Brain Trust
45 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsIndie tabletop designers Adam Vass and Will Jobst make a roleplaying game in real time with Brain Trust, part of Break Kickstarter. Weekly episodes will document the brainstorming and development of a tabletop roleplaying game with kickstarter backers influencing design decisions. Additionally, guests from the TTRPG world will come on and discuss their creative processes and tell us whether or not we're doing a smart thing.
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Episodes
Those Four Special Words
May 27, 2020 15:14 - 59 minutes - 109 MBIn this new sort of game, everyone in the world is a target. Or an opportunity. The only thing you have are your devices, a personal code, and a lifelong commitment and understanding of the trifold axis of our new world. Seek the mysteries of the forebears, extract your pound of flesh, get points in exchange for advanced techniques, and choose your path. Savior or scourge? Do you walk alone or do you work with other for your ends? For solitaire, I believe it’s an old game played by trees. G...
Podcasting Is a Game and We’re Playing It
May 19, 2020 16:25 - 1 hour - 125 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are random entries. We’re in a treasure appendix and you always fudge the numbers a little bit to get us. In this episode, we generate an episode of the Brain Trust podcast. Will chats about their new game, shipwrights, available today at https://willjobst.itch.io/shipwrights. Adam propagates some mechanics from his strategy game draft Ossuary. I think this is how you play solitaire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJiUscfjQw. Want to generate your own episode of t...
The Stadium of Failure
May 12, 2020 17:20 - 1 hour - 135 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are a weird hand gesture. We are sundials on your walk. We are apples and milk, but worse. In this episode, we talk about layout, failure, and building a relationship with your work. Will might still be in an infinity library of their own design. Adam chats his new game, Aurora, available today at https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/aurora. What fruits do lizards like? We don’t talk about solitaire, but here’s how I’d describe it: the goal solitaire is to build a canon ...
Waterdeep is Toy
May 05, 2020 18:55 - 1 hour - 122 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are your drive-time DJs on 69.3 AM, your home for funny number bands. We are again apologizing to the gamers, recollecting radio stations past, and definitely specifically not at all trying to say anything on the Brain Trust bingo board. We make three games involving other games, experiences on top of experiences, like a double decker bus but for games. Do you understand? Adam remembers the bill of a lifetime and Will debuts some impressions from fucking 50 years ago...
This Is Our Green Album
April 28, 2020 18:51 - 1 hour - 116 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are two big fangs. We’re Weezer now. Life’s going to be a little different, out here in the g’rage and Beverly Hills. Adam unveils 500 years of vegan secrets and outlines new editions of Babes in the Wood and Protest Singer. Will recounts a citrus meltdown and makes an enemy of Frank. We made a game on this episode that really asks: what that mouth do? This is our Green Album. This is our Vampire RPG. (㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ) Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_...
Zip Plus Four, If You Nasty
April 21, 2020 16:44 - 53 minutes - 98.8 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are Hollywood again. This is the beginning of a new era of Brain Trusting. A computerized world. For art and likes. And Dew. In this episode we dramatize game design, ask: what is owlbear?, and get into your innards. Adam dives into ForeverDex: a game about monster and mail at https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/foreverdex, and Will talks about just getting your head right and taking it easy and saying “fuck it” it’s okay to not do anything and also to do anything, I do...
A Gourd Named Delilah
April 14, 2020 15:50 - 59 minutes - 110 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are against the owlbears. Not "against" so much as "attempting to coexist". They induct a new Pokemon into the Brain Trust-Certified Favorite Pokemon club, talk about the playtest of THIS DISCORD HAS GHOSTS IN IT (available now: https://willjobst.itch.io/ghosts), dive into what early access means to us, and remember the name of the music website. Spin? Stereogum? We plot out an open development release for the mapmaking game TOTAL STATION. Find Adam on Twitter at @w...
Caspers in the Chat
April 07, 2020 17:12 - 48 minutes - 88.7 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst brainstorm and brainproduce three games using online. What kind of games lean into the crosstalk and overspeaking of voice chat, the private space around your computer, or the haunted house that is Discord? We got you. Adam unveil a very good impression of our favorite LOST character, Will doesn’t analyze the significance of twos, and we both consider what makes a flakey, fresh, homemade brain crust. Bazinga count for this episode: 1. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgame...
