In this episode, we chat with Travis Vengroff one half of the production team over at Fool and Scholar Productions. They are known for such shows as The White Vault, Dark Dice Podcast, and their newest Don't Mind Cruxmont. Travis takes us behind the scenes of creating multiple award winning audiodramas!
In this episode, we chat with Travis Vengroff one half of the production team over at Fool and Scholar Productions. They are known for such shows as The White Vault, Dark Dice Podcast, and their newest Don't Mind Cruxmont. Travis takes us behind the scenes of creating multiple award winning audiodramas!
In this episode, we chat with Haley and Gus, the creators of the Unprepared Casters podcast. An actual play D&D podcast that focuses on shorter arcs to tell more succinct and clean stories. We chat about cultivating your community, getting started on Tiktok, and at the end of the episode we chat about Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age!
Check out their content at the links below:
UNPREPARED CASTERS:
Twitter
Apple Podcast
PATREON
Haley:
Twitter
TikTok
Youtube
Gus:
Twitter
TikTok
Spotify
Links mentioned in the show:
Notion: Notion is a project management and note-taking software.
Milanote: Milanote is an easy-to-use tool to organize your ideas and projects into visual boards.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
If you want to connect with me and follow more of my D&D/TTRPG content check the links here! https://wlo.link/@merlinthebard. I do everything from battlemaps to comedy skits on Tiktok!
Bardic Babble interview with Haley and Gus of Unprepared Casters.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 2 dives into Content Creation, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we are joined by Youtube legend JOCAT to talk about animation, inspiration, and content creation! We also chat a lot about burn out and how each of us has overcome it in different ways. Be sure to stay tuned for the end as Jocat builds an Eldritch variant of Dexter’s Mom from Dexter’s lab.
Check out their content at the links below:
youtube.com/jocat
https://twitch.tv/jocat
00:00.00
merlinthebard
All right? So let's going there I've got my local recording going if you've got yours? Okay, ah we're gonna do an old fashioned clapync here. So just count down from three. We'll both clap at the same time one 2 3
00:03.13
JoCat
Okay I will get mine. Yep mine is recording now as well.
00:18.96
merlinthebard
Perfect. It will help all righty um do to do to do breath in the zone in the main mind of it all alrighty friends. Welcome back to bartic babble the show where we talk to creators about the things that they create. And we are blessed with one of my favorite online creators been following the crap guides for years now. I have Mr. Mr. Joe Catt it's Mr work. There. It has been years. Um I think I actually was introduced to your stuff back in like.
00:47.47
JoCat
Oh my gosh has it really been years. Wow.
00:57.81
merlinthebard
2018 twenty nineteen so it's been been a few years.
00:58.20
JoCat
Yeah, that would have been around where I started Gosh it's It's hard to think about the crap guide series as years ago because it still feels current. But.
01:06.67
merlinthebard
Right? It's a ah blink of the eye and and you lose it especially over the last couple of years. Well thank you so much for for jumping on the horn and joining me on the season 2 revival of the podcast I greatly appreciate it.
01:11.28
JoCat
Wow.
01:21.69
JoCat
Ah, congratulations and thanks for having me.
01:25.15
merlinthebard
Things yeah, of course, of course it was one of those I was going through the roster and I thought starting off with some animation would be a a fun light hard to start. It's also something that I've always been fascinated by animation. It's it's hard for me to picture. Animation like the processes of animation I work a lot in word like words like physical sentences and stuff like that in my brain. So let's start at the top of it all. Let's introduce yourself the crap guides Joe Cat the whole persona and everything that that you create that you know.
01:44.16
JoCat
And.
02:02.64
JoCat
Yeah, so my name is Joseph I go by Joecat online. It is a shortening of my full name Joseph Catolanelo and I am a content creator on primarily on Youtube who makes a bunch of silly videos leaning into more animations now compared to before.
02:02.68
merlinthebard
Um, the audience members might not be aware of.
02:22.18
JoCat
But yeah I started my channel in about I think it was summer of 2018 or 2017 something like that I was in college and I was staying for college summer school and I had a plenty of free time on my hands because I only had like 1 class a day because it's summer school. And um I was like you know what? I'm going to make myself a Youtube channel so I did as a birthday present to myself a few dayss before my birthday I had made another Youtube channel and I just put my editing skills to the use making a couple of lets play and then the monster hunter world was coming out and I was like. Want my friends to play manza haor but it's kind of daunting I'm going to make a silly stupid guide for them because all the guides online are like 30 minutes long and overwhelming amounts of information I'm going to make this fun and that summer I kind of blew up in the Monso Hanna community and um shared them around and I got upwards to about 10000 subscribers I still remember that being a big number and then from there I just kind of started doing a bunch of other ideas that was my gateway into doing a bunch of other content that I've always wanted to make not just the crap guides. But um. You know animations video essays more let's plays and just a bunch of stuff. Yeah.
03:42.93
merlinthebard
That's awesome. Ah, before we get too far congratulations on 1000000 I saw you just passed that the other day. Huge milestone like that's that's incredible. Did you ever at any point in time in your journey like set a milestone to get to a million or.
03:45.62
JoCat
Thank you.
03:54.98
JoCat
Oh no I I never anticipated it nor did I um plan to I'm just like and even now it's like okay, it's It's kind of nice I mean it is a major milestone. Don't get me wrong, but it's like you know, ah the the work still needs doing and I still need to.
04:00.14
merlinthebard
E.
04:14.92
JoCat
You know, want to rather make each video the best that it can be um because like the numbers are just kind of like like a nice supplement to the work but it is. It is pretty nice. Ah yeah I never had the goal in mind I was just like I'm gonna make the best videos that I can.
04:22.73
merlinthebard
Sure.
04:29.94
merlinthebard
And and here you are so ah, a large portion of the audience is d and d and d and d fans and you know a lot of the the content that I do over on Tiktok is d and d what segues you from monster hunter to d and d like I can see the line but like.
04:42.00
JoCat
Um. That is to say there. There wasn't one I just Mon Hunter happened to be 1 of my hobbies and so was d and d and I just happened to want to make something of my hobby to share because that's what my content is my content is just stuff that I like.
04:49.74
merlinthebard
How did you get there.
05:06.95
JoCat
And want to see out in the world. Um, and if it doesn't exist then I can make it myself. You know that's what I see my channel as kind of a um, a means to make things that I want to exist ah because I know a few friends of mine once again. Just like Mansa Hunter I wanted to introduce them to d and d or just the different d and d classes and so so many guides online are boring and long and tedious to get through and kind of confusing so I was like let's just make like a cliffsnote version that just summarizes it in a fun way as well. That's entertaining.
05:34.59
merlinthebard
Here.
05:45.14
JoCat
And that really was what gave my channel a second wind as well because I think we're it not for the D and D Crap Guides I'm pretty sure my channel would have died. Yeah, ah if there was um if I could go on a slight tangent real quick. There was a period of time after the Monster Hunter crap guides were finished.
05:57.28
merlinthebard
Totally.
