the Spark token has been ongoing for quite some time now, this means that there will be different allotments of Spark for players who joined before and after the initial announcement of Spark. Players who joined prior to the initial announcement of Spark on October 23rd, 2020, will be eligible for greater Spark rewards than those who joined after. The cut-off for the general eligibility was set for Wed June 9th, 6:00 PM PT.
Player allotments of Spark were designed with care and were objectively calculated for each player depending on the following factors:
- Upland Status; Players with a higher status in Upland (Uplander, Pro, Director, Executive, or higher) will receive greater Spark rewards due to their commitment and investment in the metaverse
- Veterancy; Players who have been playing the game for longer periods of time will be entitled to greater Spark rewards
- Engagement; Players who have spent a great deal of time in the Upland metaverse will also receive greater Spark rewards
The weighted combination of these factors will determine how much Spark each player is eligible for. Players who received Spark during the initial rollout have had this allotment reduced from their overall allotment; the remainder of what they are owed will be distributed during the Global Spark drop. As a reminder, Spark is a valuable resource, and players who have accomplished more will be rewarded for their efforts.
Going forward, players who level up to the next status may be rewarded with Spark at times (in accordance with ongoing Spark engagement rewards policies). These future status rewards are designed to be less valuable compared to rewards during the Global Spark Drop.
Note: Players who have outstanding Spark rewards from events and activities prior to Genesis Week will receive them during the Global Spark Drop. Rewards earned during Genesis Week will be awarded next week.
The Spark Injection
In order to ensure economic stability, the number of Spark tokens that will be injected into the economy will be proportional to the size of the player base as well as the volume of player activity. This means that Spark will be injected carefully, and will likely be available for limited amounts of time during each sale or event.
The Global Spark Drop is expected to include just over 20,000 Spark tokens. Additional Spark will be minted for the Community Reserve (Spark intended to serve as a guaranteed liquidity pool for the future Spark Exchange) and the Upland Reserve (Spark intended to be utilized for engagement awards and prizes, in addition to being sold to players). Overall, the initial Spark to be injected into the economy over the coming months is expected to be just over 50,000 Spark (Including the Global Drop). Moving forward, new Spark tokens will be minted on an ongoing basis based on player growth and activity, the number of minted properties, and new features that will increase the demand for Spark.
Players who are in Alcatraz are still eligible to claim their Spark rewards but will be unable to collect them until they are released. In the spirit of new beginnings, over the next week, we will reach out to players in Alcatraz who may be eligible for reduced fines. We recommend that these players seize this opportunity to get back into action!
Additional Models
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be introducing new models to join the existing variety of buildings that are already available for construction. These new models include 2 high-end single-family houses, a new high-rise apartment building, as well as additional variations on existing models.
About Neighborhood Ratings
Building structures on your properties will have strategic importance for future neighborhood ratings, which will determine which neighborhoods spawn new collections. The formulas for neighborhood ratings will be finalized after we’ve studied the initial usage of Spark towards construction. The following parameters will be factored into the score:
- The total amount of Spark Hours (SpH) staked in a neighborhood for finished structures, including outdoor decor items
- The number of Uplanders assigning a living unit within the neighborhood as their official home address
- The amount (and the variety) of businesses operated from within the neighborhood
- The prestige level of the structures, determined by SpH staked per living unit
The formula will also take into consideration the difference in the sizes between neighborhoods.
The Future of Spark
We have tons of plans for Spark, and are eager to see how players use it after the Global Drop! In the future, players will have the opportunity to lease their Spark via the Spark Exchange and will be able to earn UPX in the process. There will also be chances to purchase Spark in the Upland Store for limited periods of time, so stay on the lookout for these exclusive opportunities.
Players will be notified once the official Global Spark Drop goes live, and will be free to start building structure NFTs on their properties! We can’t wait to share this amazing feature with all of you and we thank you for your patience over the last several months. Let’s rebuild the world!
