Intertextual Experience: A Board Game Podcast

Intertextual Experience: A Board Game Podcast

by Ryan Vodnik
GamesHobbies
Season 8
Vodcast 7 - ID EST What ID EST—2025 Reflection
Happy New Year! In a couple weeks, the show returns with an awesome guest. If you hang around here with me for just a little bit though, you'll get to hear about the state of the show (changes were made this year, and things have been a little slower than desired anticipated—all good though), some video and board games I rank quite highly in my end of year thoughts, and a potential giveaway. My logged plays from this year (a bit wonky—explained in episode). The Steam link mentioned. Board Game Giveaway Bohnanza! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done by "buying me a coffee" and/or buying a copy of my board game (I like it). All of my socials and support information can be found here: Intertextual Experience Linktree
S8 · E7
Jan 2, 2026
32:18
Vodcast 6 - Early Access? — Intertextual Experience: A Board Game Podcast
You'll need to listen to the full episode for more details, but there's a giveaway for a new copy of Power Vacuum. I purchased two copies because I'm a weirdo (the particulars of that weirdness are also explained in the episode). This particular prize is for the continental US, but send me an email responding to the questions posed in the episode if you're anywhere else in the world, and you'll technically be in the running for a prize (tbd). The contest ends after August 31st. Email me at vodthepod@gmail.com The episode details a lot of my thoughts more than I am here, but I'm very excited for this show to start turning the pages of a new chapter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done by "buying me a coffee" and/or buying a copy of my board game (I like it). All of my socials and support information can be found here: Intertextual Experience Linktree
S8 · E6
Aug 6, 2025
51:35
Vodcast 5 - Show Noteception
An episode about show notes with my shortest show note section yet. This episodes talks about the state of the show (all good and more good to come [sorry about any pause 😔], how I obsess over show notes (a bit too much), and genre and how different games have differing ease in returning to them. To keep up the bit about the short notes here, there are no time stamps; it all kind of flows in and out with maybe sensible transitions, much like a dream (within a dream [within a...]). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done here: Buy Me a Coffee vodthepod@gmail.com Bluesky Instagram TikTok Oversized Sandwich BGG Oversized Sandwich (to purchase)
S8 · E5
May 1, 2025
41:35
Vodcast 4 - A Late Solo-ween Celebration: Fear and Procrastination in Southeast Wisconsin
Enter for a chance to win a surprise giveaway (cool, I promise). Ending mid-December (probably the 16th). No crazy episode notes today. I chat about some things to look forward to with the show and beyond (a game I'm making and some videos). There's a quick thought about "fear" in board games, and then I talk about the following games a little bit. They'll all be linked to their BGG pages. Final Girl Cthulhu: Death May Die Skulls of Sedlec Mind Space ---------------------------------------------------------- Contact, follow, and support information: If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this go project go smoothly. That can be done here: Buy Me a Coffee vodthepod@gmail.com Bluesky Instagram TikTok
S8 · E4
Nov 14, 2024
53:51
Vodcast 3 - Summer Solo-stice: ROVE (a great solo game) and all Solitary Things
Vodcast 3 - Summer Solo-stice: ROVE (a great solo game) and all Solitary Things A hair shorter than the last couple of “Vodcasts,” and that was a part of this episode’s solo challenge. With that mild dose of brevity, there are some interesting thoughts here, and they’re a bit punchier. In this episode, I break down the awesome solo game, ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer. Additionally, and hopefully in a not “preachy” way, I just talk about some of the ways in which I’ve enjoyed doing all sorts of different things “solo,” how I have held myself back from doing others, and what sort of things might stand in one’s way when trying to jump into something new. The whole message is just meant to be a positive one, hopefully encouraging both you and me to keep pushing towards doing the things we truly want to do. Happy June Solstice and Happy Seasons to everyone, wherever and whenever you’re listening to this episode. There's another giveaway! Fill out the General Feedback Form in the contact information below if you're interested in the first official VOLPG, or "Vod Offloading Lightly Played Games." Listen to the episode to find out which GAMES(!) are being given away to a lucky winner. The one thing I forgot to mention in the episode is that this would be US only due to shipping. That said, if you're elsewhere in the world, please fill out this survey anyway, and I'll see if I can enter you in a future drawing or send something fun your way, somehow. Fill out this feedback form to enter! ---------------------------------------------------------- Contact, follow, and support information: vodthepod@gmail.com Twitter Instagram Buy Me a Coffee TikTok
