Looks like the software end of things is a fair bit more complex, even to get the basic framework down, than we at first assumed. That's also made more significant by that neither Novak nor I have done any graphics programming before. I volunteered for some support code once the hardware was done, but he's been busy advancing his OpenGL knowledge from "literally nothing" to "a functional multiplayer game" as fast as possible - which isn't fast enough for the project deadline.
Maybe we should have just built a RPi-powered 3D printer that assembles pop culture references by sticking Arduinos together.