06:04.34
JoCat
Where I was grasping for something to retain the audience and the biggest blow to me kind of motivation wise and emotionally and put me kind of in a creative depression was when I made this one video essay about a video game that I really really liked called clono to. And that was a scripts and video that I had had planned before even the crap guides before I even had a channel ah rather once I had a channel but before I had even an audience I was like and I had worked on it from pre-production to completion about a year from like script writing to.
06:26.89
merlinthebard
The.
06:40.75
JoCat
Editing to grabbing footage and that was always a plan that I wanted to do including the animated portion of it and so much work and so much effort and so much emotional investment in 1 video that did so bad like um, just.
06:42.75
merlinthebard
Right.
07:00.12
merlinthebard
Gray.
07:00.57
JoCat
Exposure Wise really? ah was a big blow to the to the motivation. But it did teach me a very valuable lesson in that. Um it doesn't matter how many people saw it if nobody saw it. How happy would I be with this creation by itself. That's what matters because um I do look back on some videos that do did do very well and I'm like I feel bad because I'm like I didn't put as much effort as I could in this video and now everyone remembers it as this and everyone sees it as this.
07:20.81
merlinthebard
E.
07:35.00
merlinthebard
Right? It's It's funny how that works in content creation. Just you know the the level of input doesn't always doesn't always translate to to the reception in the general audience. Um now one of the things that I love that you you noted on is.
07:36.72
JoCat
And it's not even that good.
07:47.65
JoCat
Um, is it.
07:53.88
merlinthebard
Content creation and I'm summarizing here. It's for you. You do what you do for you and for your friends and I feel like so many content creators especially in this new age. Ah content creator Lifestyle people forget about that. They forget that.
08:06.20
JoCat
People miss that so much so many people I see among the younger audience and it's understandable because they're growing up on this kind of on Youtube and Tiktok and Twitch and stuff they're like I want to do this and develop a community is like you can't well you can want that. But.
08:13.54
merlinthebard
V.
08:24.10
JoCat
Don't make that your goal because that is not a guarantee you have to keep in mind. Okay, what do you do? if that doesn't happen because it very well might I I do feel lucky that Um, not only that there was an audience for it because right now I think D and D's in kind of a golden age right now.
08:25.11
merlinthebard
Right? right.
08:40.25
merlinthebard
Yes, agreed.
08:42.72
JoCat
I am lucky to have been making it now I am lucky to have not had somebody else make something like this before me and I am lucky enough that perhaps it caught wind in some kind of algorithm that allowed it. There is a lot of things involved that would have contributed to the success I Do think some things.
08:47.99
merlinthebard
Right? yeah.
09:01.50
JoCat
About my videos would have made them good and like reach an audience regardless like eventually, but it is a lot of luck. You might make the best thing in the world and maybe nobody will see it so you have to take into account what you'll do if that happens is it worth it. If you're doing it just for the audience and just for the fame and recognition is it. You know is the product without that or whatever you produce is your art without that good enough that you would be happy with it because you're the only one who you have to treat it as if you're the only one who's going to see it.
09:36.40
merlinthebard
Yeah, agreed and it's and it's it's wild, especially now that there's so much ah money involved in content creation and being an influencer. Um I think a lot of people get lost in the sauce. Ah when it comes to.
09:38.50
JoCat
Because you might.
09:45.60
JoCat
Here.
09:51.87
JoCat
Are.
09:54.88
merlinthebard
Ah I could start a Youtube channel and you know in you know six months be making ah a lifestyle out of it kind of a thing. Um and you know it doesn't help that there are content creators like you know Mr. Beast and Logan Paul who kind of who kind of glorify that side of they truly do.
10:00.21
JoCat
Here.
10:08.84
JoCat
They make it look easy too. It looks like just there every day.
10:13.66
merlinthebard
And yeah, and and like now they've gotten a little better with you know, including their editors and their content creation teams but like you for example, it's beginning to End. It's all you you do the animations. The cuts, the everything. How. Just for my curiosity. How long did one of the crap guides take from beginning to end.
10:36.22
JoCat
Oh man. So that's ah, that's an interesting thing in and of itself because the first crap guides to mansohanor took like a day to write record and edit um and now. Because I have such a higher standard and expectation and all this pressure. Um, realistically I probably could write and edit and make them in a day again, but like man, it's the emotional toll that it takes and like.
10:54.48
merlinthebard
Right.
11:10.67
JoCat
Just the artistic ideas that need to come to me? Um, there was one one phrase that was ah told to me from takahata 1 to one who is one of the ah one of the founders of team fourstar. Actually he back when I was still kind of a lot smaller.
11:12.44
merlinthebard
Right.
11:27.76
JoCat
Ah, he said some advice to me that I still hold true to till till this day in that um, creating is kind of like breathing where every time you create your breathing out. So sometimes you have to breathe in and that's the amount. That's the time that you're not creating the time that you're thinking the time that you're experiencing life and you're getting ideas and. Just like getting the nerve to create like that is 1 thing that I'm struggling with is building the nerve to create building the motivation. Um, especially because we don't exist in a vacuum and you know I know now just in the back of my mind. There is an audience there that I have to keep their expectations in mind when creating. Um.
11:58.11
merlinthebard
Right.
12:06.87
JoCat
Which I do you know I know that goes against what I said about create as if nobody's watching which I do still uphold as like the primary thing that I do as well and I understand I am sitting in a position of privilege where I can say that you know it's easy for me to say being at a million subscribers. But.
12:13.80
merlinthebard
Right.
12:21.97
merlinthebard
Right.
12:23.69
JoCat
Every other creator worth their salt will tell you the same thing. Um, because if you're chasing Algorithms it's going to feel bad. But anyway the crap guides the crap guys. The monstersa hunter took like a day to write record and edit and upload because I didn't have an audience I just made them for me and my friends and I had a bunch of free time and I could just do it.
12:41.59
merlinthebard
Right.
12:43.41
JoCat
Um I was in college ah in a dorm you know everything was paid for Ah, you know they provide food for me so I didn't have to cook I had a lot more. You know like a lot more free time. A lot of factors involved that allowed me to just do that just create the crap guides to D and D I tried to do them every other day.
12:53.82
merlinthebard
Right.
13:02.54
JoCat
But then I immediately felt the dip in writing quality because I wasn't letting myself come up with the ideas come up with the jokes and just like writing the first thing that comes to mind because like every good writer will tell you that. Ah. Good writing is an inevitability that just requires enough re-edits and and passes and edits that's why editors are so important because usually bad writing is usually a rough draft you know like a first draft whenever there's a bad script. It's usually because it's a first draft whenever there's a really good strip.
13:23.44
merlinthebard
Right.
13:34.56
JoCat
Usually it's because you look it over and you look at the history of his creation and it's because it went through like 8 different revisions. You know.
13:38.99
merlinthebard
Um, right? Um, so during your content creation Journey Did you ever experience? burnout.
13:47.20
JoCat
Oh absolutely absolutely all the time I felt a lot of burnout after I finished the crap guides to monster hunter massive burnout after I finished the first half of the crap guides to d and d because those started getting longer and longer in between them like I wanted foolishly to try and do them all. That December that I first started the barbarian video you, you'll notice that it started in December and then I wanted to do them all and cap it off with crap guided Dm that December that was foolish and then I tried to do it the next December and couldn't do it either and then the December after I finally was able to.
