People Behind The Meeples - Episode 209: Alex Wolf

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!

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Name:	Alex Wolf
Email:	alex@spielcraftgames.com
Location:	Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Day Job:	I am a data analyst at an insurance company.
Designing:	Two to five years.
Webpage:	Spielcraftgames.com
BGG:	Spielcraft Games
Facebook:	Spielcraft Games
Twitter:	@spielcraftgames
Other:	For Glory on Kickstarter
Find my games at:	On Kickstarter

Today's Interview is with:

Alex Wolf
Interviewed on: 8/13/2019

Last summer at Gen Con I got together with a few other game designers for a few hours to chat and play a few games. One of the games I played was For Glory by Alex Wolf. This was a fun deckbuilding and arena combat style game that blended some interesting combat mechanics with very unique deckbuilding elements that seemed to blend elements from many other deckbuilding games into its own interesting combination. Be sure to check out For Glory on Kickstarter today!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Two to five years.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I started designing tabletop games without a particular reason. I just started having ideas and started doing the work to get them out of my head and into the world.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I am about to launch a Kickstarter campaign for what will be my first published game, called For Glory. It's a 2-player game about building a gladiator school, sending gladiators to different arenas, and fighting arena battles in Ancient Rome. The focus is on the arena combat system. Players use a deck-building mechanic to build a network of patrons, recruit gladiators and train them in various tactics in preparation for the arena battles.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Not yet.

What is your day job?
I am a data analyst at an insurance company.

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
Literally anywhere.

Who do you normally game with?
I play a lot with my wife, Bobo. There is also an awesome gaming community here in Omaha, and I play with loads of friends that I've met over the years at various local game stores and board game cafes.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
I usually go for medium-heavy games, in terms of strategic depth (as opposed to complexity).

And what snacks would you eat?
Salisbury steak

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Sometimes. All kinds.

What's your favorite FLGS?
All of the FLGSs around Omaha are awesome.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
My current favorite is Imperial by Mac Gerdts.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I think all mechanics can potentially be used effectively. I don't have a favorite. When a mechanic works in a game, it just works.

What's your favorite game that you just can't ever seem to get to the table?
Diplomacy. The mind games in Diplomacy are some of the most fun interactions I've had as a gamer, but it's an event if it ever gets played.

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
I basically always have the idea faucet turned on, and sometimes an idea pops out. The theme and mechanics are pretty intertwined usually.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
When I am not being inundated with information from the internet, ideas flow pretty freely.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
My wife is my number one playtester. I also constantly invite friends to play, and I am a member of the Spielmasons, a group of game designers that help each other develop games here in Omaha.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I like to work alone, because I need to spend a lot of time just thinking.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
There are a lot of challenges, but the biggest one is probably sticking with a game for the time that it takes to develop it (well over a year for me), and not getting discouraged when a play test uncovers a big problem with the mechanics.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Rick and Morty. Actual history is a pretty sweet IP though, and the license is free.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Have an idea? Make a prototype and play test now! Literally right now.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
This is what I have currently crowdfunding: For Glory on Kickstarter
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Too many
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Way too many

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker's Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
All of the ones that I know about

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I'm sure are on everyone's minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Starship Troopers. Diet Pepsi. VHS.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
What do you mean, besides tabletop games?

What is something you learned in the last week?
Theseus was the dude who defeated the minotaur.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
All, Sci Fi, Sci Fi

What was the last book you read?
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Do you play any musical instruments?
I dabble in synth and guitar.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I once ordered a thin-crust pizza from Papa John's.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Visit past and future civilizations, just to look, but I would get sucked into some plot that would end up ruining the present and whatnot. I mean, I'd like to think that I could resist changing stuff, but I know myself well enough.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Both.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Superman. Perhaps not as exciting as others, but I'd want to be ridiculously overpowered. Lol.

Have any pets?
Not at the moment.

If you'd like to send a shout out to anyone, anyone at all, here's your chance (I can't guarantee they'll read this though):
Shout out to all of the play testers out there. You are the real heroes.

Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?

