So, I've played 18 hours so far...

[AloneOnMars]

That's 18 hours of the demo! I just keep playing that one free campaign over and over and over.

I can't believe how good this game is. I am waiting for a steam sale, but I'm getting impatient. If I decide to pay full price now, instead of waiting for a sale, should I buy the $40 version that comes with all the DLC, or should I just get the $30 version and wait for the DLC to go on sale later?

[MikeH]

For me I have 77 hours played, I am on mission 17 of the Vanilla campaign. At 40.00 that is roughly .50 cents a hour for something that is pretty fun and at times very challenging. Tropico Economics can be a bear at times.

I don't see where the 40.00 would be a waste if you really enjoy the game. It comes with a very nice map editor and you can make your own missions even.

[AloneOnMars]

Hmm, you aren't helping me wait for a sale, though that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I have a growing desire to be dictator of an island.

edit> Also, I like Economics, so....

[suburbia]

I got a 68 hours on the game and loving the little extrea DLC. They're small but they come in handy. I would highly recomend getting the $40 one

[Landrick]

I am at 110 hours... I think the extra DLC missions are quite fun

[MikeH]

Nobody likes to miss another sale. I look at it like this. If the game goes on sale in 30 more days because we just had a sale, then at 30.00 (Sale 10.00 for game and DLC) I make myself wait when I could have just forked over the 1.00 a day and enjoyed the game.

Even so, there is over 100 hrs of game play here, each mission presents unique challenges and there is the Challenge browser to download even tougher missions. You can also make your own maps and set up any missions objectives you want. 40.00 is a good price.

[RageMojo]

This is a tough call, beacuse the game is worth full price. Yet, it does go on sale all the time. The next big steam sale wont be till the summer sale, but it could go on sale in a weekly deal too.

[Astral]

RageMojo Listen to my words coz it happened to me so many times before: If you buy it now at a full price you will soon find out the Game + All DLCs are on sale and then you'll feel mad because you did not have the patience....Its ok to pay a full price for a CD/DVD that you can gift or sell somebody once you are done with it and decide to move on; but here on Steam the game is tied to your account, once activated it's done. So why pay a full price if you just get the right to download it ??? I never; Repeat: Never pay full price on steam coz it aint worth it. If you want to have it Right Now go and get yourself a DVD version! I advise everyone to buy from Steam only if the game is on sale PERIOD

[Astral]

Don't kid yourself coz there are people whining every day on Steam just for the very reason: Dude preorders the game at full price just to find out that two moths later the same content is on sale -75%, and now the dude starts tearing his hair apart XD XD XD

[Horizonked]

I was having the same problem, but I just caved and bought it. I haven't looked back since. :-D

[MikeH]

@Astral_Systems

I understand it's not very cool to buy something them have it sell for 90% less the very next day. Those that won't buy something unless it's on sale tend to collect shoes, shirts, or even games they don't even use. They get their enjoyment from owning something new and the pleasure from that is very brief. If I want to play something, then the price is not the issue as I don't collect games. My son has 504 steam games, He is a collector and waiting for something to go on sale suits his collecting ways. He has about 10 hours or less in most of his games. I paid for Anno 2070 and have 539 hours into that. Dungeon defenders at 2321 hours. Unreal 3 at 79 hours and Tropico at 79 hours.

So, I have spent far less money by not waiting on sales than most who buy something just because it's on sale. I don't see a reason to buy something if I am not going to use it. If I am going to use it, then price is not the first consideration.

[Ffrog]

Wasn't it on a -75% sale recently, at around the time SimCity was having problems? I think it'll be a while before it's in another sale (which is why I gave in and bought it a couple of days ago)

[MikeH]

Now that you mention it, it was. Sim City is a flop anyway and the game makes you play on line with others limiting your city building space. A City building game that must be played on line with others, thats what every gamer has always dreamed of.
Sim City has no personality or feel to it. Just lay down chunks of business because the numbers need to be better. The graphics are good, but one tries to figure out why they really care after awhile.

Mike.

[Astral]

@omnix32
First of all i did not mention anything about collecting stuff etc. that is your own way of thinking and has nothing to do with above mentioned.
He was asking for an opinion on that matter so i gave him mine: Buy a CD/DVD at a full price if you want it now oterwise wait for sale on Steam.
The other thing is: I bought T4 at -75% and have over 250 Hours on record, got Max Payne 3 at -50% and have more than 850 Gameplay Hours, Skyrim at -50% played over 400 hours..

Other than that for your information i lived in a third world country and the only game versions were PIRATED GAMES officially sold in stores at the price of 2-5 $. These were the only ones you could get, and the game devs got nothing! So now living in first world country i purchase favorite games i already played in order to support the game developers and companies they work for...
Everyone of us has his own way of thinking and perceiving things, furthermore each one of us believes his way is the right one therefore each one of us can only lead himself. Thus it's unwise jumping to swift conclusions; judge people or place them in some groups due to our limited understanding....

[AloneOnMars]

Thanks for all your replies everyone.

I have less than a month before my college classes get done, so here's my plan.

Because I have limited time, especially with finals approaching, I will hold off on buying it for that reason alone. Once I get done though, I may buy it whether it's on sale or not, given the amount of time I will have. It definitely seems to be worth the cost.

Final word on cost/benefit and economics.

If I were to buy this game today, with DLC, and tomorrow it went on sale, I have NOT been ripped off. The $40 was a sunk cost that I chose to spend at the moment because the benefit of buying it at that price outweighed the cost. Yes, it could be disappointing to then see the game go on sale, but that is an issue of patience, rather than an issue of economics.

Once again, thanks for the replies, they've definitely helped me decide what to do.

[rwatts518]

Lux, I think your decision is wise....mainly bcuz u may spend too much time playing this game instead of focusing that time on studying...lol. This game is good. I'm not a SIM game liker but my daughter gifted me this a couple of weeks ago from the last 75% off sale w/ all DLC. I have had 133 hours of stimulating game play... It took me away from the 1200+ hrs I've sunk in to CivV, so that says something. Good luck!