14:14.36
merlinthebard
Right.
14:24.82
JoCat
Do it all because I just kept getting new ideas and more stuff and I am glad that I waited because I got Matt Mercer to star in it. So that's guest in it rather not star in it. Um, but um.
14:31.71
merlinthebard
I mean write.
14:37.10
JoCat
Yeah I felt a lot of burnout like after each episode I would get this weird high of like okay I'm ready to create the next one and then I would get like a few paragraphs in and I'd be like this is garbage. This is bad I can't I can't do it and then I would spend like several weeks just away from it. In fact, I'm experiencing some burnout right now. Um. What with ah finishing some my own d and d stream d and d campaign necro hunt and just not wanting to get back to work on some other projects that I've had coming down the pipeline. Ah yeah, absolutely every I think every creator experiences burnout to some extent.
15:07.60
merlinthebard
Brand.
15:13.19
merlinthebard
Oh a hundred percent that's I took a year off this podcast because I you know was experiencing that it doesn't help that you know the the pandemic rolled through like a freight train. But um, yeah, exactly.
15:22.42
JoCat
Yeah, we're live or literally living through a global traumatic event. So yeah I can cut you you could cut yourself some slack and I bet that year off ah did you some good too.
15:32.60
merlinthebard
Ah, it was. It was great because then I got a dabble in other creative endeavors. You know I moved over to Tiktok I played around over there. Um, and Tiktok taught me a lot of valuable lessons when it comes to content creation more in the you know do it for yourself. And you know it's it's interesting to sit on the two sides of it. You know one is a consumer of the content and then one is a creator of the content to say you know make it for yourself because there's there's a lot of interpretations to that. But um, specific to burnout is there like a a tried- and truede method.
15:55.33
JoCat
Um, yeah.
16:09.82
merlinthebard
That you have to break out of your ah your burnout your your funks or whatever anyone wants to call it or just it just one of those like the inspiration just flows one day.
16:18.83
JoCat
I wouldn't say it's tried and true. But I do like ah like what you do? Um, what you did with Tiktok. It's just like try other stuff just do do other things live your life try creating in a different medium. Um because it can do you some good and get you some new angles that might inspire you or just relax.
16:35.39
merlinthebard
Yes.
16:36.37
JoCat
You know there's some story I don't remember what renaissance artists but there was some renaissance artist that was commissioned by like Italian royalty or something completely wrong, but those who know the story will know what I'm talking about who basically was like I will commission you he was like a famous painter who made like lots of stuff and this ah.
16:47.14
merlinthebard
E.
16:56.52
JoCat
Royalty was like hey can you paint us something here's like ah like ten million francs or something whatever that's french money but um and he was like okay and then he spent a year just going on vacation and just visiting a bunch of places and traveling and then like they were like hey it's been a year. Where's that painting and he's like. I'm still getting the inspiration and then like a few months later he comes back and paints like this thing that sells for millions and it's like sometimes that's what you got to? do you know you're an artist. Our work is very not unconventional and that is risky like that's not that's not a sustainable business because art is not a sustainable business. Our art is a.
17:29.97
merlinthebard
By.
17:34.93
JoCat
Like we don't get paid a salary. We're paid based on. It's an entertainment. You know that's why movies and games are so they're so scared of taking risks because it's hard to make science out of art. You know how do you guarantee money being flown into flowed into such a subjective you know, ah job.
17:45.59
merlinthebard
Yep.
17:54.89
JoCat
That it's all based off the back of how many people enjoy it.
17:56.83
merlinthebard
Totally, that's actually 1 of my my favorite book series the 3 body problem. Um, it's a sci-fi talks about like different principles of physics and things like that. But the main character is tasked with solving this world ending threat and he literally just slacks off until. Last minute. They're like all right doomsday is in 11 seconds what do we do and he flips 2 switches because he spent that entire year just absorbing all this different technical knowledge and know how and it's it's like I try to approach anything I do creatively with that mindset. You have to absorb 10 times more than you're going to put out.
18:29.45
JoCat
Yeah, yeah, absolutely and in a way you can kind of count that as working because you're developing your brain is your asset and you need to you know? Well maybe not count it as working but recovering and just getting the buildup and stuff.
18:45.38
merlinthebard
Yeah.
18:49.31
JoCat
Um, because some might argue That's really unhealthy to consider yourself always working because when are you not working you know, But yeah, like when you're in art, an artistic field. Everything is an asset you know, including living your life and just being free.
18:53.73
merlinthebard
Right? exactly.
19:03.24
merlinthebard
Yeah in in experiencing. Um, so when you are in your kind of like cool down slash warm up periods is there anything that you personally like to consume Tv shows music books that kind of yeah.
19:16.29
JoCat
Ah, video games I'm a big gamer I love playing video games ah too much. Well currently, right now I'm playing a lot of Eldon ring as everybody is ah I have a soft spot for the soul's franchise I like it. Um I do so I'm one of the one of those.
19:21.37
merlinthebard
Like what? what? what are you jamming on what are you jamming on lately I Love it.
19:35.99
JoCat
Souls people souls fans who likes the souls fan the souls games but actually actively criticizes it. Ah and I'm actually like gotten in plenty a heated Twitter argument which I got to stop because it's it's just whatever like I just have my own personal feelings of maybe.
19:39.91
merlinthebard
Sure.
19:51.16
JoCat
Could be more accessible speaking as someone who is able to play the games and like complete them and stuff I've been mounting Skyrim again just as an escape because it's like the sims but fantasy whenever you mod it and it's it's nice. It feels a niche that no other game is able to I play slay the spire which.
19:52.92
merlinthebard
Right.
20:10.18
merlinthebard
I Love that game I Love that game? Yeah, um, you know it has been a while a little wizard guy though and I'll I'll let you? yeah yeah, watch her.
20:10.83
JoCat
Sucks up all my spare time. It's like a it's a ah you placely this fire. Yeah, who's your favorite character.
20:26.50
JoCat
Although ah, the the watcher the robot guy with ah the zappy lightning I like the watcher I always tried to make like a claw deck because claw is a bad card unless you get more claws and it goes against his orb thing. But it's ah it's so satisfying when you pull 1 off because this is like millions of attacks that are free and just.
20:29.85
merlinthebard
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:43.98
JoCat
Pile up. Yeah slay the spire has been my comfort game. Um, but um, I mean every now and then I go back to monster hunter I've kind of fallen out of favor a little bit but I'm sure the interest will come back because I always go back to monster hunter I think it's just the time that I spent with it. Being primarily my job and being like the only means for the longest time monster hunter was like the only way I felt people would watch me whenever I did live streams people would only come watch Monster Hunter whenever I did videos people would only watch monster hunter so I think I have like a a deep rooted like subconscious.
21:08.24
merlinthebard
Right.
