Wheel of Pork (brainstorming ideas)

[Lardarse]

So, after playing 2 games of Wheel of Fate recently, my mind is considering the possibilities.

* The numbers are on roughly a quarter of the tiles. There is little to no control over when the wheel "spins".
* Control could be added by having each player have an additional tile in hand, and then choosing which tile they play, and taking the number from the tile that is played (and not necessarily from the tile that's drawn). Yes, I know that people will yell at me for suggesting this, but the wheel adds an additional layer to the game, and the option to delay wheel movement until the right moment could add something.
* The pig always moves a fixed number of spaces throughout the game. This means that there is always a safe wheel placement, and that it is rarely a bad thing to take that safe placement whenever it is available. I am wondering if the wheel could be brought to life more by the final destination of the wheel not always being known.
* The pig also only ever moves in one direction. Something could be added that makes the pig change direction. This alone would not address the above point, as the parity (odd/even) of the number of spaces to move would also have to change to make all of the spaces possible final positions.
* There have been some variants in the past that have addressed the purpose of the pig piece that each player has, as their creators have viewed the pig as a worthless piece. I remember one such variant that has the pig indicated a diseased farm (no swine flu jokes, please). I am wondering if the pig piece could be used to indicate that a player has used their oppourtunity to influence the wheel.

More thoughts to come, but this is a start. I'm putting this here and not in the other workshop as I don't want to make new tiles for this.

[Gwommy]

* The numbers are on roughly a quarter of the tiles. There is little to no control over when the wheel "spins".

Hence the name of the expansion?

* Control could be added by having each player have an additional tile in hand

I do have some friends that play with a hand of 3 tiles, but I don't.  When we play together, I make them play by the official rules. =b I could see how that'd be quite an advantage though.

* The pig always moves a fixed number of spaces throughout the game.

I agree, and I don't really like that fact. What about when drawing a numbered wheel tile, that if you give up the chance to 'move the wood', then you may move the pig an extra space (possibly two?) around the wheel?

* The pig also only ever moves in one direction. Something could be added that makes the pig change direction.

That could be interesting, but I'm willing to bet that the pig will never land on the section of the wheel that makes everyone remove a follower. =b

Here's another idea to add to the list: A player may place their pig from their supply to a position on the wheel of fate instead of deploying a follower.  That section of the wheel can be scored and in the future when that player draws a numbered wheel tile, then he may choose to move the pink pig or his own pig around the wheel.  And of course, if a player places a pig on the wheel, then the pig remains on the wheel for the rest of the game.

[CKorfmann]

There have been some variants in the past that have addressed the purpose of the pig piece that each player has, as their creators have viewed the pig as a worthless piece.

I rather enjoy using the pig.  If at all possilbe, I always use it on my big farm.  If I can get 8-10 points out of it, it's like have 5 barrels.