“I feel so high school
Every time I look at you
I want to find you in a crowd
Just to hide from you”
Call It Off – So High School (Taylor Swift Cover)
Some events in Second Life have been around long enough that they really don’t need an introduction, and The Arcade is definitely one of them. Even if you’ve never stood there clicking away and telling yourself one more pull before doing six more, chances are you know exactly what The Arcade is. For a lot of us who have been around Second Life for any length of time, gachas became their own little culture inside the larger one. There was the excitement when a new round opened, figuring out which machines you absolutely needed to play, watching somebody else pull the thing you wanted while you stared at the fifth copy of something you already had, and eventually going home with an inventory full of things you didn’t necessarily plan on owning when you started. Sometimes you got lucky, sometimes you absolutely did not, and somehow both were part of the fun.
The Arcade and I have a little more history than I realized too. One of the fun things about rebuilding this entire site has been finding things buried in more than a decade of posts that I had completely forgotten about, and The Arcade is one of them. It has been showing up around here since 2015, scattered through old outfits, scenes, credits, and stories without me ever really thinking about how often I was using something that came from there. There are posts like Honey I’m Hoooome!, Into The Woods, Winter Solace, and That Time Of Year where The Arcade found its way into whatever I happened to be creating at the time. I wasn’t sitting down specifically to cover the event; I found things I liked, brought them home, and eventually they became part of a photo or a story. That’s probably a pretty accurate description of how I’ve shopped in Second Life for most of the last decade anyway.
So this isn’t my first trip to The Arcade, not even close. What makes this one different is that it’s my first time covering the event as an official blogger for The Arcade, and I like that those two pieces of history get to meet here. Something that has quietly existed in the background of this blog for years gets to move into the foreground for a change, and the September round gave me a pretty perfect place to start. I get to spend some time with these collections now, figure out what catches my attention, and then find my own way of showing you why. Having an official reason to be there doesn’t mean I’m suddenly immune to wandering past another machine, seeing something shiny and making questionable financial decisions, of course. Let’s keep our expectations realistic.
When I blog something, I want to actually use it. If it’s clothing, I want to style it into something that feels like the person wearing it. If it’s decor, I want to build a place instead of putting three objects against a wall and calling it a scene. Give me enough items, and eventually I’m going to start moving everything around until some kind of story shows up, which is exactly what happened when I started looking at what [Since 1975] & No Rush, Seniha and MOVEMENT brought to this round.
The timing couldn’t have worked much better because we’re right in the middle of Back to School season, and these three creators had already done most of the hard work for me. [Since 1975] & No Rush gave me a classroom to build, Seniha gave Mackenzie something to wear to it, and MOVEMENT made sure she showed up with at least some evidence that she intends to learn something while she’s here. Instead of forcing three unrelated gachas into the same photo because I needed to cover them, I had three collections that naturally wanted to tell the same story. All I really had to do was start putting the pieces together and see where they took me.
The biggest part of that story, quite literally, comes from the [Since 1975] & No Rush Classroom collection, and when I decided I wanted to build something with this set, I committed. The 01.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom – RARE gives you the complete classroom itself, while the 02.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Board RARE ended up being one of my favorite parts of the finished scene because it isn’t locked into what you see in the photo. You can actually choose between 10 different lessons for the board, which gives you a surprising amount of freedom to change what kind of class is happening inside the same room. We went with Astronomy, not because either of us suddenly developed an overwhelming desire to study the universe, but because Mackenzie thought it looked pretty. Honestly, that was enough of an argument for me. The planets, galaxies, and notes spread across the wall ended up looking fantastic behind us anyway, so apparently her approach to education is working out just fine.
So I kept going. The 04.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Teacher’s Desk (Wood) and 06.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Student Desks (Wood) came in, the 20.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Lockers (Black) went against the wall; the 09.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Bag (Pink) found a home beside them, 14.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Desk Supplies B (Dark) started getting scattered around, and before long I had basically unpacked the entire [Since 1975] & No Rush collection. That’s what I enjoyed most about this gacha. It gave me everything to build a classroom rather than suggest one, and I didn’t have to spend half the afternoon digging through my inventory looking for random school decor to fill holes because the collection already had the big items and the smaller details that make those bigger ones believable. Even the things sitting off to the sides matter because that’s where the room starts feeling used instead of staged.
That’s always something I’m chasing when I build decor scenes. I don’t particularly want everything perfectly aligned and untouched like we’re waiting for somebody to move into a model home, and a classroom especially shouldn’t feel that way. There should be books around, supplies on desks, a backpack tossed somewhere, lockers along the wall, and enough little signs of life that you can imagine what happens outside the frame. The Classroom set gave me that freedom while still keeping everything visually connected, and the fact that I’m using nearly every part of it probably tells you more about how much I enjoyed building with it than anything else I could say.