Be sure to check out For Glory on Kickstarter right now!

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Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Please show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

People Behind The Meeples - Episode 211: Dave Dobson

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!

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Name:	Dave Dobson
Email:	dave@planktongames.com
Location:	North Carolina, USA
Day Job:	I teach geology, environmental studies, and computing at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. I also write novels and perform improv comedy, neither of which could be considered a day job. Yet. Dammit.
Designing:	Over ten years!
Webpage:	http://planktongames.com
Blog:	https://planktongames.blogspot.com
BGG:	dobnarr
Facebook:	Dave Dobson
Twitter:	@GCDaveDobson
Other:	http://davedobsonbooks.com
Find my games at:	Amazon, PlanktonGames.com, TheGameCrafter

Today's Interview is with:

Dave Dobson
Interviewed on: 8/21/2019

This week's interview is with Dave Dobson an author, board game designer, video game designer, and more. He's been designing games of one sort or another for over 40 years! He may have even designed some games you've played! Read on to learn more about Dave and his current projects.

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Over ten years!

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I've loved designing games since I was a kid. I love the process of design, balance, creativity, and paper and glue. One of my earliest games, circa 1979, was a roll-and-move called the Roy Rogers game, based on the TV show. It had an unfortunate spot on the board where if you didn't roll two specific numbers on consecutive rolls, you got sent back to the ranch, i.e. start. My family gave up on it after about twenty minutes, but I learned a valuable lesson about broken designs.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I'm working on the third Doctor Esker's Notebook game, which is about 80% done. I'm also working on a game called The Treasure of Mag Mell, a card collection game where you are competing against other factions in a college of magic to gain enough control over the school to be awarded magical artifacts. I've done a lot of playtesting, and I'm working through the art and publishing parts of it now. I also have a game called Wrath about a doomed island nation trying to curry favor with vengeful gods so as to avoid being destroyed. Still in the design phase on that one. And I have a roll-and-write that I kind of like based on asteroid mining, called 97 Klotho.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Diggity, a mining game, has been available on TheGameCrafter since 2009, and it's also been published by SugarDice games in Israel. I've also published (through my company, PlanktonGames) a game called Doctor Esker's Notebook, a puzzle card game that's been well reviewed, and a sequel called Son of Doctor Esker's Notebook. A while back, I wrote some pretty popular computer games, including Snood, Centaurian, Snood Towers, Chowder, and Snoodoku.

What is your day job?
I teach geology, environmental studies, and computing at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. I also write novels and perform improv comedy, neither of which could be considered a day job. Yet. Dammit.

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
At home, my favorite place is the kitchen table. It has good light, lots of seating, and is close to snacks and drinks. I have a semi-regular get-together with friends where we play either at people's houses or at work, and that's a lot of fun too.

Who do you normally game with?
Family, friends from work, sometimes friends from the comedy club where I perform.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Usually I put out a stack and let people choose. I'm happy playing nearly anything. I love it when people are willing to try out my designs, but I also enjoy lots of other kinds of games. Recent faves include Scythe, Bloodrage, Twilight Struggle, Splendor.

And what snacks would you eat?
I have a weakness for salty stuff, but most of it gums up game components. At our regular game meetings, I usually go for grapes, Reese's Miniatures, and wheat thins and pimento cheese, a southern specialty which this Iowa boy has grown to love.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Not usually - I find it gets in the way of conversation.

What's your favorite FLGS?
My favorite was The Games People Play in Cambridge, MA, where I shopped from my college days through a couple years ago. Sadly, it's closed now.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Lifetime favorite is the Lord of the Rings Adventure Game (1978). I've played that literally hundreds of times. Seven Wonders I can always come back to. Really great game, particularly for larger groups. I also really like Race For The Galaxy. Least favorite that I still enjoy is probably Munchkin. I don't really know why it has such legs. Worst game I ever played - that's a tough one. So many of my early designs were bad - probably that Roy Rogers one I mentioned earlier.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I really like games where you have to choose a small number of a broad set of actions, as in worker placement games. Least favorite is hidden traitor, like Werewolf. Just doesn't do anything for me, and I don't like lying to people.

