Gacha's at The Arcade Event?

[Kathlen Onyx]

So I was looking at a style blog on the forum and saw a shirt I liked that was being sold at The Arcade Event.  The setup is a nightmare but while I was there I saw Gacha machines that didn't have what was available "next". It has the Gacha machine for an item of $L50 or $L75 and then most have a box with the entire set available at a high cost.

It was my understanding that Gacha machines that didn't show you what was next were banned. I might not be looking at the machines correctly but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what item I were to get if I paid the Gacha price.

Has anyone been to this event? Am I misunderstanding how the machines are supposed to be setup? I can't imagine a whole event being set up with banned gacha machines so I'm wondering if I'm missing something.

Edited March 20 by Kathlen Onyx

[Ayashe Ninetails]

I haven't been to The Arcade in a long time, but assuming it's set up the same way, were you wearing the shopping HUD? 

[Kathlen Onyx]

Just now, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I haven't been to The Arcade in a long time, but assuming it's set up the same way, were you wearing the shopping HUD? 

No, I assumed that was optional.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

No, I assumed that was optional.

I believe you need it in order to see the order of prizes. Peek here:

http://thearcadesl.com/how-to-play/

[Rowan Amore]

The HUD is required for purchasing single items.  It shows you which item is next FOR YOU.  You do not need the HUD to purchase the Fatpacks when available.

[Orwar]

   Sounds kind of dodgy to have a gacha machine that you need a certain HUD to see what you're getting, IMO.

[Rowan Amore]

39 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   Sounds kind of dodgy to have a gacha machine that you need a certain HUD to see what you're getting, IMO.

I think it was done to keep people from swooping in and trying to take over a machine when something rare was next.  Everyone has their own NEXT so no one can swoop you.  No waiting on machines either while someone is trying and trying.  I kind of like it.  I rarely, if ever, bought the old gatchas.

[Kathlen Onyx]

12 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

I think it was done to keep people from swooping in and trying to take over a machine when something rare was next.  Everyone has their own NEXT so no one can swoop you.  No waiting on machines either while someone is trying and trying.  I kind of like it.  I rarely, if ever, bought the old gatchas.

So does "your" next stay the same until you purchase it? Or does it randomly change when someone else makes a purchase?

[Orwar]

12 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

I think it was done to keep people from swooping in and trying to take over a machine when something rare was next.  Everyone has their own NEXT so no one can swoop you.  No waiting on machines either while someone is trying and trying.  I kind of like it.  I rarely, if ever, bought the old gatchas.

   I'm sure they have good intentions (maybe 12% sure, at least!), but that doesn't change the fact that if a person misses the event info and how the HUDs work, thinking it's like any other shopping event, all they'll see is a gacha machine. And it still contains the same gambling triggers - if you really want that pretty rare dress then people may just have at it until they get it or their L$ balance is flat. 

[Rowan Amore]

52 minutes ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

So does "your" next stay the same until you purchase it? Or does it randomly change when someone else makes a purchase?

The HUDs are different for each person and not tied together in any way AFAIK.  You can send alts in though if you're after a specific item.  Their luck might be better than yours.

[Lysistrata Szapira]

6 hours ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

So does "your" next stay the same until you purchase it? Or does it randomly change when someone else makes a purchase?

You get a fresh set of numbers every day (I'm not sure what time the HUD resets).  The HUD is also free.

If you have alts, it helps to speed up the process of getting whatever item(s) you want.  The alts will each get a set of different numbers. 

 

[Kathlen Onyx]

3 minutes ago, Lysistrata Szapira said:

You get a fresh set of numbers every day (I'm not sure what time the HUD resets).  The HUD is also free.

If you have alts, it helps to speed up the process of getting whatever item(s) you want.  The alts will each get a set of different numbers. 

 

Ah ok. I think having a fresh set of numbers everyday is coming very close to the line. If they changed every hour that would be better but to have to wait a whole day is a bit much. I'd probably forget about it by then. LOL

[Prokofy Neva]

17 hours ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

Ah ok. I think having a fresh set of numbers everyday is coming very close to the line. If they changed every hour that would be better but to have to wait a whole day is a bit much. I'd probably forget about it by then. LOL

I personally criticize the high prices of Arcade and think they helped ruin gatcha culture, despite originally starting off well with 25L gatchas. $100L gatchas destroys the point. In fairness, the HUD system they have devised is really the only way you can go with this sort of new restriction.

