Brain Trust - podcast cover

Brain Trust

Adam Vass & Will Jobstlinktr.ee
Indie tabletop RPG designers Adam Vass and Will Jobst make roleplaying games, chat theory, and be friends online.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Signal, Noise, and Quantum Mysteries

Season 2, Episode 10. On this season finale, Adam and Will talk about Brindlewood Bay and the concept of the quantum mystery. We get into stoner mysteries, the LA of it all, and what to do about ipods. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks .

May 07, 20251 hr 4 min

Q&A: Epiphanies, Magic Systems, and Scrapping It

Season 2, Episode 9. On this episode, Adam and Will talk about their perfect creative conditions, how long we’ll be making games, magic systems, epiphanies, changes in approaches over time, and more. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Apr 09, 202550 min

The Pros of Con

On this episode, Adam and Will talk about cons: working them, playing games at them, and running games at them, and all the feelings wrapped up therein. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Mar 25, 20251 hr 5 min

Vestments and VHSs

On this episode, Adam and Will talk about finishing projects, Mortal Kombat, and Adam’s white whale project. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Mar 20, 202552 min

The New End of the World

On this episode, Adam and Will recap and discuss this year’s ZineQuest, and explore a spiritual successor to a game they both love. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Mar 12, 20251 hr 9 min

Brain Trust Babies

Season 2, Episode 5: Brain Trust Babies On this episode, Will regales Adam with an anecdote about a recent game. Find Adam Vass’s Midnight Marathon here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/7608ff96-13c1-4dd9-aa9b-c7a50f762b1e/landing?ref=bk-discover-user-profile Find Seb Pines’ Underneath here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spines/underneath-2 Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! ...

Mar 04, 202557 min

Bullet Points Rock My World

On this episode, we chat about what happens when we send games to print, and the eternal struggle of supporting systems with adventure releases. How do you build a play culture? Check out this link for a list of zine quest projects: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XGdtJVXGD5FD3XMcsS_FXdLN6OuRvmaYlm7Zfyo6zVs/edit?gid=0#gid=0 Find Adam Vass’s Midnight Marathon here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/7608ff96-13c1-4dd9-aa9b-c7a50f762b1e/landing?ref=bk-discover-user-profile Find Seb P...

Feb 25, 202559 min

Incredible Chair Experience

Season 2, Episode 3 Part 3 of 3 on crowdfunding. In this episode, we talk about the existential aspects of crowdfunding, and answering questions from the Brain Trust Discord and Bluesky: How do you decide if a project is right for the green realm (or equivalent) as opposed to just doing a release on your own stores? How do we even think this is a good idea to build a business model on? How do we reach the middle class where we don’t need to run crowdfunding campaigns just to get print runs done ...

Feb 18, 20251 hr 2 min

Crowdfunding is a Pencil Dive into a Pond

Season 2, Episode 2: Crowdfunding is a Pencil Dive into a Pond. Part 2 of 3 on crowdfunding. In this episode, we focus on the mental aspect of crowdfunding, and answer questions from our Discord and Bluesky: How do you crowdfund a second game? How to balance sustainability and environmental responsibility? Can crowdfunding be fun? Do we need to divorce our worth from our projects more? How do you stop thinking about the campaign when you need to do other tasks, like sleep? How do you disengage i...

Feb 11, 202552 min

For Those About to Crowdfund, We Salute You

Season 2, Episode 1: For Those About to Crowdfund, We Salute You Part 1 of 3 on crowdfunding. In this episode, we break down first principles of a crowdfunding campaign. What is it, why do we do it, and how do we stay sane while doing it. Find Adam Vass’s Midnight Marathon here . Find Seb Pines’ Underneath here . Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ ....

Feb 04, 20251 hr 8 min

Competitive TTRPGs and Bingo

Season 1, Episode 11: In this episode, we tackle a question from Ethan Yen about creating competitive TTRPGs. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Oct 09, 202444 min

Q&A: Monsters, Art, and Quiet Innovation

Season 1, Episode 10: In this episode, we answer listener questions, specifically about monster design, art, and “quiet innovation”. Appendix N: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/rock-paper-scissors---a-method-for-competitive-game-play-design Made Out Of Meat: Health Systems In Video Games Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ ....

Oct 02, 202446 min

Approachability and Free Radicals

Season 1, Episode 9: In this episode, we talk about how we communicate what our games even are, and how we can meld minds with people who run games via the page. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Sep 24, 202444 min

Gen Con Recap and Cryptids

Season 1, Episode 8: We were both… ACTUALLY… at Gen Con. Here’s our report! Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Sep 17, 202446 min

Kickstarter and Disgusting Butterflies

Season 1, Episode 7: In this episode we join our hosts mere minutes after the end of a successful Kickstarter. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ .

Sep 10, 202437 min

Plasmodics and the Human Inside the Game

Season 1, Episode 6: In this episode, we talk everything Plasmodics, a big update on our lives and project, and how we highlight the usness of our games. Find Plasmodics: mutant freaks in the weird future here. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ ....