21:20.97
JoCat
Kind of um, kind of like I don't know disdain for the game but it's not the game's fault but it's just like oh yeah, like I feel like I have to play it. So now I don't but it's it's not that I still love Monster Hunter and I I return to it every now and then.
21:27.16
merlinthebard
But sure.
21:36.16
merlinthebard
Totally did you ever jump on dauntless when it was running around.
21:39.77
JoCat
I did yes um I guess I was just too sucked up into monster hunter because Dauntless was actually filling that niche of like monster hunter ah hunter on pc when monster hunter seemed like it was never coming to pc and I was like all right? Well I'll just play this.
21:49.27
merlinthebard
Right? right.
21:56.26
JoCat
And then it came to pc and dauntless was sweating in its boots but I should check it out sometime. It's I mean it's kind of like like a live service game so it must have gotten tons and tons of update and content over time. So I should check it out I I talk with the dauntless.
22:06.00
merlinthebard
Oh yeah, tons.
22:11.00
JoCat
Guys. Um, at one of the pases once and they they seem like good people. They seem very passionate about the game and and Monster Hunter I was like are you worried now that bot of Hunters coming to Pc that if they're that's going to affect your launch or anything and they're like. I Mean probably but we love Monster Hunter and if anything you know we are congratulating them and they seem like good people.
22:30.30
merlinthebard
That's cool. That's I like those kind of relationships in the gaming space just a little background I work in the gaming space I do talent management. Um so I deal with a lot of like the developers and the publishers and stuff like that and there's just some weird animosity between different little little groups and it's just like but.
22:32.90
JoCat
Um, yeah, um.
22:43.76
JoCat
Yeah, we're all in this together.
22:46.76
merlinthebard
You you guys? Yeah exactly um now what about inscription did you did you check out inscription. Oh my god.
22:50.49
JoCat
I Have checked out inscription I've been playing it a little bit on just in my spare time off stream and it's just like it just keeps throwing curveballs at me every time I think I get the game. It's like wait. What what this now. Ah, it's this now and I don't want to spoil anything for anybody listening but like it is just.
23:01.81
merlinthebard
It's so great. Ah.
23:10.49
JoCat
Like revelation after revelation and I'm playing it and my my partner is having a fun time watching me play through it and figuring out all this stuff. Especially since um, she watches marier play it and she she gets frustrated whenever he plays because he doesn't play as good as me and then because like she'll watch me play.
23:18.51
merlinthebard
Okay.
23:27.35
JoCat
And then she watch Mark Plier play afterwards and she's like what are you doing to idiot just like and that that makes me feel good. Makes me feel like I know what I'm doing.
23:33.87
merlinthebard
Right? right? Um, so outside of video games. Do you do you have like a comfort Tv show or book that you you go back to.
23:41.20
JoCat
Um I should read more shouldn't I I haven't read in a long time but I should read um I do like to watch Youtube I'll listen to video essays. Actually. I do I have me and my partner recently have just been watching Disney Movies I haven't watched movies in a long time but ever since my partner moved in. We've just had like movie nights where we just watch movies and it's allowed me to watch ones that I'm sure would have been on the backburner for the long longest time and. Yeah I like to litter in I just like to watch animated movies really, they're my comfort zone. um unsurprisingly I just um I will watch a new one like we watched ah turning red which was fantastic. Um, and then occasionally watch an old one like a road to eldorado or treasure.
24:32.49
merlinthebard
So classics.
24:32.95
JoCat
Ah, treasure planet and then and then watch a new one like in conto. Yeah, it's it's good I Love animated movies.
24:37.14
merlinthebard
Nice me too I found myself, especially as I get older that I like the animated um medium a lot more than live action. It's a little easier for my brain to process I think just because there's a lot more going on on screen. But.
24:48.37
JoCat
Yeah, and I just like the visuals more like they're It's more. They're more visually interesting than than live action for me.
24:55.79
merlinthebard
Yeah, well and like where we're at right now with animation. It's it's mind blowing like ah spiderverse into the spiderverse or Mitchell's versus machines like jaw dropping.
25:08.17
JoCat
Yeah I I thank spiderverse for bringing in this kind of new era of animation where people are trying different styles rather than no disrespect to the animators who work very very hard at Pixar illumination and dreamworks. But for the longest time I feel like animated movies kind of looked the same.
25:25.99
merlinthebard
Yes.
25:27.99
JoCat
Like they all use the same shaders like if you showed me like a background city from ah, let's say soul versus 1 from Singh versus 1 from I don't know what's an I don't know any other animated movies. They just kind of look the same you know, but it's nice that they're.
25:41.90
merlinthebard
Yeah, yeah.
25:46.30
JoCat
Leaning into the more stylization that you can do with animation. You know.
25:48.16
merlinthebard
Ah, so as you've been progressing in your just kind of you know animation career and medium have you and this might just be 1 of those like because you do it and you talk about it. You see it more. But do you see more individuals leaning into an animation. Ah, kind of a medium especially on Youtube or still kind of a golden egg.
26:07.40
JoCat
No, um I feel. It's not more people are leaning I think just as many people are leaning into it as they always were I don't think there's any like wave of new people or anything but I do think that it does draw in that is 1 thing that I will say. Um, with the caveat that you shouldn't create to try and build an audience. But if you do you probably have a better chance with animation because of the fact that it is more visually interesting.
26:31.38
merlinthebard
Even.
26:40.53
JoCat
A vlogger just sitting and having a talking head because that requires like interesting topics whereas interesting visuals can go a long way to draw in people like animation does very well on Youtube I feel in terms of getting people to click and watch. Um, ah, especially considering. Ah, the audience on Youtube is on the younger side. It's definitely gotten older over time. But you know younger people are on Youtube and younger people like animations.
26:58.44
merlinthebard
Fine.
27:03.89
merlinthebard
Totally Yes, Yes, they do my My kids are a prime example of it. Um, now what are you working on currently like what are what are some of the the projects you mentioned your your D and D actual play is wrapping up. Is there.
27:10.40
JoCat
Mean.
27:19.26
JoCat
Yeah, no, that's finished all the ah videos on demand all are cut down and uploaded to my channel. It is complete. So if anybody if I could shieldll right now if anybody is interested in listening to a d and d podcast that doesn't last 30 plus episodes balconusnecro hunt is 22
27:26.19
merlinthebard
Nice.
27:38.61
JoCat
So um, if you want to see ah a finished campaign of 1 that I'm very very proud of and has gone through rewrites and I've developed even before like I've had this kind of basically a module like a homeroom module that I've developed for years and years and years and run for many groups that I'm very proud of.
27:55.36
merlinthebard
Right.
27:58.53
JoCat
And has fantastic work with this team that helped me work on like background music and and art and Stuff. Ah Necrohan I don't know maybe could be good. Ah good introduction to ah D and D podcasts or good introduction to D and D because it's like. I'm not trying to be subversive in my idea I think it it works well as a Introductory D and D campaign as well. Even with its subversions. It's just like just a just a going on an adventure. Oh yes, So So ah so ah and we'll go back to what my plans are now ah later sorry it's tangent.
