Uppies
Note: The explanations below serve as an overview of Uppies and the concept of residents. The features will be implemented over time and might not yet be available in the game.
Uppies are Upland’s digital residents. They bring neighborhoods to life, make your city-building choices matter, and respond to how well an area is developed, connected, and serviced. As Uppies arrive, the Upland map and property cards will start showing where residents live and what’s attracting them—so you can plan, build, and improve with real impact.
Uppies are characters with preferences, patterns, and personalities. You’ll see both everyday citizens (families, professionals, shop owners, artists) and rarer “Iconic Uppies” with distinct designs and stories that stand out.
Common & Rare: From ordinary residents to unique, highly collectible characters
Cultural flavor: Iconic Uppies add humor and identity to the world.
Where do Uppies show up?
You’ll see Uppies at multiple levels of the experience:
On the Map: City and neighborhood views will show where residents concentrate and how those numbers shift over time.
On Property Cards: Zoom in to see how many Uppies live on a property and how that changes as you add structures.
On Player Profiles: Track your influence and where your residents live by city and neighborhood.
What attracts Uppies?
Uppies respond to well-rounded, livable neighborhoods. The more you invest in services and connectivity, the more appealing your area becomes. Key drivers include:
Service Structures: Essentials (e.g., clinics, supermarkets), entertainment (arcades, cafés), public services (schools, fire stations), transportation, and employment. Upland is also introducing multi-purpose structures that boost more than one category.
Transportation: Connected cities feel more alive. Vehicles and transit matter for resident appeal.
Good mix & quality: A balanced spread of services improves your neighborhood’s Influence with residents.
Tip: Time-limited Service Structure sales grant permanent build rights for that model. If you miss a drop, you can’t build that exact model later. Plan ahead.
Owning, trading, and collecting Uppies
In the near future, Players will be able to buy, sell, and trade Uppies on the secondary market.
Discovery & collection: The “discover and collect” experience is planned after the initial Residents go live.
Uppies Evolution (leveling system)
Each Uppy has traits and a level. More traits → higher level (1–10), with Iconic Uppies reaching a special star level above the top tier. You can combine two Uppies of the same level to evolve into a higher-level resident. Seasonal “burn events” will be important milestones in the evolution cycle.
How the map UI changes
Uppies come with a refreshed UI so you can see resident activity where it matters:
City & neighborhood hot spots
Property-level counts
Personal breakdowns by city/neighborhood This transparency makes it easier to spot growth areas, set goals, and monitor progress.
Quick start checklist
Add services: Prioritize a mix—health (e.g., Clinic), essentials (e.g., Super Market), safety (e.g., Fire Station), and entertainment (e.g., Arcade, café).
Connect your area: Use vehicles and plan access—transport boosts attractiveness.
Watch the map: Track where Uppies gather; adjust your build plan accordingly.
Prepare for drops: Limited-time Service Structure sales unlock permanent build rights—mark dates and budget.
Think long-term: Evolution and future discovery mechanics will reward thoughtful collecting.
Build for Residents: Service Structures, Transportation & Resident Score
Three things will work together to make neighborhoods livable and competitive: Service Structures (what your city offers), Transportation (how connected it feels), and Resident Score (how the system measures neighborhood strength).
Service Structures: the backbone of livability
Service Structures add the everyday places Uppies want. They’re released in limited-time sales, and when you buy one, you permanently unlock the right to build that model on any compatible property you own.
Multi-purpose structures cover more than one need (e.g., a Super Market Super Store that’s primarily Essential with a small Entertainment boost; a High School that’s Public Service with an Entertainment bonus from its field). This helps you cover multiple categories using fewer lots.
Kiosks (e.g., Hot Dog Stand) are compact service buildings that fit on small properties and still contribute Service Units.
Multiple structures per property are supported/coming online, which makes the placement strategy more flexible.
Why they matter
Service Structures contribute Service Units—a key input to Resident Score. A balanced mix (not just one category) improves how attractive your neighborhood is to residents.
Quick tips
Prioritize a mix: Essentials + Entertainment + Public Services (and add Employment/Transportation where possible).
Use multi-purpose and kiosks to fill gaps or work with smaller lots.
Watch for limited-time drops—build rights are permanent, but availability windows are not.
Transportation: make your city feel connected
Vehicles now play a direct role in attracting Uppies. Cars, vans, buses, and semi-trucks affect appeal at different levels, and cargo capacity is especially important (more capacity implies better simulated delivery flow for your services). Private planes also count. Vehicles remain placed on properties but simulate city logistics and connectivity.
Transportation also contributes to your broader Influence and will factor into neighborhood performance. If you’ve held vehicles, you’re already positioned to benefit; if not, watch for vehicle drops (e.g., van/transport bundles).
Quick tips
Place vehicles in the neighborhoods you want to grow—parked supply matters.
Favor higher-capacity vehicles when possible; they lift attractiveness more.
Resident Score: how “livable” gets measured
Resident Score runs behind the scenes today and ranks neighborhoods by how well they support residents. Two core ideas drive it:
Living Units (housing capacity)
Service Units (support capacity) The system looks at both totals and ratios like “per Living Unit,” so small but well-served neighborhoods can outperform larger, under-served ones. Activity (e.g., active home addresses) also matters.
