Practical Tim
@practicalpeng.bsky.social
Tim Mierzejewski: Board game designer (Aetherspire), web dev, not a penguin. My game design portfolio: https://mierz.carrd.co/
Reposted by Practical Tim
I think a lot board gamers underestimate the depth of light games and overestimate the depth of heavy games. More moving parts does not necessarily mean a game has more strategy. It often just means there's more noisiness obscuring the impact of your decisions.
February 17, 2026 at 6:27 PM
I think a lot board gamers underestimate the depth of light games and overestimate the depth of heavy games. More moving parts does not necessarily mean a game has more strategy. It often just means there's more noisiness obscuring the impact of your decisions.
Glotrot and Mumble mouth. I have no tongue in my head, but I've got plenty on my left hand. Gross. #cavesofqud
February 17, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Glotrot and Mumble mouth. I have no tongue in my head, but I've got plenty on my left hand. Gross. #cavesofqud
Flavor text is not Terraforming Mars’s strong point
February 14, 2026 at 1:52 AM
Flavor text is not Terraforming Mars’s strong point
Between the base game, Hellas and Elysium, do you have a preferred Terraforming Mars board?
February 13, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Between the base game, Hellas and Elysium, do you have a preferred Terraforming Mars board?
Quite busy, but a first draft for the thumbnail for my upcoming video on the history of cooperative games.
February 12, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Quite busy, but a first draft for the thumbnail for my upcoming video on the history of cooperative games.
I’ve got some research material for cooperative games of the 1970s!
February 11, 2026 at 5:59 PM
I’ve got some research material for cooperative games of the 1970s!
What's a tabletop game you haven't played for a decade-plus, but would jump on the chance if someone offered right now?
For me, it's Vlaada Chvatil's Graenaland. Haven't played since 2015, but it's like Catan with armies and an interesting resource allocation mechanism.
For me, it's Vlaada Chvatil's Graenaland. Haven't played since 2015, but it's like Catan with armies and an interesting resource allocation mechanism.
February 10, 2026 at 6:59 PM
What's a tabletop game you haven't played for a decade-plus, but would jump on the chance if someone offered right now?
For me, it's Vlaada Chvatil's Graenaland. Haven't played since 2015, but it's like Catan with armies and an interesting resource allocation mechanism.
For me, it's Vlaada Chvatil's Graenaland. Haven't played since 2015, but it's like Catan with armies and an interesting resource allocation mechanism.
Aww, bummed that Njoku is leaving Cleveland. Maybe he felt overshadowed by Fannin, maybe he's upset about the coaching change, who knows, but he was always a great talent and a strong positive personality.
February 10, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Aww, bummed that Njoku is leaving Cleveland. Maybe he felt overshadowed by Fannin, maybe he's upset about the coaching change, who knows, but he was always a great talent and a strong positive personality.
Reposted by Practical Tim
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
I don’t think they expected this to print in black and white.
February 8, 2026 at 4:31 PM
I don’t think they expected this to print in black and white.
I'm trying to find any Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) advertisements that promote the relatively-new-for-its-time coop mode. I'm not really finding much in print or TV ads that mention it, to my surprise. Does anyone know of any?
February 6, 2026 at 5:59 PM
I'm trying to find any Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) advertisements that promote the relatively-new-for-its-time coop mode. I'm not really finding much in print or TV ads that mention it, to my surprise. Does anyone know of any?
In LearnedLeague, I've come in the top 10% in 8 one-day quizzes.
4 musical:
Musical Instruments in Popular Culture
Satanic Music
Foreign Phrases in the Hot 100
Mondegreens
1 board game:
Just Images Board Game Money
And 3 weird:
Vanilla
Stop-Motion Animation
First Loser (write the 2nd best answer)
4 musical:
Musical Instruments in Popular Culture
Satanic Music
Foreign Phrases in the Hot 100
Mondegreens
1 board game:
Just Images Board Game Money
And 3 weird:
Vanilla
Stop-Motion Animation
First Loser (write the 2nd best answer)
February 5, 2026 at 6:11 PM
In LearnedLeague, I've come in the top 10% in 8 one-day quizzes.