Episode 21: Caspers in the Chat
April 07, 2020 17:12 - 48 minutes - 88.7 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst brainstorm and brainproduce three games using online. What kind of games lean into the crosstalk and overspeaking of voice chat, the private space around your computer, or the haunted house that is Discord? We got you. Adam unveil a very good impression of our favorite LOST character, Will doesn’t analyze the significance of twos, and we both consider what makes a flakey, fresh, homemade brain crust. Bazinga count for this episode: 1. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgame...
Grocery Store Pincer Formation
March 31, 2020 15:27 - 47 minutes - 86.3 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst enter online, again. We derail fast to talk about supermarkets, blueboxes, and Will’s friendly upstairs cult. Adam give a Quietus play report, and we both talk about playing games online. Will debuts a brand-new joke and Adam reveals himself to be something of a music guy. Wow! A programming note, in these quarantine-days, we’re going to switch from biweekly to weekly! You’ll get episodes like these, in which we check-in, go wild, and exchange grocery store pincer f...
Episode 20: Grocery Store Pincer Formation
March 31, 2020 15:27 - 47 minutes - 86.3 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst enter online, again. We derail fast to talk about supermarkets, blueboxes, and Will’s friendly upstairs cult. Adam give a Quietus play report, and we both talk about playing games online. Will debuts a brand-new joke and Adam reveals himself to be something of a music guy. Wow! A programming note, in these quarantine-days, we’re going to switch from biweekly to weekly! You’ll get episodes like these, in which we check-in, go wild, and exchange grocery store pincer f...
Episode 19: Gripsters and Ripsters
March 17, 2020 14:47 - 1 hour - 121 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst tear it up, materially-speaking. We tear it up, generally, too. But today it’s specific. You get it. In this episode, we design three games revolving around the destruction of zines, with at least one of them about LOST. If you love something, sometimes you have to rip it up into 1,000 pieces. This episode is ready-made with everything you need: foley experiment, Adam and Will getting the mind-blown feeling, and minimal references to the reason we’re all inside. Als...
Gripsters and Ripsters
March 17, 2020 14:47 - 1 hour - 121 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst tear it up, materially-speaking. We tear it up, generally, too. But today it’s specific. You get it. In this episode, we design three games revolving around the destruction of zines, with at least one of them about LOST. If you love something, sometimes you have to rip it up into 1,000 pieces. This episode is ready-made with everything you need: foley experiment, Adam and Will getting the mind-blown feeling, and minimal references to the reason we’re all inside. Als...
Grateful Dead Van of Theseus
March 03, 2020 17:11 - 57 minutes - 106 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst take it all apart piece by piece and put it back together again. We’re back, baby, in the same zip code. Hell, we’re even in the same room. Locking eyes and bass boosting fives. The California sun is nice, I’m not afraid to say it. In this one we talk about playing A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution (Together! In person!), how screen printing techniques inform game design, and chopping and screwing game systems. Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you ...
The Anti-Designer
February 18, 2020 15:02 - 1 hour - 115 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst discover that for every thing, there is an anti-thing. Matter. Malls. Games designers. We chat about reinvention, kickstarter peeves, and wonder why you were nodding along in the first place. Adam looks at the katamaris (the game of cousins), the long view of one’s catalog, and gets ready to wrap up the Cobwebs kickstarter (while previewing what’s to come). Will anatomizes the anti-designer, and then becomes it. They also hack up a lung and think about that nice west...
The Campaign to Reshoot Little Rascals (1994)
February 05, 2020 01:07 - 1 hour - 144 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst set off fireworks in celebration of Cobwebs funding! We prepare our minds to enter the green realm of Zine Quest 2 by highlighting some of our most anticipated zines. Adam ponders what his own catalog, the bounds between heavy metal fucker shit and kid shit. Will recounts a scary noise from the woods. They both chat about a Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution and hint toward a mysterious break in the episode. Huh. Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you ...