28:24.23
merlinthebard
Love it. Let's peel back some of the layers like what's what's it about sure. Yeah, no worries.
28:34.90
JoCat
So Necro Hunt is about the kingdom of balconus. Um, where all necromancy is illegal. Super original idea I know ah, and basically there's a group of adventures that is hired by the vicount basically something of a president of the the place to go hunt. Down and capture and arrest the leader of a necromancer cult known as the spine of death who also happens to be the vicount sister who and ah political drama ensues because um it is.
29:00.96
merlinthebard
Who.
29:09.80
JoCat
Would consider it somewhat of a very politically focused campaign because it talks about the politics of magic and what should be illegal and not illegal when it comes to magic because I like to delve into ideas of how worlds work in fantasy. Um, so if you're interested in that.
29:23.57
merlinthebard
Sure.
29:28.26
JoCat
Um, and also keep in mind some people might be like oh this sounds like an anti-neromancer campaign and I did get a lot of that where it's like this is Necromancer blasphemy here. This is I will not stand for this and it's like just watch if if you think it's anti-neromancer just watch and although that might be spoiling some of the twists. And and themes of the campaign. Maybe that might get too interested.
29:49.44
merlinthebard
Sure totally and that's that's kind of cool to you know, just kind of kind of cross section here. Is you know how how magic would be viewed because it's It's nice to and neat to look at you know, magic systems as if they don't exist. But.
30:05.91
JoCat
Right? yeah.
30:08.43
merlinthebard
In the head of a Dm it's like no these exists these what you know is be living through and playing through. Um so what got necromancy to the point of being illegal in your in your world.
30:16.19
JoCat
In my world Necromancy is illegal for the same thing. So I don't know if this is too many spoilers actually because that day delves into it in the actual campaign. But I guess I'm ah I'm okay with sharing in here because. I Don't know if you wanted to watch neck or hunt or listen to neck or hunt you probably would and skip this part. Um, so it delves into Necromancy is not only illegal. It's also discriminated against people who are seen as Neromans There's a visual cue where they have little black veins coming from from their fingers and face and eyes and Stuff. Um. And it's purely Cultural. It's just because people decided that it was pure evil and impure and stuff because from the Necromanster's perspective. The soul has moved on the body is purely a husk a thing an item to be used as a tool. No different from a tree being chopped down and turned into wood for a house.
31:05.75
merlinthebard
E.
31:07.65
JoCat
You know there are there is a necromance or town where the houses are built out of bones because the bones of the people who are dead. They're not using them. It's not disrespect because their spirit has moved on. You know why would they care.
31:17.77
merlinthebard
Might.
31:20.90
JoCat
And also the idea of consenting to be resurrected and being used as a Skeleton Warrior or something I don't know it's like sign this and you agree to have your body be used or something. It's like does that make it. Okay, you know like all these questions I like to delve into and you might see that. In Necro hunt as well.
31:40.34
merlinthebard
I'm going to have to check this out I like when when little bits of magic are are you know, dissected like that and and blown up at large. Um there was a book series I read a while ago where magic users in the world if they use magic for too long. Ah, it opens a portal to the book's variation of hell and lets a demon out so it's like you can use Magic you can help you can you know make the River Flow Faster make the crops go yeah but you'll become a demon and then the King and his little armies are chasing you down because while you're using Magic Magic's Legal. It's really interesting.
32:06.15
JoCat
Let's at a risk.
32:10.64
JoCat
Um.
32:15.97
merlinthebard
Ah I forget the name of the book now but I can Google it real fast because it's pretty good. Um was his name Mike Cole legend good old Google one of the greatest Dm tools ever.
32:30.80
JoCat
Bright. Especially if you're dming online. You don't have to you don't have to worry about anybody seeing you look at your phone. Let me consult my notes tip Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap tap.
32:41.14
merlinthebard
Um, right? That's right? Oh is it with a y see is it Mike with a why is that why I'm not getting any results areas. Fantasy writer Mike Cole go go to his page. Thank you the armored saint a ah, very sapphic and female led um fantasy where the main character breaks a lot of the social norms and.
33:04.68
JoCat
Um.
33:18.24
merlinthebard
Yeah, it's really cool power suits magic demons. Yeah, very fun. Um, cool. So after after necrohein like what is what is next for for Joe Cat
33:19.63
JoCat
Nice.
33:28.83
JoCat
Oh yeah, yeah, that's right, yeah, we were gonna go back to that. So um, what's next for my channel. Um I'm gonna be wrapping up the final ah the crap guides a final fantasy I've got 3 more for those the 3 different dps roles. Um. And then a few kind of like side off 1 ne-off things I'm going to be ah, ending kind of captoning one of my lesser series is character creator critique because I love character creators and video games and I know what makes a good one or a bad one and I kind of just want to I feel like I've been repeating myself in a lot of them. So I just want to make one.
33:55.34
merlinthebard
Right.
34:01.67
JoCat
All encompassing here's what makes a good but character creator. So that that can just be applied to them. Um to any game. Ah, but then after that I'm gonna be going under over a a slight rebranding of the channel I Um I This is not a secret but I'm ending the crap guides I'm.
34:08.13
merlinthebard
Um, right.
34:21.57
JoCat
Not gonna in fact I wanted to end them after the crap guides to D and D was over but after this one I'm going to end it I'm going to retire the character of Joke crap I'm not goingnna use them again. I'm just kind of tired of writing that way and playing that character. Um, and I feel it's done. It's done with and it's too demanding on me and.
34:31.82
merlinthebard
Okay.
34:41.31
JoCat
Im just not fulfilled by creating that type of content anymore. So ah yeah I know that's gonna make a lot of people sad because all there's still so much potential. But these videos take a lot out of me. You know if it were easy I would definitely do it for every hobby that I had and but you know, um, also it's just. I feel like the format doesn't lend well to everything. It's like some people whenever I stream call a duty people are like hey can you make a crap guide to call a duty I'm like what do I do a crap guide on what each gun is like you pulled the trigger and you shoot and it's nine hundred rounds per minute great like what how how much can I actually make content about that. You know.
35:13.47
merlinthebard
Right.
35:19.53
JoCat
But I don't know maybe some people have ideas that I don't But yeah I'm gonna be rebranding I'm probably gonna be doing more video essay style stuff like I did for the kono video. Um I'm probably goingnna be doing more just one-off animations because those are fun and I can just put whatever and it doesn't have to coincide with anything.
35:35.94
merlinthebard
Um, sure.
35:37.75
JoCat
I Want to make more Gobo ventures I made two of those and then they had to put them on the shelf to make way for other more important stuff because maybe that's the next like series thing I do is more Gobo ventures because that's the closest thing that I have to like a consistent series after the crap guides are over because that's the cause the crap guides were my consistent series. But.
35:55.19
merlinthebard
Oh that's it's bittersweet rebranding I've I've worked with many creators going through the rebrands because it's um, you know a lot happened through those animations and through those series and to that content now and a lot of growth as an individual happens.
