you can't play this game, you've lost all the pieces (part one)

Technically part of the gacha coverage, but this...went places.

[16:32] Nxxxxxxx Exx: ive heard that after sept 1, no more gatchas will be allowed in sl. anyone hear this?
[16:32] sxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yep!

Yep.

[16:32] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes
[16:32] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it's true
[16:32] pxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yeppers
[16:32] kxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes this is true
[16:32] Cxxx Exxxxxxxxx: Yeah, LL is doing away with gachas.
[16:32] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: 100% facts
[16:32] bxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: really?
[16:32] Nxxxxxxx Exx: wow anyone know why?
[16:32] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they says its a form of gambling

Pretty much, and the regulatory changes driving that push to regulate online gaming.

[16:32] Wxx Dxxxxxxx: That would be correct, no RNG based selling methods will be allowed
[16:32] kxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yeah i have the article
[16:32] Nxxxxxxx Exx: nods
[16:33] Mxxxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: its considered gambling
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: gambling ok
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: wow
[16:33] Gxxxx Hxxxxxxxx: due to advice of atrorneys
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: nodss
[16:33] kxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so sad
[16:33] Axxxx Kxxxxxxx: https://community.secondlife.com/blogs/entry/8586-policy-change-regarding-gacha/ or https://modemworld.me/2021/08/02/lab-announces-the-ending-of-gacha-machines-in-second-life/
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: wow

Yeah, it's gonna be a huge change, for everybody.

[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: some very good stuff too
[16:33] kxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: was one of my favorite activites
[16:33] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: anytime you hire an escort that's a gamble too lol I mean....

??

Deal with a better class of escort, then. Frankly.

[16:33] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: its deeper then that
[16:33] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: sameeeee
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: nods
[16:33] Axxxx Kxxxxxxx: SOme parts of the world have been cracking down on lootboxes in games, and LL is worried gachas will come under the same rules
[16:33] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there gotta be more they not tellinh us
[16:33] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they have ppl who are sueing cause tehy lost their home etc in other places...
[16:33] Nxxxxxxx Exx: nods
[16:33] Dxxx Txxxx: but we have casinos lol

Ish? We have structures that are built like casinos, named like casinos, stocked with machines that look like casino games, but they're now classifed as "skill-based games". It's a razor-thin line.

[16:33] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: telling us-
[16:34] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Nope, it's because it's gambling, there really isn't any reason to think there's anything nefarious going on
[16:34] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the Store Salt and Pepper is seeking legal counsel against the gacha restrictions

Really? I hadn't heard this. I'll look into it.

[16:34] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well might was cancel that
[16:34] Bxx Mxx: they are loot boxes
[16:34] Axxxx Kxxxxxxx: Details: https://community.secondlife.com/blogs/entry/8586-policy-change-regarding-gacha/ (for the official LL post) or https://modemworld.me/2021/08/02/lab-announces-the-ending-of-gacha-machines-in-second-life/ (for Inara Pey's take)
[16:35] Nxxxxxxx Exx: ty
[16:35] Nxxxxxxx Exx: wow such good stuff and such quality can be found with those too sighs
[16:35] Bxx Mxx: loot boxs are banned in usa
[16:35] Axxxx Kxxxxxxx: Wel lthe items aren't going away, just the random vendors
[16:35] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it has its pros n cons
[16:35] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Then they can just make those items able to be brought outright [16:35] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: some countries are strict and forbid gambling in any form, some of our states too, sl wants everyone to play and spend their real money here, so gachas are gonna go away or be morphed to another form of machine
[16:36] Bxx Mxx: so gachs fall under that ban

Gachas and lootboxen both.

[16:36] Nxxxxxxx Exx: damn
[16:36] ucccccc Rxxxxxxx: is just like the Zyngo games tooo
[16:36] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well u gotta pay to get a prize
[16:36] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: true and any other games of chance,
[16:36] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: If I wanna buy an item of clothing I wanna buy that item of clothing, I DON'T wanna have to stand there pouring money into the machine for items I don't want until I finally get what I do want having spent way more than I should have

Several people have complained about this exact thing for years.

[16:37] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: is also why they remove prize ability from the greedy greedy tables etc
[16:37] sxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: exactly!
[16:37] Nxxxxxxx Exx: wow
[16:37] qxxx Rxxxxxxx: I love gachas... I'll miss them
[16:37] Dxxx Txxxx: then dont noone makes u play
[16:37] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I could go into how gacha preys on people with fucked up brain chemistry who are already prone to spending unhealthy amounts on these things to begin with but I digress
[16:37] uxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: can go to MP to get that item.. some times a bloated price some times not [16:37] Nxxxxxxx Exx: i just like the quality you find in some of those
[16:37] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It's called gambling addiction [Dxxx]
[16:37] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Q they will be changed to another script to give stuff,
[16:38] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: here the other side of the arguement the mp will more populated with over priced gachas u paid 50 - 25 to play to get
[16:38] qxxx Rxxxxxxx: There is an account setting where people can limit how much they are able to upload into SL.
[16:38] Bxx Mxx: give it time there will be a new system
[16:38] oxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Im surprised it took them this long to do this
[16:39] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I am a sex addict, will I get banned from SL? I mean, we are responsible for our behavior

Well, if you assume everyone's an adult...But the thing with most of these laws is they're meant to regulate online games. While SL is tacitly an online game, it's not an online MMORPG or FPS with microtransactions and lootboxen. What they're trying to guard against with these rulings is the 13-18 set falling prey to predatory business practices.

[16:39] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I love the gacha resale places, gachas don't usually tell u how many prim or LI a thing has, so sometimes we cn't use the item even after we win it
[16:39] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: they was too busy worryin about other stuff
[16:39] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: lol
[16:39] oxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: laughs
[16:39] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no one is banning gacha users [Sxxxx]. Just gacha itself.
[16:39] oxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: like moving all of SL onto the cloud, yeah, see how that went

Well, some of it went well, some went poorly. Lag went up nearly everywhere, but sim crossings are far, far easier than they used to be, sooo...?

[16:39] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: but being a gacha reseller sucks
[16:39] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that was frustracting about gachas, the land impact were a guess
[16:40] sxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: sl has new owners and they have to work things to their way
[16:40] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: u stuck with stuff people dont want it dont sell
[16:40] lxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: theres the question what have i spent my money on lol
[16:40] Kxxxx Jxxx: march or something of 2020 seclond life was sold to investor bankers

While she's not wrong, this is our main offender. To be referred to as KJ from here on in, because I can't even summon up the respect to call her Ms. K.

And this is getting on the longish side, so--this will be part one, part two to follow.