4 musical:
Musical Instruments in Popular Culture
Satanic Music
Foreign Phrases in the Hot 100
Mondegreens
1 board game:
Just Images Board Game Money
And 3 weird:
Vanilla
Stop-Motion Animation
First Loser (write the 2nd best answer)
4 musical:
Musical Instruments in Popular Culture
Satanic Music
Foreign Phrases in the Hot 100
Mondegreens
1 board game:
Just Images Board Game Money
And 3 weird:
Vanilla
Stop-Motion Animation
First Loser (write the 2nd best answer)
Watching the pilot for 1971's Split Second and IS THAT SHAG CARPETING ON THE WALL
February 4, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Watching the pilot for 1971's Split Second and IS THAT SHAG CARPETING ON THE WALL
My top 20* MST3Ks:
Pod People (S3)
Manos: The Hands of Fate (S4)
The Day the Earth Froze (S4)
I Accuse My Parents (S5)
Mitchell (S5)
Santa Claus (S6)
Red Zone Cuba (S6)
Escape 2000 (S7)
Parts: the Clonus Horror (S8)
Jack Frost (S8)
Pod People (S3)
Manos: The Hands of Fate (S4)
The Day the Earth Froze (S4)
I Accuse My Parents (S5)
Mitchell (S5)
Santa Claus (S6)
Red Zone Cuba (S6)
Escape 2000 (S7)
Parts: the Clonus Horror (S8)
Jack Frost (S8)
February 3, 2026 at 6:56 PM
My top 20* MST3Ks:
Pod People (S3)
Manos: The Hands of Fate (S4)
The Day the Earth Froze (S4)
I Accuse My Parents (S5)
Mitchell (S5)
Santa Claus (S6)
Red Zone Cuba (S6)
Escape 2000 (S7)
Parts: the Clonus Horror (S8)
Jack Frost (S8)
Pod People (S3)
Manos: The Hands of Fate (S4)
The Day the Earth Froze (S4)
I Accuse My Parents (S5)
Mitchell (S5)
Santa Claus (S6)
Red Zone Cuba (S6)
Escape 2000 (S7)
Parts: the Clonus Horror (S8)
Jack Frost (S8)
I got to play Sid Sackson's 1967 board game Bazaar this weekend with the kids. I have great respect for Sackson, and his forward-thinking design sensibility propelled the hobby in phenomenal ways.
But Bazaar was a total dud for us. Just an hour of doing the same trades over and over.
But Bazaar was a total dud for us. Just an hour of doing the same trades over and over.
February 3, 2026 at 3:13 PM
I got to play Sid Sackson's 1967 board game Bazaar this weekend with the kids. I have great respect for Sackson, and his forward-thinking design sensibility propelled the hobby in phenomenal ways.
But Bazaar was a total dud for us. Just an hour of doing the same trades over and over.
But Bazaar was a total dud for us. Just an hour of doing the same trades over and over.
Reposted by Practical Tim
I'll be making an ambitious 2+ hour video history of cooperative games, and I have various quotes from creators and publications I'd love other people to read out.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
January 27, 2026 at 9:15 PM
I'll be making an ambitious 2+ hour video history of cooperative games, and I have various quotes from creators and publications I'd love other people to read out.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
Reposted by Practical Tim
Busting out the big thermos of tea today
January 29, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Busting out the big thermos of tea today
Dinner is porkchops, applesauce and green beans. What should lunch be?
A: Fried chicken sandwich & fries
B: Salad
C: Carne molida
D: Stromboli
A: Fried chicken sandwich & fries
B: Salad
C: Carne molida
D: Stromboli
January 30, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Dinner is porkchops, applesauce and green beans. What should lunch be?
A: Fried chicken sandwich & fries
B: Salad
C: Carne molida
D: Stromboli
A: Fried chicken sandwich & fries
B: Salad
C: Carne molida
D: Stromboli
I'll be making an ambitious 2+ hour video history of cooperative games, and I have various quotes from creators and publications I'd love other people to read out.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
January 27, 2026 at 9:15 PM
I'll be making an ambitious 2+ hour video history of cooperative games, and I have various quotes from creators and publications I'd love other people to read out.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
If you want to voice a few sentences, reach out! I've got 8 parts that I'd love someone else to cover, to give people a break from me.
Watching a recent episode of Only Connect and Victoria emphasizes the last syllable of "Cincinnati BenGOHLS" in an amazing way. I might have to take that up as a personal affectation.
January 27, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Watching a recent episode of Only Connect and Victoria emphasizes the last syllable of "Cincinnati BenGOHLS" in an amazing way. I might have to take that up as a personal affectation.
I was gifted the original Clank Legacy for Christmas, and exactly one month later, we finished the campaign! (Sorta.) A lot of fun for everyone involved. And I became Employee of the Month!
January 26, 2026 at 6:14 PM
I was gifted the original Clank Legacy for Christmas, and exactly one month later, we finished the campaign! (Sorta.) A lot of fun for everyone involved. And I became Employee of the Month!
My 2025 board gaming in rapid-fire review: I talk about games for 1 second per play. Strap in! www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSb8...
Year in Review 2025 | Tim's Game Den
YouTube video by Tim Mierz
www.youtube.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:05 PM
My 2025 board gaming in rapid-fire review: I talk about games for 1 second per play. Strap in! www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSb8...
It wasn't until I got into the office that I realized that my shirt has a huge hole in the elbow, and now it's all I can think about. Awkwardly walking through the halls so that my elbow isn't exposed, bunching up my sleeve weird while sitting so that it's hidden, all that jazz.
January 23, 2026 at 2:29 PM
It wasn't until I got into the office that I realized that my shirt has a huge hole in the elbow, and now it's all I can think about. Awkwardly walking through the halls so that my elbow isn't exposed, bunching up my sleeve weird while sitting so that it's hidden, all that jazz.
"AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Microsoft Copilot". Well, at least they got it right that Copilot and Offensive belong together.
January 22, 2026 at 4:31 PM
"AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Microsoft Copilot". Well, at least they got it right that Copilot and Offensive belong together.
Salty Bloody Ham, that's what an angry old Brit exclaims when his breakfast sandwich is overseasoned
January 22, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Salty Bloody Ham, that's what an angry old Brit exclaims when his breakfast sandwich is overseasoned