Second Life - What I Learned About Next-Up Type Machines

Someone had recommended a pose creator. I didn't want to buy a whole set of poses, but I found they had a NextUp type machine at the Arcade. 

 The Arcade is a quarterly event that used to feature lots of gacha machines, but the gacha machines have been replaced by NextUp types of vendors.

With the gatcha machines you had no way to know what you were getting. There was a display on the front of the contents, but a 'pull' could give you anything from a 'rare' to a 'common'. 

The Next-Up type machines also have a vendor board, but there is an additional feature that shows you exactly what you will be getting and what other items are in the queue. 

At the Arcade you pick up a HUD at the entrance, and then pair the HUD with a machine that shows items you might like. This is much fairer (but not as exciting) as just getting a random item, but what I learned that is unless you are familiar with a merchant, you are betting that the item will look as good as it does in the picture.

The vendor is on the left, the image on the right is the HUD
showing that you can buy #24. Next Up is #7. 

Just for research purposes I bought five items. Ironically I did not get what I was after (I read the queue upside down) and ended up going to the inworld store instead.

What I bought:

Bamse - Ichigo handheld controllers and dock (decor only)

Myrrine - Nubo set wall decor

Make A Mark - Golden Lotus Temple - temple garden 1

Fashiowl - 11 - First Contact Rare Scene

Part of large and elaborate "First Contact Rare Scene" This was
made as a setting for the "First Contact" poses, but poses 
were not included. I chose LePoppycock 'Simply Spring' pose since
I couldn't find a pose labeled 'Surprised by bear'.

The Bearded Guy - Sweet Drinks Backdrop

 What I learned was that I would have been better off if I had visited the merchants' inworld stores instead. When I did visit the stores to verify the landmarks one had a vendor showing the same collection shown at the Arcade, but with more items.   In another store merchandise was not showing good LOD (level of detail), until you were quite close. 

I saved Lindens because individual items were less expensive than if I had bought them individually on the resale market or in a fatpack, but I was lucky this time.

There is also a merry-go-round at the Arcade if you want
to try taking motion photos. (Note: The Arcade was dark
on my viewer, so I put on a face light.)