35:55.42
JoCat
And I won't have 1
36:14.65
merlinthebard
So you know I'm I'm sorry to to see the the crap guides going to the wayside but you know I'm I'm very hopeful for your future and I hope you get the the same fulfillment out of it.
36:23.75
JoCat
Thank you? Yeah, it's not. It's not an easy decision knowing how many people have come to my channel because of them and for them and love them. But um I mean I got to you know I got to look after myself creatively as well.
36:33.80
merlinthebard
Totally.
36:41.13
merlinthebard
Oh a hundred percent and it's it's also interesting because like those fods will live forever. So yeah, you yeah yeah, exactly.
36:43.11
JoCat
And emotionally. Yeah,, they're still there. You can just rewatch them and hey um, I've said this several times before if you feel as though you want to continue the crap guide legacy and make your own crap guide style content in your own style by all means go ahead I Ask you to name it something else. But even then I can't stop you but like. If you want to do like funny fast talking insult Man style content. Go ahead like you do it make the do do what I did and make the content you want to see.
37:09.83
merlinthebard
Sure yeah.
37:15.67
merlinthebard
Exactly exactly great words. Um, okay, so do you do animation professionally or just for just for content creation and just for you.
37:31.74
JoCat
I Don't know do you count who says professionally right? If you're talking if you're talking more traditionally like under a company or for someone I guess no I've never done it professionally.
37:35.11
merlinthebard
I Do yes I I guess the the better way to phrase. It is yes. Um.
37:48.14
JoCat
But that's why I'm okay with Youtube like doing this kind of content on Youtube is because I'm developing a skill that can be used professionally if Youtube if slash when Youtube eventually doesn't work out because I don't I don't anticipate I'm gonna be doing Youtube forever Youtube is more and also Youtube is more just a medium and a a means.
37:53.34
merlinthebard
Right.
38:00.83
merlinthebard
Sure.
38:08.90
JoCat
Of which for me to share my content. You know if it wasn't on Youtube it would probably be somewhere else. You know I would still want to make videos and animations and share them somewhere.
38:12.48
merlinthebard
Right. So if you had to choose a animation house to work under like today you got a dream contract who would you want it to be with.
38:24.63
JoCat
Oh man, oh boy. Ah, probably so one of those studios that works for Riot you know on the league of legend stuff because those guys do some amazing work. Um.
38:34.10
merlinthebard
Oh God they're so beautiful.
38:41.84
JoCat
And I know the word Leaguea legends is dirty among internet folk but like you got to admit their animation. The animated movies that they make in shorts. They are so good. Arcane is amazing. Just look at Arcane Arcane is not only a visual spectacle. It's a storytelling spectacle as well.
38:52.10
merlinthebard
Amazing I Yeah, that's I I argue that arcane is kind of like this perfect culmination of like pop culture masterpiece almost.
39:08.17
JoCat
Yeah.
39:11.73
merlinthebard
Because it's it's almost like you know drassic park back in the 90 s everybody saw jurassic park or star wars before that and I think arcane is going to be this generation's version of that everybody played legal legends leading up to arcane or nobody you know somebody that had did so it's it's interesting.
39:22.83
JoCat
Yeah, or if I had to pick a different choice. Ah Sony Animation Studios considering it seems as though what with Spider Verse and Mitchell's versus the machines blowing up and and taking off.
39:31.66
merlinthebard
M.
39:41.27
JoCat
They're starting to kind of let their kind of directors and animators kind of do their thing and I think that's good and that that sounds just looking at Spiderverse and Mitchell's versus the machines you can tell that the the creator of that the lead of that project got to make what they wanted. And that is you know the best opportunity is is being able to make what you want with all of the it's the polar opposite of the studio meddling. You know.
40:08.14
merlinthebard
Yeah, no totally and it's I I love especially those those two films because of how diverse the entire team is from top to bottom and it really just kind of goes to show that Sonny was just like you know we.
40:17.76
JoCat
Um.
40:24.56
merlinthebard
Believe in this project like go and make it and I mean proofs in the pudding we have what 2 more? yeah 2 more spider verses are are contracted. 1 comes out what next year you're after so you know they're obviously seeing returns. Ah and I wish more studios would would lean to it.
40:28.10
JoCat
They were rewarded.
40:40.12
JoCat
I hope that that is a lesson to other studios and to Sony because boy oh boy, sometimes big big corporate suits kind of like don't learn that lesson whenever they're like they see someone they let 1 of their directors just do what they want and kind of. Execute on their creative vision and then the movie does great and then they're like okay, let's reel it in and then the next movie is bad because of corporate meddling. It's like how do you not get it. Just let ah the creative do their thing.
41:04.53
merlinthebard
Yeah. Well and like another really good example of this is um, critical roles box mackina animation like that's just proof in the put you know again I keep going proof in the pudding but you know it's fan driven animated with almost no rains on it and I think it was the most trending thing on Twitter for like.
41:16.50
JoCat
Um, no.
41:24.58
JoCat
Um, I've still yet to see it I All right I have a confession to make I have never listened to or watched a single session of critical role nor do I have an interest.
41:29.42
merlinthebard
Four days straight okay
41:40.94
merlinthebard
Plas me no no I get it I am in the same boat I'll just I'll write the confession I've watched 3 hours total of critical role. That's it just across the board.
41:47.92
JoCat
Um, yeah, it's nothing against it. It's just I think I Just don't like listening or watching a D and D podcasts I can't even listen to my own necker hunt sessions. You know, like because if.
42:01.97
merlinthebard
I Know the feeling.
42:05.54
JoCat
If I have it on in the background I'm not paying attention to what's happening and and I'm not gonna know what's going on and then if I have to pay attention. It's just most D and D is fluff. It's not. It's garbage most D and D is just if you're not playing it and you're just listening to it. It's just so much to get to the meat.
42:08.60
merlinthebard
Right.
42:23.30
merlinthebard
On if you don't oh totally and if you don't start the journey with the the crew like whoever's you know making it. You're either playing catch up the entire time they're making the show or you you know you miss a lot of the nuance and.
42:24.27
JoCat
You know and I think you don't realize that when you're playing.
42:38.58
JoCat
Yeah, it's daunting. There's hundreds of episodes.
42:42.42
merlinthebard
Yeah, exactly I would recommend going and checking out the critical role animation. Ah tip Mouse was the studio on that. Um and fantastic like not the best animation I've ever seen in my entire life. But.
42:50.87
JoCat
Um.
43:02.29
merlinthebard
The fact it's D and D it's fantasy. It's no holds bar like they just got to do whatever they want. It's fun. It's violent. It's gory. It's over the top with the language but it's it's totally worth it and it's It's nice to kind of like let off the rains.
43:11.37
JoCat
Yes I got to watch it sometime.
43:18.69
merlinthebard
On on D and D it's kind of like you know D and D was put in this really weird box for so long in critical role. Definitely tried to to break it and show that you can really play around in the medium. So.
43:27.45
JoCat
Yeah, for all the trouble not to the fault of critical role for all the trouble and kind of arguing that critical role has caused in the D and D space I Do appreciate what they've they have done more good for D and D I think than bad again.
