Corkboards & Curiosities

There's a vast range of tabletop roleplaying games out there, across a multitude of genres! But the hardest part is always reading up on the rules, getting an adventure together and then getting a group of people to play -and teach- at the same time. Here at System Hoppers we endeavour to put ourselves through the process as often as we can for your amusement! Join us each episode as we try to play as many games as possible and teach you anything you need to know as well! Some fun, some scary, some vastly different - But all to show you just how fun Tabletop Roleplaying Games can be! Links spotify.com - Spotify feed youtube.com - Youtube channel ko-fi.com - Ko-Fi page discord.gg - Discord server

In the world of tabletop gaming, there is one system that towers above all others. Whether you are a veteran of the hobby or just getting into it, you are aware of the elephant in the room. As the hobby evolves with new rulesets and indie titles, we dived deep into the numbers we are seeing on Groupfinder. Based on the currently active posts on Groupfinder, which comes down to 1560 active players and 688 active groups, here are some numbers that better describe the current landscape. /images/general-media/1775486691_3CWZADDB.pngThe current active posts on Groupfinder, as of April 6, 2026. You can see the live numbers here. The dominance of D&D It will come as no surprise to most of us, that Dungeons & Dragons remains as the dominant force in the hobby space. And while some of us (generally veterans who have played for a long period of time) feel like D&D has outlived itself and is losing to the newer titles. The numbers tell another story: Groups: ~60% of all the groups currently looking for players are for Dungeons and Dragons, either 5.5E, 5E or some previous edition. Players: If groups are over half, then the player side is even steeper. As 90% of all player posts on Groupfinder are looking for a D&D game. While many players are also open to playing other game systems, the vast majority still treats D&D as their go-to system. Looking to start your TTRPG hobby journey? It seems like you should find a dungeons and dragons group first. Beyond just D&D An encouraging trend we can see from our data, is the players' willingness to experiment and also try something else. While 90% of the players are looking to play D&D, they aren't only looking for a D&D group. When we exclude Dungeons & Dragons from the statistics, we can draw a clear "Top 5" of adjacent systems. Based on the currently active posts in April 2026, these are the most popular systems on Groupfinder right now: Pathfinder 1 & Pathfinder 2 combined Daggerheart Call of Cthulhu Vampire: The Masquerade Cyberpunk RED /images/general-media/1775485987_rve3K01J.pngCurrently popular systems (players and groups combined) The Groupfinder Library We believe that exposing players to alternative systems will keep the hobby-space fresh and thriving. This is why we have created the Groupfinder Library - an all-encompassing collection of various resources: Tools, Platforms, Creators, Communities and Game systems. We are hoping that players looking for a D&D game, might stumble upon some other game system in the library and discover that the hobby isn't just Dungeons & Dragons. Perhaps their journey won't have a traditional start and their first game is something else entirely. By lowering the barrier to entry for non-D&D systems, we hope to make the hobby more diverse and vibrant for everyone. 10.04.2026 Edit: The library is now live - read more about it in our Update log. Are you already part of the data? Whether you are a DM looking for a party or a player looking for a home, your voice helps us understand where the hobby is going. Looking for a game? Browse the player profiles and let DMs find you. Looking for players? Take a look at all the groups looking for players and start your next adventure. What is Groupfinder? Groupfinder is a free global tabletop gaming "looking for group/players" matchmaking platform. The platform's growing userbase is a clear indication of a need for such an unifying place.  Read more about the platform here.

FreeVTT is a browser-based virtual tabletop (VTT) application designed to facilitate the play of tabletop role-playing games. Positioned as an accessible alternative to subscription-based platforms, FreeVTT operates entirely free of charge and requires no user registration. The platform is built with a focus on user privacy and local data management, utilizing the user's device for storage rather than centralized cloud servers. It provides a suite of essential digital tabletop utilities, including map rendering, token manipulation, and combat tracking, without implementing premium feature tiers. Description FreeVTT functions as a digital tabletop environment intended for both remote and in-person game sessions. In contrast to many prominent VTT platforms that mandate account creation and rely on external servers to host campaigns, FreeVTT functions entirely within the local cache of the user's web browser. This architectural choice ensures that no user data is collected or transmitted, enabling immediate gameplay without a login process. Furthermore, the application integrates open-license rule systems directly into its interface, providing accessible compendiums for the 2014 and 2024 editions of Dungeons & Dragons 5e, alongside Pathfinder Second Edition. System Overview & Key Features Local Storage Architecture The platform is engineered on a strict "privacy-first" framework. All campaign data—including imported maps, custom tokens, and character statistics—is saved locally to the user's specific device. This design eliminates the necessity for cloud storage, user accounts, or persistent internet connections to access previously prepared game materials. Map and Grid Management Game Masters possess the ability to upload custom image files to serve as digital battleground maps. The application includes integrated tools to overlay and align customizable grids onto these images, facilitating precise distance measurement and token movement during tactical combat encounters. Dynamic Lighting FreeVTT incorporates dynamic lighting capabilities, a feature frequently restricted to paid premium tiers on competing virtual tabletops. This mechanic allows Game Masters to establish line-of-sight restrictions and simulate realistic environmental lighting based on token positioning and physical barriers on the map. Integrated Combat Tracking The software provides built-in utilities for the management of combat sequences. This includes a digital dice roller, an automated initiative tracker to govern turn order, and individual token overlays that allow users to monitor essential character statistics such as Hit Points (HP) and Armor Class (AC) in real time. Open License Compendiums To expedite game preparation, FreeVTT natively integrates System Reference Document (SRD) content for prominent role-playing systems. Users can directly reference rules, bestiaries, and items from the Dungeons & Dragons 5e Creative Commons SRDs (both 2014 and 2024 iterations), as well as content published under the Pathfinder 2E Open RPG Creative (ORC) License. Campaign Export and Import Because the application strictly utilizes local browser storage, campaigns do not automatically synchronize across multiple devices. To address this, FreeVTT includes robust export and import functions. Users can package their entire campaign database into a single downloadable file, which can then be manually transferred and uploaded to a different device or web browser. Additional links freevtt.com - Official application portal