Of course, once I had gone through the trouble of building an entire school, somebody had to attend it, and Mackenzie ended up being my volunteer. Seniha’s Back To School collection couldn’t have made that part much easier because she’s wearing the Back To School Jacket #001, Back To School Skirt #001, and Back To School Shoes #001 (not pictured), giving her a complete look from the same machine. There are rares in the collection, but none of the items we’re using here are among them, and I actually like that for this photo. Gachas naturally make us look at the rares first, but sometimes the regular pull is exactly what you needed. In this case, all three items of #001 gave me the whole look I wanted without needing a rare to make it interesting.
More importantly, Seniha made her look like she belongs in the room. The jacket and short plaid skirt hit the school theme immediately without turning Mackenzie into a costume, and that’s important when the fashion is sharing a photo with this much decor. I still want you to notice what she’s wearing, and I want the clothes to have their moment where you can look at the picture and decide you need to go chase them yourself, but I don’t want her to look like a fashion model standing in front of somebody else’s classroom. She looks like she walked into this one dressed for the day, which is exactly what I needed from the collection.
Then MOVEMENT gave her the things that make me question just how much schoolwork she’s actually planning on doing. The Zodiac Girl Code collection brings in the 05. MOVEMENT – Zodiac Girl Code bag – Leo and 22. MOVEMENT – Zodiac Girl Code RARE – Planner – Blue, both of which ended up being much more important to the finished photo than I expected. The Leo bag is impossible to miss and gives her outfit another big piece of personality, while the planner is one of those smaller details that suddenly makes sense because of where we’ve put her. She’s dressed for school, standing in a classroom, holding her planner and carrying everything she needs. On paper, she’s prepared, although whether anything useful is actually written inside that planner is none of my business.
That’s what I really enjoy about MOVEMENT items when I’m trying to tell a story in a photo. Accessories can easily become things we add because an avatar’s hands look empty or because we need one more thing in the credits, but the good ones give you something to work with. The Leo bag and planner tell you a little more about Mackenzie without requiring me to explain every detail. They connect her to what Seniha is doing with the outfit and what [Since 1975] & No Rush built around her, which is exactly why these three collections ended up working so well together. Mackenzie snagged a couple of close-ups of the MOVEMENT items for me too; you can check them out below.
And yes, somewhere in the middle of all this I ended up in the classroom too. Nothing I’m wearing is from The Arcade, so I’m not going to pretend I’m particularly important to the shopping portion of today’s program. I mostly exist here because the K&S “Did you miss class today?” pose gave me an idea I couldn’t resist once the classroom was finished. Mackenzie has her planner clutched against her, I’m standing there looking like I’ve got questions, and suddenly what started as a Back to School decor scene has a little more story happening inside it. I’m not saying she missed class; I’m just saying the pose had a name and I followed directions.
That’s where the three Arcade collections really clicked for me. [Since 1975] & No Rush built the place, Seniha dressed the person who belongs in it, and MOVEMENT gave her the details that make the whole thing feel less posed. Each creator is doing something completely different, but they’re all pushing the same photo in the same direction. That’s the kind of combination I hope I keep finding as I cover future rounds because it lets me actually make something while still giving each creator room to show off what they brought to the event.
It’s also why gachas remain so creatively fun. You can look at the key and know exactly what you want, but what lands in your inventory might completely change what you decide to make. Somebody else can play these same three machines and walk away with a completely different idea. Maybe you only want a few Classroom pieces for something you’re already building; maybe you want another combination from Seniha; or maybe you’re not a Leo, and you’re going straight for something else from Zodiac Girl Code. That’s part of the fun. We all start with the same machines and somehow end up telling different stories with what comes out of them.
Of course, there’s also the other side of gacha life. You tell yourself you’re going to pull a few times and be responsible about this, then you get one item that gives you an idea, so obviously you need another thing to go with it. Now you’ve started something, which means you might as well finish it, and meanwhile the machine has decided you’re apparently collecting the one common you already have four of, while the thing you actually wanted continues staring at you from the key like it knows damn well you’re going to try again. At that point, we’re well beyond pretending this was only going to be one pull.
There’s something pretty fitting about getting to embrace all of that for my first post as an official The Arcade blogger. The event has quietly been part of this blog since 2015, appearing in posts long before I ever had an official reason to cover it, and now I get to come back to it from the other side. I get to spend more time with the collections, figure out what I like about them, build something around them, and hopefully show you more than what you can already see on the side of the machine. For my first one, [Since 1975] & No Rush, Seniha and MOVEMENT couldn’t have handed me a much better combination. Three amazing creators took the same Back to School idea in different directions and gave me everything I needed to bring those directions together in one place.