It enables multiple people to play the same machine. And yes, it shows what the next one is, in compliance with the rules, and also shows a line-up of what is coming next, so you can decide whether to keep playing a few rounds to get the rare for certain -- or not.

I don't see how else they could solve the problem of a crowded venue and the new rules without the HUDs.

[Orwar]

   Can you still purchase from the machines without wearing the HUD, though? Because if so, that system is totally insufficient. It is unreasonable to expect people who go to shopping events to read through a bunch of text when they arrive, or be expected to know how that particular event does things. People treating it like any other event, going straight for the vendors to do what they're there for, all they'll see are slot machines. 

[Anna Salyx]

On 3/20/2024 at 1:27 PM, Kathlen Onyx said:

So does "your" next stay the same until you purchase it? Or does it randomly change when someone else makes a purchase?

the last time I was at The Arcade and tried the HUD out, the HUD will randomize the prize order the first time you activate it with a given machine.  Then it stays in that order until the next day when the list for that machine gets randomized again.  I think it was the next day.  it might have just been a set number of hours, but regardless you aren't stuck with a fully static order for a given machine that you have used the HUD on, there is a mechanism to mix things up for you.

[Anna Salyx]

Just now, Orwar said:

   Can you still purchase from the machines without wearing the HUD, though? Because if so, that system is totally insufficient. It is unreasonable to expect people who go to shopping events to read through a bunch of text when they arrive, or be expected to know how that particular event does things. People treating it like any other event, going straight for the vendors to do what they're there for, all they'll see are slot machines. 

No.  You can buy C/NT full packs directly but you have to use the HUD for the next up functionality.  At least that's how it was when I visited.  It might be that there are some of the newer nextup/miepon machines there now that don't need a HUD and will lock to the current player for a short period of time to prevent sniping, but I wouldn't know w/out visiting.

[diamond Marchant]

This topic reminded me that there is an Arcade round in progress that I had not visited. I immediately went over there and found two vendors of interest, YaY.

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

Thought those Gachas were a thing of SL's past.

[Pixie Kobichenko]

1 hour ago, Kimmi Zehetbauer said:

Thought those Gachas were a thing of SL's past.

Blind random prize variation is no longer allowed.  Now it’s basically a vending machine with just one slot of candy available to you.  That chocolate bar you crave might happen to be in front and first for sale.  But usually it’s 3,5,7 or more deep behind breath mints & gum.  Or maybe not even visible.  So you might feed the machine hoping the flavor you want eventually comes up.  With the hud you won’t get sniped by a fellow shopper watching the same machine for X prize.  So mechanically the same but method of operation is different.  & as mentioned- many creators just put the entire set out as a fat pack at one price.

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

2 hours ago, Pixie Kobichenko said:

Blind random prize variation is no longer allowed.  Now it’s basically a vending machine with just one slot of candy available to you.  That chocolate bar you crave might happen to be in front and first for sale.  But usually it’s 3,5,7 or more deep behind breath mints & gum.  Or maybe not even visible.  So you might feed the machine hoping the flavor you want eventually comes up.  With the hud you won’t get sniped by a fellow shopper watching the same machine for X prize.  So mechanically the same but method of operation is different.  & as mentioned- many creators just put the entire set out as a fat pack at one price.

Thanks for explaining that!

[So Whimsy]

Anyone remember when the items offered at the arcade were actually awesome? I has a sad.

[Pixie Kobichenko]

5 hours ago, So Whimsy said:

Anyone remember when the items offered at the arcade were actually awesome? I has a sad.

I found out this past winter that the now defunct [Commoner] shop that participated in The Arcade for years- one set of  items that has been one of my favorites exists in the real world!  While not all in SL are the same as RL & Vice versa- many are & I  get to buy the glitter caniste  at the end of this month & I’m so excited!  I agree that I am not drawn to current Arcade prizes as those in the past.