Burrito Design Seminar
January 21, 2020 16:13 - 1 hour - 134 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst bluesky the next actually good corporate game. As with every movement in games, it’s one of two things. Call of Duty or Spiderman. Chipotle or Taco Bell. They talk about the scariest character sheets, zines ahead of ZineQuest 2020, and a deep dive into Adam’s coming-to-Kickstarter game Cobwebs (January 28th, mark it!). For more information, check out Adam’s mailing list right here. Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://disc...
The Car Is in the Front Yard
January 07, 2020 17:17 - 1 hour - 126 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst get lit. What does 2020 hold? Will gets grim, fast. Adam explores Doozle and the goblin conundrum. Then they crescendo into music games, with notes and pianos and clapping and that certain TikTok noise. This episode features a playstorm of my car is in the front yard, now available on at willjobst.itch.io/my-car-is-in-the-front-yard. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst.
Top Three, Twenty Nineteen
December 24, 2019 15:37 - 1 hour - 119 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst give the definitive ranking of everything, including: best games you haven’t read yet, most questionable lunches, and, well, slaw. They talk about ghosts of episodes’ past, their favorite games of the year, and Pokemon. Who’s Auld Lang Syne anyways? I’m going to look it up and get back to you. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst. I looked it up. Auld Lang Syne is a type of co...
A Cinder Block Box in Worcester, MA
November 26, 2019 15:11 - 24 minutes - 45.1 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are together in the same room! Live and direct for Worcester, MA, Adam and Will reunite! They talk about Pokemon (Shield), the status of A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution, Adam’s upcoming game Cobwebs, and the joy of gaming with new players. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst.
Episode 12: A Cinder Block Box in Worcester, MA
November 26, 2019 15:11 - 24 minutes - 45.1 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are together in the same room! Live and direct for Worcester, MA, Adam and Will reunite! They talk about Pokemon (Shield), the status of A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution, Adam’s upcoming game Cobwebs, and the joy of gaming with new players. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst.
Mahogany Sentences
October 31, 2019 17:39 - 57 minutes - 106 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are two cars passing in the night. Adam’s about to leave on tour, and Will is back! On this episode, we clear the sticky-note docket, compare Gallaghers, and test dream games. Adam debriefs after Big Bad Con and Will presents the newest luxury RPG product. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst.
Episode 11: Mahogany Sentences
October 31, 2019 17:39 - 57 minutes - 106 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are two cars passing in the night. Adam’s about to leave on tour, and Will is back! On this episode, we clear the sticky-note docket, compare Gallaghers, and test dream games. Adam debriefs after Big Bad Con and Will presents the newest luxury RPG product. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst.
For The Burger Queen
October 15, 2019 21:04 - 1 hour - 116 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst bring back the wonderful For The Queen hack “For The Game Design” and bring it on the road to Big Bad Con 2019 with a flurry of amazing designers and friends drawing cards. Adam & Will also have a nice discussion in-studio about player skill progression from repetitive play and start to re-assess where they are with the design process of A Guide to Casting Phantoms in The Revolution. Keep up with all of the designers who made appearances on the show this week: Suzan...
Episode 10: For The Burger Queen
October 15, 2019 21:04 - 1 hour - 116 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst bring back the wonderful For The Queen hack “For The Game Design” and bring it on the road to Big Bad Con 2019 with a flurry of amazing designers and friends drawing cards. Adam & Will also have a nice discussion in-studio about player skill progression from repetitive play and start to re-assess where they are with the design process of A Guide to Casting Phantoms in The Revolution. Keep up with all of the designers who made appearances on the show this week: Suz...
Episode 9: Purple Gameboy Color
October 01, 2019 13:27 - 59 minutes - 109 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are back in the same country, time to catch up! On this episode, Adam brings a hack of Alex Roberts’ For The Queen where the word “Queen” is replaced with “Game Design.” It’s devastating. It’s really just, a lot. Adam and Will get ready for a season of design by talking about what makes them feel beautiful, the Kickstarter union, made-up cons, and our Nardwuar presents. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at htt...
Purple Gameboy Color
October 01, 2019 13:27 - 59 minutes - 109 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are back in the same country, time to catch up! On this episode, Adam brings a hack of Alex Roberts’ For The Queen where the word “Queen” is replaced with “Game Design.” It’s devastating. It’s really just, a lot. Adam and Will get ready for a season of design by talking about what makes them feel beautiful, the Kickstarter union, made-up cons, and our Nardwuar presents. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at http...