S8 · E3
Jul 1, 2024
43:23
Vodcast 2 - Balance and Following Greatness: or the Sequel that is Hades II
A just me episode where I (start to) discuss "balance" in board games, other mediums, and life in general. A lot of the purpose of the episode is to introduce future topics while bringing up some of the things I've been up to that made me think about those topics. There wound up being some interesting connections in here too, and I'm looking forward to many future guests/topics mentioned here. The episode then thinks about ways in which board games use expansions/new versions/etc. to follow up an initial entry. And then there's a brief ramble about Hades II. There's another giveaway! Fill out the General Feedback Form in the contact information below if you're interested in the first official VOLPG, or "Vod Offloading Lightly Played Games." ---------------------------------------------------------- Contact, follow, and support information: vodthepod@gmail.com Twitter Instagram General feedback form - (your thoughts are appreciated!) Buy Me a Coffee
S8 · E2
May 20, 2024
57:37
Vodcast 1 - Apocalands/Duel
The first ever "Vodcast." So while a warning that this one is just me is potentially apt, it's a huge step up from the "Yearly Reflection" episode. Part of the reason this exists is due to the fact that now is my turbo-busy season. Another reason it exists is because there are some good thoughts in here that I want to keep continuing in this Vodcast format, whether that's due to being too backed up to have scheduled interviews or not, and elsewhere. The show discusses this in more detail. Future episodes will have less administrative stuff too, but there is a lot of gratitude being expressed in the early part of this episode, so thank you for being a part of my board gaming journey. Apocalands/Duel Intro (22:12) Radlands Intro (30:42) ---------------------------------------------------------- Contact, follow, and support information: vodthepod@gmail.com Twitter Instagram General feedback form - (your thoughts are appreciated!) Buy Me a Coffee
S8 · E1
Mar 25, 2024
56:46
Season 1
#48 - David Masnato: Pax @ PAX
From the slight burn of a slide that’s gotten too hot in the late afternoon sun to the sense of ecstasy (mixed with a slight tinge of panic) from getting a little higher on the swing than you’d ever gotten before–and everything in between–it’s clear that you’ve had an awesome day at the playground. This episode’s conversation with artist and designer David Masnato taps into a similar wonder, exploring the joys of creating and being human. There’s so much that sticks out in this episode, but David’s reflections on art that inspires him, the power of various board game communities, and breaking paradigms regarding different genres and ways we play creates extremely welcoming and optimistic thoughts to consider as the board gaming hobby constantly changes. Then there’s some of my nonsense, of course. Come for a guided trip around the playground and stay for the poignant reflections provided by David (and don’t forget to sign up for the Intertextual Experience Playground Google Drawing subscription services). Anyway, David’s game, Pax Playground is being released through the Indie Game Night Market at PAX Unplugged. With that, the reworking of his award winning Roux Mates, and more designs and contributions to other board games such as Pax Penning, there’s a lot to look forward to from him! Check out David’s work and social media! Website Board Game Geek Page Bluesky Here is a slides presentation created by the various snapshots of our playground journey. This will serve as the rest of the show notes (for now)! Listen to the show, and then come back to see the journey unfold again with visual context. The slides presentation also has the games mentioned on one slide and then all of the other awesome work I said I’d link in the show notes as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done by "buying me a coffee" and/or buying a copy of my board game (I like it). All of my socials and support information can be found here: Intertextual Experience Linktree
S1 · E48
Sep 3, 2026
1:35:52
#47 - Jeff Grisenthwaite: Board Game Are(ca)na