Key parameters the system considers
Examples include:
Active Home Addresses
Service Units per Living Unit (Essential, Transportation, Employment, Entertainment, Public Service)
Variety within service categories (e.g., multiple types of essentials vs. just one)
Greenery, Landmarks, Ornaments, Decorations (per Living Unit)
Residential space per Living Unit and density Not all parameters have equal weight, but balanced services per Living Unit is a recurring theme.
Service Unit values are visible during construction, so you can plan precisely.
Home address pins on the map to see who lives where and track engagement.
Quick tips
If your occupancy is high but residents are few, add housing. If housing is abundant but occupancy is low, add services and variety.
Track how changes move your “per Living Unit” metrics over time.
Starter blueprint
Place a baseline mix: Essentials (e.g., supermarket), Entertainment (e.g., arcade/bowling), Public Service (e.g., clinic/school). Fill small gaps with kiosks.
Add transportation: Park vehicles where you want resident growth; prioritize capacity.
Boost variety: Different service types within each category raise your score.
Watch the data: Use visible Service Units and home pins (as they ship) to optimize. e
Plan drops: Grab limited-time structures to lock permanent build rights.
Useful links
Residents Are Coming to Upland: Get Ready for the Age of the Uppies — Announcement of residents (“Uppies”), how global population ties to Living Units, and why mixed services (schools, shops, safety, transit) will attract them. https://upland.me/events/residents-are-coming-to-upland-get-ready-for-the-age-of-the-uppies
Meet Uppies: The Heartbeat of Upland’s Next Evolution — What Uppies are (common, rare, and “iconic” parody characters), how future “Uppie Discoveries” minting works, and plans for trading/collection. https://upland.me/events/meet-uppies-the-heartbeat-of-uplands-next-evolution
Transportation and Uppies: Get Ready to Move Upland Forward! — Why vehicles and connectivity boost neighborhood appeal to Uppies; how cargo capacity and fleets affect Influence. https://www.upland.me/events/transportation-and-uppies-get-ready-to-move-upland-forward
First Look: How Uppies Will Transform the Upland Map! — Preview of UI changes showing Uppies at city/neighborhood level, property cards, and on player profiles with Influence. https://www.upland.me/events/How-Uppies-Will-Transform-the-Upland-Map
Unlock New Ways to Attract Uppies: Limited-Time Service Structures Drop This Week! — Limited-time Arcade, Gym, Fire Station structures and the reminder that buying a model grants permanent build rights. https://www.upland.me/events/unlock-new-ways-to-attract-uppies-limited-time-service-structures-drop-this-week
Level Up with New Service Structures and Multi-Purpose Builds! — Introduces multi-purpose structures (e.g., Super Market Super Store, High School) that boost more than one category for Uppies. https://www.upland.me/events/level-up-with-new-service-structures-and-multi-purpose-builds
Introducing the First-Ever Kiosk Service Structure! — New “kiosk” type (e.g., Hot Dog Stand) plus small-footprint services (Laundromat, Mini Golf, Clinic) to add vibrancy for residents. https://www.upland.me/events/introducing-the-first-ever-kiosk-service-structure
Gelato, Pizza, and More: New Structures Set the Stage for Upland’s Resident Era — Rome-flavored kiosks (Gelato & Pizza) and larger services (University, Performing Arts) that raise Influence and livability. https://www.upland.me/events/gelato-pizza-and-more-new-structures-set-the-stage-for-uplands-resident-era
New Service Structures & Van Sale: Power Up Your Neighborhoods for the Uppies Era — Service structures + vehicle sale; explains how transportation will count toward attracting Uppies. https://www.upland.me/events/new-service-structures-van-sale-power-up-your-neighborhoods-for-the-uppies-era
Developer Update: Big Improvements on the Horizon — Roadmap items preparing for Uppies (selling properties with attached assets, UGC flow, removing “sends” friction) and why these matter for residents. https://www.upland.me/events/developer-update-big-improvements-on-the-horizon
Developer Update #2: Resident Scores, Sparklet Utility & a Bold New Role for Mayors — Sets the stage for Resident Score data sharing, Sparklet utility for merging Uppies, and mayoral tools supporting neighborhood livability. https://www.upland.me/events/developer-update-2-resident-scores-sparklet-utility-a-bold-new-role-for-mayors
Resident Score Part 1: How Upland’s Newest Feature Measures Neighborhood Strength — Deep dive on the Resident Score algorithm (Living vs. Service Units, per-unit metrics, key parameters) that guides where Uppies choose to live. https://www.upland.me/events/resident-score-part-1-how-uplands-newest-feature-measures-neighborhood-strength
Resident Score Part 2: The Builders, Cities, and Scores Shaping Upland’s Future — Early rankings (cities, landlords, optimizers) and visibility updates (Service Units, home address pins) ahead of resident rollout. https://upland.me/events/resident-score-part-2-the-builders-cities-and-scores-shaping-uplands-future
Uppy Evolution: Level Up Your Uppies — How merging works (same-level to higher level), seasonal burn events, and the path to special Iconic/star-level Uppies. https://www.upland.me/events/uppy-evolution-level-up-your-uppies
Official Upland YouTube
Upland’s Biggest Game-Changer Yet: Residents Are Coming! — Long-form show explaining what residents are, how to attract them, and how services/infrastructure affect scores and yields. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zsP2vV30bI
Upland Will Never Be the Same: Uppies Are Changing Everything! — Focuses on the role of Uppies as digital residents with personalities, and how they change city-building strategy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EdYLcLqlSI
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