I never said "don't" upgrade, merely that it isn't a must.
Also, I'm considering your advice to actively upgrade during the game. It's somewhat more easy to consider an upgrade if you get the right starting tiles as these don't cost you any actions, workers or resources (and even then, sometimes it's worth not taking them).
Especially in the case of big corn, big corn being that you stock pile a good deal of corn and play later in the turn order to rocket past other placers by utilizing higher corn cost slots and/or taking advantage of the Uxmal wheel which is typically under utilized aside from people trying for more workers once in a while.
-The corn upgrade I personally find very dismal. To max it it's a minimum of 2 workers, 4 turns and 6 resources to get an extra 3 corn. Assuming you're using wood, the "cheapest" resource, that the equivalent trade value of 12 corn - meaning you have to use the ability (and not on fishing) at least 4 times just to break even. Then their is the cost of placing and waiting the workers here needed to get those resources and get this upgrade. I'm not saying it doesn't have it's uses but you absolutely can do big corn without it.
The last level, upgrade 1 pyramid, does save you a few ticks on the Tikal wheel but is less resource-cost-effective than the 1 resource double-pyramid on that same wheel.
-For a pure building strategy it is somewhat more important to consider the upgrades. The 1 discount (for one building only, not for the double build nor a monument) is nice but more important is the 2 vps.
I also like the 3 vp and I've seen someone max this upgrade to it's full potential. A couple problems with this:
1. It may only work once with the same group. Once people perceive the building track as "the best" this option get's clogged. Figuring that building and upgrading are on the same wheel, you are, at best, competing with yourself for spots.
2. Building for building's sake, or building to get the 2 vps, is again pretty dismal. This is mostly useful for building to obtain either pyramid points or going for some sort of vp buildings or bonus points with a monument or trying to hit the last level 3/6 vps as often as you can.
-No pyramid points. Personally I've never seen a game where someone got no points for pyramids and if you won by doing this, hats off to you. I've had games where I've had few pyramid points, however sometimes I feel like I'd almost have to go out of my way to avoid them. I can see hitting up the building upgrade bonus like a slot machine and racking up points that way, but that's the only thing I can imagine (which is the double upgrade at least 14-16 times with at least 28-34 resources).
If you use any skulls you can get pyramid points that way, and half the buildings have a pyramid upgrade of some kind, some of them very cheap to build. Not only are you missing out on end game points, you are also missing out on potential points mid game as well as resources.
Also, I'm considering your advice to actively upgrade during the game. It's somewhat more easy to consider an upgrade if you get the right starting tiles as these don't cost you any actions, workers or resources (and even then, sometimes it's worth not taking them).
Especially in the case of big corn, big corn being that you stock pile a good deal of corn and play later in the turn order to rocket past other placers by utilizing higher corn cost slots and/or taking advantage of the Uxmal wheel which is typically under utilized aside from people trying for more workers once in a while.
-The corn upgrade I personally find very dismal. To max it it's a minimum of 2 workers, 4 turns and 6 resources to get an extra 3 corn. Assuming you're using wood, the "cheapest" resource, that the equivalent trade value of 12 corn - meaning you have to use the ability (and not on fishing) at least 4 times just to break even. Then their is the cost of placing and waiting the workers here needed to get those resources and get this upgrade. I'm not saying it doesn't have it's uses but you absolutely can do big corn without it.
The last level, upgrade 1 pyramid, does save you a few ticks on the Tikal wheel but is less resource-cost-effective than the 1 resource double-pyramid on that same wheel.
-For a pure building strategy it is somewhat more important to consider the upgrades. The 1 discount (for one building only, not for the double build nor a monument) is nice but more important is the 2 vps.
I also like the 3 vp and I've seen someone max this upgrade to it's full potential. A couple problems with this:
1. It may only work once with the same group. Once people perceive the building track as "the best" this option get's clogged. Figuring that building and upgrading are on the same wheel, you are, at best, competing with yourself for spots.
2. Building for building's sake, or building to get the 2 vps, is again pretty dismal. This is mostly useful for building to obtain either pyramid points or going for some sort of vp buildings or bonus points with a monument or trying to hit the last level 3/6 vps as often as you can.
-No pyramid points. Personally I've never seen a game where someone got no points for pyramids and if you won by doing this, hats off to you. I've had games where I've had few pyramid points, however sometimes I feel like I'd almost have to go out of my way to avoid them. I can see hitting up the building upgrade bonus like a slot machine and racking up points that way, but that's the only thing I can imagine (which is the double upgrade at least 14-16 times with at least 28-34 resources).
If you use any skulls you can get pyramid points that way, and half the buildings have a pyramid upgrade of some kind, some of them very cheap to build. Not only are you missing out on end game points, you are also missing out on potential points mid game as well as resources.