What's your favorite game that you just can't ever seem to get to the table?
Not a lot of people around here interested in Agricola, but I enjoy it a lot.

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, RPG Games, Video Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games, RPG Games, Video Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
Had a good time with friends with it when it first came out, despite it being ethically problematic and a kind of rip-off of Apples to Apples. Haven't played in years, and no real desire to return.

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
It's almost always mechanics first, then theme. I am a better engineer than storyteller in games. But I've also had those two parts trade off during the design process - e.g. in my Wrath game, I had the idea of sucking up to angry gods first, and then built mechanics around that, and then saw that there could be another story component I could add that boosted the mechanics (a mysterious trickster being that gave out silly quests).

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Entered a number of them, won few, although I did win one on BGDF one time.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Antoine Bauza, Tom Jolly (for Wiz War, one of my favorites of all time)

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
A lot of my game ideas have started as scribbles in the margins of my notebook while at tedious meetings.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
Inflicting them on family and friends, primarily.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
Nearly always alone. If I feel a game concept is worth pursuing, I'll often invest in some better art than I can produce on my own and see where that goes.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Opportunities for iterative and thorough playtesting. I don't always have as many opportunities to test as I'd like.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
That's a tough one. I usually find games with big IP ties aren't so great as games. Something based on the Barsoom books, maybe? I loved those as a kid.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
You'll be worse at it than you think you are for a long time, until eventually you'll realize how bad you were and still are.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
It's a lot harder to come up with something really new and different than it is to borrow mechanics and ideas from other games. Both paths can produce good games that are fun to play, but the former path can be a lot more rewarding.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Diggity, Doctor Esker's Notebook
Games that will soon be published are: Son of Doctor Esker's Notebook
I'm planning to crowdfund: The Treasure of Mag Mell
Games that I'm playtesting are: Wrath, Return of Doctor Esker's Notebook

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker's Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
I've been active on BGDF in the past, not so much now. I'm in a number of Facebook groups.

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I'm sure are on everyone's minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Both ST & SW - they feed different hungers. Trek's always been richer and deeper for me, though. Diet Mountain Dew. Nobody really used Betamax.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Improv comedy, writing, tuba playing.

What is something you learned in the last week?
They're making a Matrix IV. That shouldn't be allowed after Matrix III.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Movie scores. Fantasy and sci fi, plus thrillers, for both books and movies.

What was the last book you read?
Binti, by Nnedi Okorafor

Do you play any musical instruments?
The tuba, pretty well. The piano, badly.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I've played the biggest tuba in the world in concert (back in 1991). I wrote Snood, a shareware game that was pretty popular back in 1998-2005.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Lost my wallet while changing clothes to defend my Ph.D. in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1997. Got a call from Boston Logan airport police in 2005 saying they'd found that same wallet inside a wall in the airport (in MA) during demolition for remodeling. They sent me back a picture of my daughter that had been in it. Super, super weird.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Said no when my kids wanted to adopt a third cat. Caved when my son accepted my decision, but then I heard him softly crying in his room and I felt like a grade-A schmuck. Now, it's my absolute favorite cat, and the kids have left for college.

Who is your idol?
That is a strong word. Not many folks are worthy of that level of worship. I greatly admire folks who stand up for the oppressed or stand up for their culture, including many in the civil rights movement and the Native American community.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Visit medieval Europe and the Roman Empire for my own kicks, then head to the future to find us some clean cheap energy.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert mostly, but one who sometimes does extroverty stuff.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
The Tick (the animated one - he's the best version)

Have any pets?
Two cats and a dog.

When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
As a geologist, I find the scenario you describe not to be very plausible. To keep: art, music, poetry, computers, the web, clean energy, medicine. To lose: income inequality, racism, bigotry, poverty, and pineapple on pizza.

Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?

Even if you think my games suck, please have a look at my novel, Flames Over Frosthelm, a comedic yet heroic fantasy adventure, kind of CSI meets Princess Bride. Also, be excellent to each other.