43:32.37
merlinthebard
1
43:46.59
JoCat
Not to their fault. You know the matte mercer effect and people the critical role effect of people wanting their game to be critical role which by the way your game will never be like critical role. Ah never in 1000000 years and it shouldn't try to be ah but yet I think it's done great to bring d and d into the pop culture space and show.
43:47.20
merlinthebard
Amen.
43:54.79
merlinthebard
Ever.
44:06.45
JoCat
That it can just be fun. It's just fun among friends and hanging out and just doing so stupid nonsense having an adventure.
44:08.58
merlinthebard
Yep.
44:13.35
merlinthebard
Agreed having an adventure the the core of it all outside of d and d have you ever played any additional tabletop systems monster of the week anything like that.
44:22.45
JoCat
Yes, ah I have played 1 game of world of darkness I've kind of dabbled around um nothing has really caught my my eye yet aside from maybe pathfinder which is unsurprising since patfinder is kind of like d and d's offshoot black sheep cousin.
44:37.40
merlinthebard
Right.
44:42.35
JoCat
Um, and ah I played that once and it was refreshing to see how much customization there was compared to fifth edition because I love fifth edition but I'm starting to feel the stagnant stagnant kind of character creation process where it doesn't feel like you get a lot of choices in what you do you. Pick your race your class your background and then everything else is just kind of like there and just set in stone whereas Pat Findder it's very customizable I played a little bit of starfinder that was all right a little bit too much for me I played more of a darkness i've.
45:02.71
merlinthebard
Um, yeah.
45:17.46
JoCat
Laid There was one more I can't quite remember some kind of like D Purely D 6 system. It was like a post-apocalyptic style tabletop where how many so points you had in a stat. Determined how many D six is you rolled? Ah yeah, yeah, something like that and that one was pretty fun because it had instead of races you had like different clans of people like you had like sewer people who grew up in like nuclear waste pools that could eat.
45:36.62
merlinthebard
Oh classic pools. Yeah I Love those.
45:55.73
JoCat
Be like cockroaches and sustain off of sewage water and I was like I want to play that. Ah yeah I don't know. But yeah I I'm still pretty comfortable with fifth edition. It is my comfort zone and goodness knows I.
45:59.50
merlinthebard
That sounds amazing I'm going to have to figure this out.
46:10.30
merlinthebard
E.
46:15.68
JoCat
Just like homebrew it to hell and back that I probably would have a better time just trying to find another system but I love 5 v and more importantly I understand 5 v you know if I if I got another d and d or rather another tabletop system I would have to relearn I already I barely understand five v I'm ah barely able to.
46:23.53
merlinthebard
Right.
46:34.24
JoCat
There's a handful of things that I'm unable to remember off the top of my head with fifth edition. Do you think I'm going to try again with another one.
46:37.75
merlinthebard
Right? Yeah, and then I mean not only that. But then you have to teach your players. You have to unlearn your players a five E and then teach them the new system. So yeah I totally get that Totally my my biggest stripe of five E and I'm feeling it now a lot lately is how inaccessible the materials really are.
46:41.80
JoCat
Um, yeah, 5 years just easy.
46:56.10
JoCat
Um, yeah.
46:57.22
merlinthebard
Like you know, $60 and like from a you know a point of privilege being able to afford. It's like oh yeah I could totally afford it. But yeah I have had many conversations, especially with younger individuals getting into the hobby they're like I don't have $60 to spend. Yeah, especially when they gate keep all of their different classes and races.
47:08.42
JoCat
$60 is a lot. Yeah, in the expansion books. Yeah.
47:17.70
merlinthebard
And and they drip feed them. But it's like you know if you want to play a Goblin Ah you gotta wait till this next book comes out so and it's like D and D Beyond is a good job of bridging that to to a degree I Just wish the D and D Beyond and you know.
47:22.48
JoCat
E.
47:35.21
merlinthebard
Print wizards of the coast could just get along and give you one of the other for some kind of a token or a discount by the book. Get it on Beyond Foree kind of a thing so it would be yeah and then they do it with their ah with their magic cards. You get it. The Arena stuff online. So.
47:38.69
JoCat
Yeah, yeah, that'd be nice. Yeah, like a little code.
47:54.85
merlinthebard
Awesome. Okay.
47:55.51
JoCat
We're at the very least at the very least like I'm sure I know why they can't do this is because they don't know if they're going to make new content in the future and then but like it would be nice if they just had a all classes book an all races book you know like.
48:02.59
merlinthebard
Right.
48:10.70
merlinthebard
That would be nice.
48:12.35
JoCat
But I understand they can't do that because maybe there might be new races in the future and then you need that new one. And yeah.
48:17.23
merlinthebard
Right? Well, that's so I actually started in in pathfinder. One of my favorite things is about them has always been all of their materials are online for free like they put it out on the Psrd for free because I understand like not everybody can afford it but they want people to play the game especially when you know they're the competitor to.
48:25.61
JoCat
Oh that's nice.
48:34.24
JoCat
Probably the biggest competitor.
48:36.45
merlinthebard
D and D So yeah, oh arguably? Um, but yeah, so that's I've always liked the character creation options and just how accessible they tried to make the materials. Um I just I wish more people would look past the math with it because um.
48:49.80
JoCat
Yeah, how was second edition.
48:55.59
merlinthebard
It tried too hard to be 5 e um, it lost a little bit of its spirit in how wide and vast the game could really feel especially with customization in favor of streamlining the story process. So not bad, but just.
49:10.91
JoCat
Um.
49:15.36
merlinthebard
First edition just it. It was gold pure gold at least in my opinion. Totally.
49:16.49
JoCat
Um, no, no, it's good to get perspective because I've I've heard something similar I heard that it is simpler and easier to get into compared to first edition. But um. I mean as with every change something is lost in that? No, but that's always the case with any change. Really.
49:32.86
merlinthebard
Oh yeah, totally. Ah, yeah, yeah, all right? So That's really all the questions that I had. It's been a lovely conversation. Um, so now we have 1 of 2 options and I leave it solely in your hands. We can do a quick character building Exercise I Give you a couple of Keywords and items and you build a character out of it or we can bid a do and um have a wonderful rest of your our days. Ah.
50:02.20
JoCat
Ah, you're gonna present me that option and then present me to go No I want to end the show now. No of course, let's build a character I Love building characters.
50:08.84
merlinthebard
All right? Let me pull up the item generator that way they are done completely on the fly and I have no say whatsoever. Okay, so how many items would you like we can go up to 4 3 agreed. Okay, so here are your 3 items use them. However, you will.
50:33.35
JoCat
Let's do 3 I think 3 hree's healthy
50:44.35
merlinthebard
Doesn't have to be a fantasy character. It could be sci-fi it could be noir whatever have you your 3 items are a kitchen knife a pair of rubber gloves and street lights.
50:51.24
JoCat
Okay.
50:58.26
JoCat
Street lights I have these street lights or these street lights are just simply part of the scenery.
51:01.71
merlinthebard
Streetlights.
51:06.90
merlinthebard
Um I will leave creative interpretation to you.