Somewhere in the process, I got an entire Classroom, Mackenzie got a new outfit and enough accessories to at least look like she has her life together, and I ended up standing behind her wondering whether she missed class. Then Call It Off’s pop-punk take on Taylor Swift’s So High School came along and gave the whole thing its soundtrack, because of course it did. A Taylor Swift song about feeling like you’re back in high school, turned into a pop-punk song, attached to a picture of Mackenzie and me standing in an actual classroom, is exactly stupid enough to work perfectly around here.
The September round of The Arcade is open now, school is back in session, and my first official round as one of The Arcade’s bloggers is underway. After all these years of the event quietly finding its way into this blog, I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do with it now that I’m actually supposed to be here. As for Mackenzie, I’m still waiting for an answer about that missed class. Credits for everything can be found below. May your gacha pulls be Lucky.
“It’s true, swear, Scout’s honor
You knew what you wanted, and, boy, you got her
Brand new, full throttle
You already know, babe”
Call It Off – So High School (Taylor Swift Cover)
Credits:
~Her~
Head: LeLutka EvoX AVALON 4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Hair: DOUX – Mireia Hairstyle ~ Dam1710 Resident ~ NEW @ ACCESS (Aug 12-Sept 8)
Body: [LEGACY] [BODY] (f) Perky Edition (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Collarbone Tattoo 1: [Always Never] Birds 75% ~ Dopamine Cloud
Hand Tattoos: ALBA – Lore Tattoos Bundle (5 &7) ~ Kaiasalvat Resident
Hand Tattoos: ALBA – Luck Tattoos Bundle (8) ~ Kaiasalvat Resident
Thigh Tattoo: [MI] Bowie ~ LoveeDiamond Resident
Top: Seniha. Back To School Jacket #001 // Legacy ~ Seniha88 Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Skirt: Seniha. Back To School Skirt #001 // Legacy ~ Seniha88 Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Shoes: Seniha. Back To School Shoes #001 // Legacy ~ Seniha88 Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Bag: 05. MOVEMENT – Zodiac Girl Code bag – Leo ~ MOVEMENTT Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Planner: 22. MOVEMENT – Zodiac Girl Code RARE – Planner – Blue ~ MOVEMENTT Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Rings: [REVERIE] Sorbet Darling Ring Set \ Legacy ~ Mewrmaid Resident ~ NEW @ The Fifty (Aug 25-Sept 20)
Belly Button Piercing: ~~ YsoraL ~~ .:Belly Piercing Snake:. (Legacy) ~ fenixdragon Rau
~Him~
Head: LeLUTKA.Head.NOA.4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Head Applier: Stray Dog HERVE EVOX TAN (V) NO BROWS ~ Gac Akina
Hair: [MFCNT] THOR Bun – Grooming Hair – LeBarbier Alpha
Hairbase: LeLUTKA.EvoX.Hairbase.044 (BOM) ~ Jaden Nova (Comes with the LeLUTKA NOA Head)
Eyes: [ContraptioN] Depthglass Eye ~ Walton Wainwright
Eyebase: Avi-Glam. Prism Eyes – Pack 2 ~ Eye Daddy
Ears: ^^Swallow^^ Gauged S Ears ~ Luciayes Magic
Ear Tattoo: RichB. Ears Tattoo #08 ~ Salvy Hexem
Beard: [MFCNT] Ducky Skunk Beard & Stache – LeBarbier Alpha
Beard Layer: PHYSIQUE X – Logan Facial Hair (v1) Tintable ~ PhysiqueX Resident
Body: [LEGACY] Athletic Edition (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Skin: VELOUR: PICASSO HOMME Skin for Legacy (FIT/TAN) Picasso Neck ~ Kiria Mama
Nails: Pare.Cure Mesh Nails Both Hands [Short] – Legacy ~ Flazedo Resident
Shirt: [Deadwool] Sterling shirt ~ Masa Plympton
Pants: [Deadwool] Spade trousers ~ Masa Plympton
Rings/Bracelets: *RE* Atreides Bracelet & Rings ~ Crashnoww Resident
Earrings: = DAE = SXD1 ~ Naomi Darkheart
~Scene~
Building: 01.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom – RARE (Complete) ~ Ocean Craft ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Lesson Board: 02.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Board RARE ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Lectern: 04.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Teacher’s Desk (Wood) ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Desks: 06.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Student Desks (Wood) ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Backpack: 09.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Bag (Pink) ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Supplies: 14.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Desk Supplies B (Dark) ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Lockers: 20.[Since1975]&Norush- Classroom / Lockers (Black) ~ Noordinarymind Resident ~ NEW GACHA @ The Arcade (Sept 1-Sept 30)
Pose: #6 K&S – // Did you miss class today? // pose 4 ~ Katya Salty ~ OLD GACHA
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