And...

The original Conan the Barbarian movie with Schwarzenegger is an under-appreciated masterpiece.

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Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Please show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic Free Download

ATOM RPG - is a post-apocalyptic indie video game, inspired by classic CRPGs: Fallout, System Shock, Deus Ex, Baldur's Gate and many others. In 1986 both the Soviet Union and the Western Bloc were destroyed.

Project ATOM is a post-apocalyptic indie game, inspired by classic CRPGs: Fallout, System Shock, Deus Ex, Baldur's Gate and many others.In 1986 both the Soviet Union and the Western Bloc were destroyed in mutual nuclear bombings. You are one of the survivors of the nuclear Holocaust. Your mission - to explore the wild and wondrous world of the Soviet Wasteland. To earn your place under the sun. And to investigate a shadowy conspiracy, aimed at destroying all that is left of life on Earth. You are a member of the society called ATOM.

..:: Purchase the game here and support the developers ::..

1. FEATURES OF THE GAME

• Random Encounters with the dwellers of the old Wasteland both friendly and dangerous plus all at the same time.
• Even the smallest tasks in the game can lead to a big and intricate side story, Open some details about the world.
• Featuring: ATOM is a Powerful Character Creation tool, aimed at making the Wasteland hero you want to Portray.
• Numerous Encounters plus Side missions, hidden adventure-like Puzzles & Secrets scattered around the Wastes.
• Balanced roleplaying system inspired by GURPS & Each Stat combination provides a Unique Gaming Experience.

Game is updated to latest version

2. GAMEPLAY AND SCREENSHOTS

3. DOWNLOAD GAME:

♢ Click or choose only one button below to download this game.
♢ View detailed instructions for downloading and installing the game here.
♢ Use 7-Zip to extract RAR, ZIP and ISO files. Install PowerISO to mount DAA files.

ATOM RPG DOWNLOAD LINKS

      

PASSWORD FOR THE GAME

Unlock with password: pcgamesrealm

4. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS GAME

➤ Download the game by clicking on the button link provided above.

➤ Download the game on the host site and turn off your Antivirus or Windows Defender to avoid errors.

➤ When the download process is finished, locate or go to that file.

➤ Open and extract the file by using 7-Zip, and run the installer as admin then install the game on your PC.

➤ Once the installation is complete, run the game's exe as admin and you can now play the game.

➤ Congratulations! You can now play this game for free on your PC.

➤ Note: If you like this video game, please buy it and support the developers of this game.

Turn off or temporarily disable your Antivirus or Windows Defender to avoid false positive detections.

5. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
(Your PC must at least have the equivalent or higher specs in order to run this game.)

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 | 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz, AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHz  or faster
• Memory: at least 2GB System RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 6GB free HDD Space
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 or faster graphics for better gaming experience

Supported Language: English and Russian language are available and supported for this video game.
If you have any questions or encountered broken links, please do not hesitate to comment below. :D

And I'm Still Losing...

What's going on everyone!?

Today for the #2019gameaday challenge my lovely wife, beautiful daughter and I played a game of Hero Realms with the Wizard, Thief and Ranger expansions. 

Unfortunately, I still cant post pictures unless they're screenshots because there is an error with the blogger app but rest assured I really did lose, lol!

Trinity ended up killing me and doing a great job as usual but this time Sam ended up finishing her off before she could regain any health and take her mother out as well.

As always, thank you for reading and don't forget to stop and smell the meeples! :)

-Tim

Tottenham Vs RB Leipzig Live Stream: How To Watch Champions League 2020 Football Online From Anywhere - TechRadar

Tottenham vs RB Leipzig live stream: how to watch Champions League 2020 football online from anywhere

God I Love Subquark Games!

Whats going  on everyone!?

Today for the #2019gameaday challenge I grabbed one of my favorite GOTG games, Mint Tin Pirates from one of my all time favorite game publishers, Subquark Games!

Of course my lovely wife won the game but that doesn't make this game any less enjoyable. 

