Trapped Chest
Trapped Chest is a Canadian based company that is owned and operated by Jed Doerksen, focusing on the development and publication of tabletop games.
www.TrappedChest.com
- If you are considering manufacturing your own board game, you may want to check out my latest blog post where I go over the reality of self manufacturing Essence of the Arcane in Canada. #tabletopgames #BoardGames #indiegames #indiedev #spotlight www.trappedchest.com/2026/02/02/d...
- Reposted by Trapped Chest[Not loaded yet]
- Recently the Manitoba Board Game Designers got an overhaul to the official website, which added a store locator map, so you can find stores selling Manitoba made games, like Go Beyond Games, Victory Pints Games, GameKnight Games and A Muse N Games #tabletopgames #indiedev #manitoba #supportlocal
- Reposted by Trapped Chest[Not loaded yet]
- Forgot to take a picture of the big stack before packing it up, but we are in a good position for release on Friday at Game-itoba Tabletop Games Convention #essenceofthearcane #boardgames #indiedev
- 200 player aid cards. The corner rounder did it's job and my arm is sore. Release is next Friday at #Gameitoba #essenceofthearcane #boardgames #tabletopgames #indiedev #spotlight
- The final prototype for Essence of the Arcane. It will release on Jan 23 at Game-itoba Tabletop Games Convention #indiedev #Gameitoba #spotlight #tabletopgames #boardgames #bgg
- You need to market your games to get sales, but if you spend all your time marketing you won't have time to get the games made, which means you have nothing to market. You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. -Bart Simpson #indiedev #tabletop #boardgames #ttrpgs
- Cracked glass for Essence of the Arcane. It will release at Game-itoba in a few weeks. #indiedev #boardgame #spotlight #madeincanada
- First day back to work after 12 days off. It was hard to wake up this morning. #backtowork #mondays
- I spent the last 2 days attempting to learn XML and LUA, so I could get The Nullam Project & Reanimated in Fantasy Grounds and I think it's time to accept that I am not a programmer. I want VTT support for my games, but my brain is not wired for code. #ttrpg #indiedev #coding #fantasygrounds #vtt
- I have been a forever GM for decades and I have never sprung a mimic on my players, and yet they are still paranoid. The damage caused by sadistic old school GMs lingers.
- I don't do Christmas, but I always have the week between Christmas and New Year off from my day job, so for the next few days I will be catching up on all the stuff that I have been falling behind on all year.
- The #BGG listing for Essence of the Arcane is finally up and the release date is only a month out. It will be for sale at Game-itoba in Winnipeg if you want to be the first to get it. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/46... #indiedev #boardgame #spotlight #tabletop
- Essence of the Arcane has a UPC now. I guess this means it's official. Manufacturing will start over xmas and release is happening the third weekend of January. #indiedev #boardgames
- There are few things as frustrating as having a great idea and then as soon as you sit down to put it on paper your brain just shuts off.
- 100% this! Victory does not mean killing the monster, it means completing the goal. Sometimes there are creative ways of doing things and that just makes for an interesting narrative.
- I have been considering hosting a game jam with cash prizes for the best entries. January seems like the best time, but I have a small con to attend and I am ramping up for a board game release, so I don't have the time. #ttrpg #boardgames #indiedev #gamejam
- Having a hobby other than game design is something I suggest every developer look into. Sometimes you need to switch it up and hobby #2 helps with that. I brew mead, because alcohol helps keep those pesky brain cells in line. #indiedev #brewing #mead #gamedesign #hobby
- My next appearance will be at Game-itoba in Winnipeg, January 23-25. I am planning on going to more than ever this year and branching out from Manitoba.
- If you do it right the first time you won't need to fix it later. Cutting corners may save time now, but it will cost time later.
- Have we gotten to the point where charisma can just be dropped from system design? Reducing a social interaction to a dice roll always seemed counterintuitive and felt like taking the role playing out of role playing games. #ttrpg #indiedev #dnd #gamedesign
- Reposted by Trapped Chest[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Trapped Chest[Not loaded yet]
- We are often told to think outside the box, but sometimes you should stay inside the box. Giving yourself a strict limit instead of a massive playground will force you to optimize. #indiedev #gamedesign #tabletop
- Design tip: When giving the player multiple choices, consider why they would choose each one. If one choice is clearly the "correct" choice, it's not really a choice. #indiedev #gamedesign #balance
- I have been considering hosting an RPG game jam with cash prizes for the best entries, but I currently don't have the reach and engagement to make it viable. #gamejam #indiedev #ttrpg #tabletop #socialmedia
- There are a great many tasks that I plan to get to eventually, but life keeps getting in the way and other things take priority. There is the idea that I will get to these things the next time I have a day off, but the more I look at it the more I realize a single day off is not nearly enough.