Episode 8: The Wit with Lucian Kahn
September 17, 2019 14:25 - 102 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are a world apart, but the brain keeps trusting. On this episode, Will talks to Lucian Kahn, game designer, pentagram expert, and absolute wit. We talk about luminiferous ether, geezer energy, the Kickstarter union, what pipe cleaners are for, and the mythic wit of Lucian Kahn. We also chat about the upcoming MALL GOTHS VS VISIGOTHS Kickstarter. Adam checks in via phantoscope at the end of the episode, live from Australia. Find Lucian Kahn online at https://twitter...
The Wit with Lucian Kahn
September 17, 2019 14:25 - 55 minutes - 102 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst are a world apart, but the brain keeps trusting. On this episode, Will talks to Lucian Kahn, game designer, pentagram expert, and absolute wit. We talk about luminiferous ether, geezer energy, the Kickstarter union, what pipe cleaners are for, and the mythic wit of Lucian Kahn. We also chat about the upcoming MALL GOTHS VS VISIGOTHS Kickstarter. Adam checks in via phantoscope at the end of the episode, live from Australia. Find Lucian Kahn online at https://twitter...
Episode 7: Funded
September 03, 2019 12:11 - 65 MBEpisode 7: Funded We funded? YEAH WE DID. In this episode, Adam and Will collectively exhale, talk about the future, and plan their break. We’ll be back in your feeds later this month, but for the meanwhile, we’re going to take a beat. We chat about exhaustion roleplaying, the last exciting days of the campaign, and more. This episode is a thank-you note to our backers, that made this podcast and campaign possible. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to jointhebraintrust@g...
Funded
September 03, 2019 12:11 - 35 minutes - 65 MBEpisode 7: Funded We funded? YEAH WE DID. In this episode, Adam and Will collectively exhale, talk about the future, and plan their break. We’ll be back in your feeds later this month, but for the meanwhile, we’re going to take a beat. We chat about exhaustion roleplaying, the last exciting days of the campaign, and more. This episode is a thank-you note to our backers, that made this podcast and campaign possible. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to jointhebraintrust@g...
Slam Dunks with Alex Roberts
August 27, 2019 13:30 - 1 hour - 115 MBOn the final week of their Kickstarter Campaign, Adam Vass and Will Jobst chat with Diana Jones award winning game designer of Starcrossed & For The Queen: Alex Roberts! We talk about designing game systems to be hack-friendly, our early childhood game designs, and roman candle fights. We also reveal the title of our RPG that you helped decide in last week’s poll. This is the final 48 hours of the Brain Trust kickstarter campaign! Show your support here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. Find Alex Rob...
Episode 6: Slam Dunks with Alex Roberts
August 27, 2019 13:30 - 115 MBOn the final week of their Kickstarter Campaign, Adam Vass and Will Jobst chat with Diana Jones award winning game designer of Starcrossed & For The Queen: Alex Roberts! We talk about designing game systems to be hack-friendly, our early childhood game designs, and roman candle fights. We also reveal the title of our RPG that you helped decide in last week’s poll. This is the final 48 hours of the Brain Trust kickstarter campaign! Show your support here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. Find Alex Ro...
Titles with Nell Raban
August 20, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 89.5 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with software developer, game designer, and writer extraordinaire Nell Raban about the courage of putting your ideas into the public eye, the roles of cops in fantasy, and intentional and unintentional antagonism in roleplay. We also reveal the tone of our game that you voted on and we offer up the very big final poll: the name of our game. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. Find Nell Raban on Twitter at twitter.com/nell_do_well and her gam...
Episode 5: Titles with Nell Raban
August 20, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 89.5 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with software developer, game designer, and writer extraordinaire Nell Raban about the courage of putting your ideas into the public eye, the roles of cops in fantasy, and intentional and unintentional antagonism in roleplay. We also reveal the tone of our game that you voted on and we offer up the very big final poll: the name of our game. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. Find Nell Raban on Twitter at twitter.com/nell_do_well and her ga...
