RIGGER & TRIGGER TOYS AND GAMES

INSECTARIUM

The Great Cabinets of Entomology

Build one of the great scientific insect collections in history.

Collect remarkable specimens, prepare them for study, determine their identity, catalogue them into organized cabinets, exchange knowledge with other naturalists, and protect your growing collection from damage, missing records, and decay.

INSECTARIUM is a competitive card game inspired by the work of early naturalists, museum founders, collectors, taxonomists, and curators.

INSECTARIUM is a competitive museum card game featuring real insect species, professional macro photography, and fast, accessible gameplay.

We are now preparing physical card samples and the first playable prototypes.

Our goal is to fund the first production run of 1,000 copies, allowing INSECTARIUM to become a professionally manufactured card game.

Funding Goal: $18,000

Status: Now Funding

Raised so far: $0 / $18,000

░░░░░░░░░░ 0%

 

Production: IVORY GRAPHICS (Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom)

www.ivory.co.uk

Funding Goal: $18,000 CAD

Photos (ALEX WILD PHOTOPGRAPHY)

www.alexanderwild.com

Manufacture (IVORY GRAPHICS UK)

www.ivory.co.uk

Prototype Photography Notice

The specimen images shown in the current prototype are temporary demonstration photographs used during development.

These images have been sourced from Wikimedia Commons to illustrate the layout, card design, and overall presentation of the game.

The planned commercial edition of INSECTARIUM is intended to feature professionally licensed specimen photography.

Species in sample photos may not be actual species.

Image credits and sources for the prototype photographs are listed below.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leafcutter_ant_cuts_leaf.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leaf-Cutter_Ant_Soldier_(3976781466).jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acromyrmex_ant.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blattschneiderameise_(Atta)_04.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acromyrmex_octospinosus.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soldada_de_Atta_laevigata.jpg

 

 

Development Update

INSECTARIUM is currently in active development and playtesting.

As prototype cards are completed, we continue to run playthroughs, evaluate game balance, refine the rules, and adjust card effects to improve the overall experience.

The card designs shown here represent the current direction of the project. Rules, gameplay, card quantities, and component details may continue to evolve as testing progresses and new ideas are explored.

Our goal is to create a game that is enjoyable, easy to learn, rewarding to master, and faithful to the spirit of building a scientific insect collection.

Build a Collection That Lasts

Every specimen begins as newly collected material.

Before it can enter your permanent collection, it must pass through the full work of the naturalist:

Collect • Prepare • Determine • Catalogue • Preserve

Complete Cabinet Studies by assembling distinct, properly catalogued specimens from the same insect group.

The first player to complete two Cabinet Studies establishes the leading collection and wins the game.

Scientific Rivalry

Players may organize expeditions, consult reference collections, exchange specimens, request comparisons, improve their preparation methods, and install protective museum storage.

Collection Hazards may disrupt unfinished work through damaged specimens, incomplete records, misplaced labels, incorrect determinations, and poor preservation.

Success depends on careful planning, scientific cooperation, and knowing which specimens belong in your collection.

The Specimens

The game features striking insect photography presented as individual museum specimens.

Each card includes the specimen’s common name, scientific name, family, collection locality, and catalogue number.

The specimens are not merely illustrations. They are the centre of the game.

Planned Game Details

  • Competitive museum card game
  • 2–3 players
  • Approximately 30-45 minutes
  • 114 cards planned
  • Twelve insect Cabinet Studies
  • Historically inspired museum and natural-history presentation
  • Photography by Alex Wild planned for the specimen collection

Planned Components

The current page shows six sample Specimen Cards and one example of each major card type.

The planned complete game will contain:

  • 72 Specimen Cards
  • 12 Cabinet Study Cards
  • 6 Field Expedition Cards
  • 6 Scientific Correspondence Cards
  • 6 Museum Grant Cards
  • 3 Specimen Preparation Cards
  • 3 Reference Collection Cards
  • 3 Collection Preservation Cards
  • 3 Collection Hazard Cards
  • 114 cards total

The final deck is planned to feature twelve insect collections, with six distinct specimens represented in each collection.

Currently in Development

The first complete card designs are now being prepared, including the Leafcutter Ant specimen series and one sample of every major card type.

The initial playable prototype will contain 48 cards and will be used to test collection building, specimen availability, player interaction, game length, and cabinet completion before the full 114-card edition is finalized.

Collect the specimens.

Prepare the collection.

Establish the record.

Build an insect museum that will outlive its founder.

INSECTARIUM — Production Supporter — $25 CAD

INSECTARIUM — Museum Builder — $50 CAD

INSECTARIUM — First Edition Patron — $100 CAD

INSECTARIUM — Founding Curator — $250 CAD

INSECTARIUM — Collection Benefactor — $500 CAD

INSECTARIUM — Custom Production Support