51:11.52
JoCat
Okay, let's say streetlights okay rubber gloves and a kitchen knife. Ok a corrupt elditch horror version.
51:18.29
merlinthebard
A kitchen knife.
51:29.63
JoCat
Of the mom from Dexter's laboratory because when I heard kitchen knife and rubber gloves I immediately thought of her bright yellow rubber gloves that she always wears all the time. However, she has been possessed by some kind of eldritch being that dexter let through 1 of his portals in one of these experiments downstairs in his laboratory and has taken over her and has allowed her to be more assertive and unfortunately this has taken a turn in which. Instead of ah, simply brushing off anyone who's kind of being ah, kind of a dick to her or just kind of being awful or annoying or inconvenient instead of just doing the typical mom thing of that she would do which I feel is in character of like oh whatever I'll just deal with it. Oh that's disappointing. Now. She's taking a stand for herself and and and unfortunately for those who wrong her that means taking them to dark alleyways. Ah or or dark streets isolating them and she turns into a horrific monster creature I don't know that. Ah. Ambiguously takes them off into the darkness where the only thing left is I don't know a bit of their their clothing like a shoe left being lit by a single lamp post.
52:50.39
merlinthebard
I Love it. Kalakathulu is another one of my favorite systems and I love kind of Zany Homerew settings and instantly man that would that would be a ah one shot to.
52:54.20
JoCat
Since this is.
53:03.62
JoCat
Does she have a name hold on decks. There's mom name. Let's see ah does she not have a name. Okay, what's a mom name and you think of one. What's a what's a motherly name like Diane.
53:17.96
merlinthebard
Oh yeah, yeah Diane I like Diane.
53:21.81
JoCat
Diane let's call her Diane except let's make it all all like elderd she die hath leo that die hath leus the ah the kitchen the the readier of dinner.
53:36.10
merlinthebard
The ready year of dinner I love it. Ah well awesome. That was fun. Thank you for taking the creative dive. Um, other than that, let's let's do some social plugs where can we find you on the internet where can we find you on Youtube and let's roll.
53:39.64
JoCat
Ah, so.
53:51.88
JoCat
Okay, yeah I am on Youtube ah http://youtube.com/joecat. It's probably the first result that you will find even if you just search up joecat on Youtube ah, and I also stream Monday Wednesday Friday wait. No Wednesday Friday Sunday on http://twitchtwitch.tv/joecat I am currently going through Eldon ring on Sundays where I wander aimlessly and stumble into whatever comes my way. Wednesdays I do pathfinder ah wrath of the righteous ah where I just go to hunt demons I guess and stumble around as my d and d character a rat. And Fridays I do final fantasy 14 where I just do whatever whatever suits my fancy at the time probably going to be doing 6.1 when that patch drops.
54:33.80
merlinthebard
Nice, ah all right? Well thank you so much for taking the time to just kind of explore animation and your creative processes I Greatly appreciate it Of course all right? We'll sign off there.
54:42.16
JoCat
Um, thank you Thanks for having me.
In this episode, we chat with Spenser Starke, an independent TTRPG designer who has worked on projects we have covered on this show: Kids on Brooms, Alice is Missing, Icarus, and Perilous. We talk about how Spenser goes about designing games and how he gets his designs outside of the box and intrigues thousands with his new concepts and ideas.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we chat with Duke of OneShotQuesters, one of the largest D&D TikTok creators dives into the finer points of creating D&D content on platforms like Youtube, Twitch, and TikTok.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we chat with Jon Ciccolini of Beadle and Grimm's, creators of premium editions of D&D campaigns. We check in with Jon about future boxes, project pipelines, and creating high-end luxury good for the table top space.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this week's episode, we chat with Jordan Palmer, TableTopCrow, about his new system Perilous - -A GM optional game with community at the heart of it. We chat about neurodiversity in game design and how Jordan navigates his everyday with Austism and ADHD.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
_________________________________
Guest Links:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tabletopcrow/perilous-rpg
https://twitter.com/TabletopCrow
https://tabletop.itch.io/
In this episode we chat with Jeff Cannata and Morgan Peter Brown of the Dungeon run. We run through working on a highly produced set, living a D&D dream, and working through the changes of 2020. Catch the show over on caffeine.tv/thedungeonrun.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we are joined by Robert "Captain Robear" Foeste, a tabletop RPG content creator over on Twitch.tv. We dive into the origin story of the Captain as well as peeling back the layers of content creation in the TTRPG scene in a live streaming format. Join us as there is a lot to learn about taking your game digital in the episode!
Guest links:
https://twitter.com/CaptainRoBear
https://www.twitch.tv/CaptainRoBear
https://www.patreon.com/CaptainRoBear
youtube.com/captainrobear
https://www.instagram.com/captainrobear/
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Stormer, the host of the Party of One Podcast. Party of One is an actual-play podcast focused on two-player roleplaying experiences. We also go hands on on one of the RPGs he personally wrote, Big Fight Feel, at the end of the episode.
Guest Links:
https://twitter.com/PartyOfOnePod
https://www.partyofonepodcast.com/
https://jeffstormer.itch.io/big-fight-feel
https://www.teacabbage.com/spindlewheel
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser!
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we are joined by ENnie awarded writer, Ashley Warren. Ashley and I dive into the products she has been working on and how she took the intersections of writing tabletop adventures and education to create a well-respected project within the TTRPG space. We also chat about inclusivity, empowering the next generation of writers, and working on the upcoming Heckna campaign from Hit Point Press.
Guest Links:
https://www.scribemind.com/
https://twitter.com/ashleynhwarren
https://hitpointpress.com/
https://www.patreon.com/Scribemind
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
In this episode, we are joined by the CEO and COO of HyperRPG: Malika and Zac Lim Eubank. HyperRPG is a production team on Twitch.tv that does high-quality shows that transcend typical TTRPG shows. They pioneer new technologies and ways to apply interactivity to their products. We chat about good business hygiene, Black Lives Matter, and how to help improve the TTRPG and Livestreaming spaces for BIPOC creators.
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Be sure to head on over to www.thebardpodcast.com to check out our other shows, tabletop products, and some sweet merch!
Guest Links:
https://www.hyperrpg.com/
https://twitter.com/hello_malika
https://twitter.com/zaceubank
https://www.twitch.tv/hyperrpg
If you enjoyed the show please subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and on Podchaser! Each week on Bardic Babble our host Devin chats with creatives about the things they create. Season 1 dives into Game Design, Tabletop RPGs, and supporting those spaces.
This week we are joined by Chris and Discount Chris of the Discount Dungeons cast. We chat about the team's origin story, being a creative team remotely, and a little about their world and the plot they are working through on their show. You can find their show on Podchaser!
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Guest links:
https://twitter.com/Discount_DnD
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discount-dungeons-an-rpg-podcast/id1495917646
https://discord.com/invite/paBATD6
https://www.patreon.com/discountdungeons
This week we are joined by Chris and Discount Chris of the Discount Dungeons cast. We chat about the team's origin story, being a creative team remotely, and a little about their world and the plot they are working through on their show. You can find their show on Podchaser!
