Are we paying more for less?

[Frostmourne27]

Hmmmm... who was it that said "anything is worth what the market will pay for it"?

Dominions 3 may be priced more highly than many of us think is really reasonable, especially for a small game, but they aren't the market. Neither are those of use who think it's a good deal. The market is everyone that could conceivably consider purchasing the game (that includes us, but there are WAY more than the couple hundred or so people that lair within these forums.) Dominions 3 set records with shrapnel sales for number of copies sold. Not knowing how big the market is, its hard to say what percent of people that looked at/will look at it bought it, but since so many did, and the market isn't HUGE, as this is a bit of a niche game, it kind of makes me think that most people that consider buying the game either buy it, or don't because they don't like the demo/the combat/the concept etcetera.

I seriously doubt the many of the thousands of people who will buy the game will really give the price a whole lot of consideration. Either it's a good game and they buy it, or it's a piece of EA-like trash and they won't - for most people, you need to change the price quite a lot before they actually don't buy something. Going the other way, you don't have to change the price quite as much maybe, but you lose a LOT of money.

Now for some ugly, unpleasant mathematics (Yuck!):
Assuming that Shrapnel sells three thousand copies of Dominions 3(I'm pulling numbers out of the air here, I think the real figure is a LOT higher) at 55$, they make 165 000 dollars less expenses, including the insane cost of printing the 300 page manual (printing is a VERY lucrative business). If they [Shrapnel Games] lower the price even one dollar, the make only 162 000 dollars -they need to sell 56 extra copies to recoup their loss of profit. But now one cares about one dollar - So let's say that they lower prices by ten dollars. Are they going to find the 666.66 new buyers they need to make it worth it? Possibly, but I really doubt it. Whether or not the game is good value for its price as compared to other purchases is irrelevant - Shrapnel is making money, and we can hardly expect them to be stupid - they should maximize their profits since that’s how the western style free market economy works.
However, if time spent enjoying your self per cent spent is your concern, I say two things: 1) You care too much about economics, and 2) Dominions 3 probably isn't worth it, but I doubt that ANY computer games really are. Bloodstar, I REALLY doubt that anyone will spend 1000 hours playing Heroes 5 - that’s like three hours a day, FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR! (Do you have a life? A family? a job? Do you sleep?) That said, I doubt anyone will play Dominions 3 for 1000 hours either. And about the manual - we really should shut up about it. No offence to Bruce, but really - were buying a game, not a book. It's nice to have a good manual, BUT ITS NOT A SELLING POINT! Very few people look at two strategy games and say Oooo- this one has a nicer manual, I think I'll take it. Evidence: EA sells games, and their manuals, like their games, are crap.

Sorry if my tone is a little offensive, and my thoughts incoherent...