Episode 4: Prototypes with Banana Chan
August 13, 2019 14:00 - 55 minutes - 101 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with tabletop roleplaying game designer, larp designer, and writer Banana Chan about prototypes, developing physical objects, Gen Con, and the power of whiteboarding. We also discuss the voice that our game will communicate in and ask you to help us choose the next step. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Banana Chan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bananachangames and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/banana.chann. W...
Prototypes with Banana Chan
August 13, 2019 14:00 - 54 minutes - 101 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with tabletop roleplaying game designer, larp designer, and writer Banana Chan about prototypes, developing physical objects, Gen Con, and the power of whiteboarding. We also discuss the voice that our game will communicate in and ask you to help us choose the next step. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Banana Chan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bananachangames and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/banana.chann. Wa...
Artifacts with Takuma Okada
August 06, 2019 14:58 - 1 hour - 110 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with game designer, musician, and creative Takuma Okada about creative sparks, game jams, physical items used in gameplay... and Bionicles. We also discuss some physical artifacts that could appear in our game and ask you to help us choose the next step. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Takuma Okada’s games at noroadhome.itch.io and their music at soundcloud.com/noroadhome. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it...
Episode 3: Artifacts with Takuma Okada
August 06, 2019 14:58 - 1 hour - 110 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with game designer, musician, and creative Takuma Okada about creative sparks, game jams, physical items used in gameplay... and Bionicles. We also discuss some physical artifacts that could appear in our game and ask you to help us choose the next step. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Takuma Okada’s games at noroadhome.itch.io and their music at soundcloud.com/noroadhome. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send i...
Episode 2: Focus with Nathan D. Paoletta
July 30, 2019 15:43 - 1 hour - 116 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with game designer, writer, and graphic artist Nathan D. Paoletta. On this episode, they discuss the winner of the pitches, the “big three” questions, and expansive design. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Nathan and his work at ndpdesign.com, and the | BLACK | RED | WHITE | Nonexistent Games Kickstarter here: http://kck.st/2LXpXjy. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to [email protected] Find ...
Focus with Nathan D. Paoletta
July 30, 2019 15:43 - 1 hour - 116 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst chat with game designer, writer, and graphic artist Nathan D. Paoletta. On this episode, they discuss the winner of the pitches, the “big three” questions, and expansive design. Check the Kickstarter out here: http://kck.st/2JMjohW. You can find Nathan and his work at ndpdesign.com, and the | BLACK | RED | WHITE | Nonexistent Games Kickstarter here: http://kck.st/2LXpXjy. Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to [email protected] Find Ad...
Episode 1: Pitches
July 23, 2019 14:59 - 59 minutes - 109 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst bring ten game pitches, and whittle them down to five. In the meanwhile, Will flips a coin three times, Adam discusses killing your darlings, and we both submit our five options to the 🧠🤝 BRAIN TRUST 🧠🤝, to decide the game we make over the next five weeks. Check the Kickstarter out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adamxvass/braintrust Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to [email protected] Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and ...
Pitches
July 23, 2019 14:59 - 59 minutes - 109 MBAdam Vass and Will Jobst bring ten game pitches, and whittle them down to five. In the meanwhile, Will flips a coin three times, Adam discusses killing your darlings, and we both submit our five options to the BRAIN TRUST , to decide the game we make over the next five weeks. Check the Kickstarter out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adamxvass/braintrust Want to talk to us? Record a voice memo and send it to [email protected] Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will a...
Introducing The Brain Trust
July 20, 2019 22:52 - 20 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this preliminary episode, our hosts Adam Vass and Will Jobst discuss the Brain Trust (the podcast, the kickstarter campaign, the roleplaying game, and the community). We go over the different pledge levels, how we break kickstarter, how you can *play with our campaign, and how the podcast will work moving forward. Visit our kickstarter campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adamxvass/braintrust
Brain Trust Podcast Episode Zero
July 20, 2019 22:52 - 20 minutes - 36.8 MBJoin Adam Vass and Will Jobst as they begin a big wild game design stunt to #breakKickstarter. Adam and Will are going to design a game from scratch, live, over the course of five weeks on Kickstarter. They’re making every part of the process transparent, while enlisting the help of the backers, the 🧠🤝 BRAIN TRUST🧠🤝 . Check the Kickstarter out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adamxvass/braintrust Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst