Bengaluru investors: Are pre-launch deals truly better?

Has anyone actually seen pre-launch deals truly translate into better ROI later on, especially with builders like Prestige in areas like Malleshwaram? I'm looking at a new project there, and the 'early bird discount' feels a bit like marketing. Also, what's the real story with spot discounts versus a builder's fixed price policy? Is it always better to go direct or can brokers sometimes pull off a better deal? From my experience, it's never as straightforward as they make it sound, thinking about total acquisition cost.