As fate and coincidence would have it, designer Jeff Grisenthwaite and I had actually met and played games together once and then played games at different tables of a smaller meetup just months after that. It wasn’t until our shared interest in Board Game Arena and Jeff’s great games led me to reach out before we were able to piece that together (and those games weren’t out when we’d first met or had just been released in a limited capacity). Anyway, the Wheel of Fortune timed out well, and Jeff was able to add a ton of insight into a topic that’s frequently on my mind due to how much time I spend there, and that is the aforementioned board game playing website, Board Game Arena. Several months back, Jeff wrote an article about his experience of developing his own games for the site—which is extremely cool—and this episode dives a little further into some of those thoughts. Additionally/obviously, there is some of the show’s typical antics, funky formatting, and fun discussions about playing games based on vibes, nerd beach reads, Jeff’s history of tarot reading, and more. Based on the conversation, check out the following: Jeff’s BGA Article (linked in previous paragraph as well) Jeff’s Designer Page Jeff on Bluesky Break My Game Protospiel Chicago Intro (0:00) Talking tarot and the barren days of BGA. Cursed Soothsayers (17:44) This is the majority of the conversation. Based on the actions/cards that Jeff selected, the conversation encompasses a lot of his blog post and more. “BGA is weird.” This is the perfect place to dive into some of the “why” behind that. Speaking of weird, here is the slideshow that guided our conversation. Wrap-up Questions (1:15:28) A text on Jeff’s mind and things to look out for from him in the future! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done by "buying me a coffee" and/or buying a copy of my board game (I like it). All of my socials and support information can be found here: Intertextual Experience Linktree
S1 · E47
Aug 13, 2026
1:26:35
#46 - Amabel Holland: Episode of Six Video Essays
Explicit
Back like it never left, Intertextual Experience welcomes Amabel Holland—designer, video essayist, author, and co-owner of Hollandspiele—for its forty-sixth episode. Amabel has been making my favorite board game media through her video essays, so this conversation is in conversation with those videos. While the title of the episode is “Episode of Six Video Essays,” technically only four wind up being explicitly chosen through this installment’s game. With that being said, Amabel’s nuanced responses connect to more than the selected six, weaving in various other essays (future ones as well), games, movies, and more media to explore the ways in which art can impact us, why preservation is important, and how being unique and filling different niches will push boundaries of what games can do or be even if it might not be the most commercially viable strategy. Additionally, there is discussion of immersive sims and the correct way to eat skittles, some very impressive word game play, and much more. This is not an episode to miss. Speaking of things you don’t want to miss, check out following things from Amabel: Video Essays Hollandspiele Website Patreon Bluesky Here are the documents used in this episode: the reference document (serves as the games mentioned in this episode as well) and the word game itself. In order to not spoil too much, the sections of the episode are going to not have too many extra notes. Technically, you could cross reference the show notes, episode cover image, and the reference document to figure out what’s being talked about within each section; it’s a mini-puzzle in a sense. Regardless, each section is basically just the title of each video essay. Intro and State of the Video Essays (0:00) Should Board Games Be Frustrating (24:32) The general frame of the word game is described right at the beginning, and then it moves to frustration in some various games. Boxes: Selling, Framing, Meaning (44:42) [There is a small, fun, post-credit audio bit that was originally in this section.] Replay Value: Repetition, Ritual, and Improvement (57:07) Expanding Board Games (1:09:27) Wrap-up Questions (1:19:31) A text on Amabel’s mind and things to look forward to from her! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like this show, liking it on whatever platform you listen to and writing a review would mean so much! Furthermore, it's as independent as it gets, so any financial support would help with the subscriptions that make this project go smoothly. That can be done by "buying me a coffee" and/or buying a copy of my board game (I like it). All of my socials and support information can be found here: Intertextual Experience Linktree
S1 · E46
Jul 24, 2026
1:30:08
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