Sep 02, 202456 min

Graphic Design and Born to Die

Season 1, Episode 5: In this episode, we talk about shock jocks, graphic design, and studying adventures, and in the middle we design the Born to Die TTRPG! Listen to part two of this episode only on Ko-Fi , on 2/6. Find the Born to Die RPG at https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/ . Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: ⁠Born to Die⁠ Ali on TikTok ...

Feb 01, 202458 min

Save Points and Research

Season 1, Episode 4: In this episode, we chat about IKEA, save points in TTRPGs, and how we research games, and who our “game parents” are. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: Baldur’s Gate 3 big Grave Fashion Fantasy Vampire the Masquerade One Thousand Year Old Vampire Blood Borg A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution Black Mass Mork ...

Jan 25, 20241 hr 3 min

Companions and Mr. Lindor

Season 1, Episode 3: In this episode, we talk about companions and how we love to use them. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: Baldur’s Gate 3 Follow Imp of the Preverse Plasmodics: mutant freaks in the weird future Wastelanders Cybermetal 2012 Big Grave Fashion Fantasy Cyberpunk 2077 Good Friends of Jackson Elias Eternal Lies Dracula Dossie...

Jan 18, 202457 min

BONUS UNLOCKED: Dungeon Lords

Season 1, Episode 2b Bonus: In this episode, we enter the Therapy-G zone to talk about how to run dungeons while playing digitally! Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: Western Kabuki Wolves Upon the Coast Dungeons and Dragons (disrespectful) Dungeon Robber...

Jan 16, 202432 min

Roles and Oubliette Strategies

Season 1, Episode 2: In this episode, we talk about the meta roles at the RPG table, asymmetrical stats, and a playstorm where we go goblin mode. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: Sixth Sense Scanners Plasmodics: mutant freaks in the weird future Disco Elysium Among Us (amongus) Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Kim Diaz Holm Robin’s Laws of Good Ga...

Jan 11, 202459 min

New Starts and Firestarters

Season 1, Episode 1: In this episode we talk about the structure of the show, how we plan to make it, and what kind of things we’ll talk about. We introduce the Techlab with our first topic: what makes a good first sentence or intro paragraph of an RPG? Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ . Appendix N: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Wolv...

Jan 04, 202454 min

Season Preview

Season 1, Episode 0 Adam Vass and Will Jobst are back with another season of the Brain Trust podcast, starting this Thursday! In this preview episode, get to know our new format, release schedule, and how to support us. Visit https://ko-fi.com/thebraintrust and throw us a few bucks a month to hear seasonal bonus episodes, get access to merch sales, and more! Find us at https://braintrust.rocks/ ....

Jan 02, 20245 min

Live Outside Gen Con (Gen Con 2023)

We have an exciting new opportunity for you, and some tickets to sell. We chat about mentorship and how to knowledge share with others, and preview some upcoming games! ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://discord.gg/vGB9UYYveK...

Aug 23, 202340 min

Live at a Conference (Gen Con 2023)

We’re over in sunny Fort Wayne for the latest and greatest Gen Con. We pick our BarbieHiemer games and talk about Dr. Adam Divorce. ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://discord.gg/vGB9UYYveK...

Aug 03, 202341 min

Three More Questions

We answer questions about reengaging with WIPS, designing the roleplaying out of rpgs, and the three new questions of design. ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://discord.gg/vGB9UYYveK...

Jun 23, 202344 min

Don't Scam Yourself

We’re chatting about collaboration, Guns n’ Roses, and how we like to work with each other! 1978: The Night THEY Came Home . Go to 1978.games and reserve your copy today! ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://discord.gg/vGB9UYYveK...

Jun 15, 202348 min

Triangulating

Today, we debut Adam’s newest RPG and crowdfunding campaign: 1978: The Night THEY Came Home . Go to 1978.games and reserve your copy today! We chat about all things 1978, the shared nightmare of being in school again, triangulating where a game fits in the world, and updates on our projects and lives. ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link...

Jun 07, 202358 min

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Zine

We’re back! Talking about shirts, mousetrap, making zines, and Adam’s game Sweet Revenge. Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud.com/willjobst . Also, there’s a discord! We’d love for you to join! Find the link here: https://discord.gg/vGB9UYYveK...

Jun 01, 202355 min

Zines and Mushrooms

While you’re here, contribute to AAPI support networks ( https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/ ) and Black Lives Matter ( https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ ). Today we’re talking about zines, available across the internet for Zine Month 2023! The Lovers Plasmodics Sweet Revenge Horse Girl Chiron’s Doom Electrum Archive #2 Miru 2 Strictly Between Us Contact Low-Res Futures ____ Find Adam on Twitter at @wcgameco and Will at @will_jobst Music by Will Jobst, available at https://soundcloud...

Feb 15, 202359 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android