I can honestly say that I have grown to expect to have their line of games with me wherever I go. By far my favorite games for travel and nearly a must!

As always, thank you for reading and don't forget to stop and smell the meeples! :)

-Tim

Swabbing The Austro-Hungarian Poop Deck

Work continues on the Aeronef. The decks got their base coat and wash, and I managed to paint the highlights on five of them.

I also took one to completion, it got its funnel, turrets, windows and colors done up. Like I said before, I'm not looking to go overboard with these. Just a serviceable, table-top paint job.

DreamHack

Attention All!

ProjectMQ is hosting the Indie Game Arcade at DreamHack Atlanta on July 21st-23rd.

DreamHack https://twitter.com/DreamHack originally began in Sweden, and is now the world's largest digital festival for eSports and digital art. DreamHack is partnering with Pharaoh's Conclave, a macro and micro connector of the eSports ecosystem. Pharoah's Conclave is also hosting the Georgia Highschool eSports Invitational at this event. DreamHack and Pharaoh's conclave expect between 18,000 and 24,000 attendees this weekend.

Press release featuring Collegiate Grudge Matches and DreamHack Atlanta event details: https://atlanta.dreamhack.com/17/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DreamHack.CollegiateMatches.FINAL_.7.10.17.pdf

You will save 20% off your choices of DreamHack Atlanta tickets (Day passes: $20; three-day weekend passes: $45) with promo code: KENNESAW.

The CGDD program has 10 free tickets for student volunteers in exchange for tending to our booth. Time commitment: 5 hours over three days.

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Rongkai Guo or Kyla Craven ASAP!  First come, first serve.

Brave Browser voted the best privacy-focused product of 2019

Out of all the privacy-focused products and apps available on the market, Brave has been voted the best. Other winners of Product Hunt's Golden Kitty awards showed that there was a huge interest in privacy-enhancing products and apps such as chats, maps, and other collaboration tools.

An extremely productive year for Brave

Last year has been a pivotal one for the crypto industry, but few companies managed to see the kind of success Brave did. Almost every day of the year has been packed witch action, as the company managed to officially launch its browser, get its Basic Attention Token out, and onboard hundreds of thousands of verified publishers on its rewards platform.

Luckily, the effort Brave has been putting into its product hasn't gone unnoticed.

The company's revolutionary browser has been voted the best privacy-focused product of 2019, for which it received a Golden Kitty award. The awards, hosted by Product Hunt, were given to the most popular products across 23 different product categories.

Ryan Hoover, the founder of Product Hunt said:

"Our annual Golden Kitty awards celebrate all the great products that makers have launched throughout the year"

Brave's win is important for the company—with this year seeing the most user votes ever, it's a clear indicator of the browser's rapidly rising popularity.

Privacy and blockchain are the strongest forces in tech right now

If reaching 10 million monthly active users in December was Brave's crown achievement, then the Product Hunt award was the cherry on top.

The recognition Brave got from Product Hunt users shows that a market for privacy-focused apps is thriving. All of the apps and products that got a Golden Kitty award from Product Hunt users focused heavily on data protection. Everything from automatic investment apps and remote collaboration tools to smart home products emphasized their privacy.

AI and machine learning rose as another note-worthy trend, but blockchain seemed to be the most dominating force in app development. Blockchain-based messaging apps and maps were hugely popular with Product Hunt users, who seem to value innovation and security.

For those users, Brave is a perfect platform. The company's research and development team has recently debuted its privacy-preserving distributed VPN, which could potentially bring even more security to the user than its already existing Tor extension.

Brave's effort to revolutionize the advertising industry has also been recognized by some of the biggest names in publishing—major publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, NDTV, NPR, and Qz have all joined the platform. Some of the highest-ranking websites in the world, including Wikipedia, WikiHow, Vimeo, Internet Archive, and DuckDuckGo, are also among Brave's 390,000 verified publishers.

Earn Basic Attention Token (BAT) with Brave Web Browser

Try Brave Browser

Get $5 in free BAT to donate to the websites of your choice.