Unique Presentation Identifier:
70
Program Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Mrs. Becky Cunningham, Dr. Robin Ghosh
Document Type
Presentation
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
9-4-2026 11:40 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 12:10 PM
Abstract
Designed to address the lack of free, accessible, and feature-complete online Dungeons & Dragons gameplay platforms, Tavern Table gives users the ability to create or participate in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns online via peer-to-peer multiplayer. This platform is targeted primarily for two sets of users: Dungeon Masters (the game masters), who will be creating and hosting campaigns for players to participate in, and the players participating in said campaigns. We chose the Unity Real-Time Development Platform to develop Tavern Table as it was a free and effective platform that supported 2D game development as well as peer-to-peer multiplayer. To create assets for the project (buildings, terrain, UI), we used the Procreate app due to its accessibility to the team as well as prior usage experience. The system uses a decentralized peer-to-peer architecture, eliminating the need for centralized servers. Built in Unity, it leverages Multiplayer Services for direct client synchronization of game state. The execution is fully client-side, with session size limited to ensure performance and stability. The system encrypts the map data by converting it to sectioned and organized data, making it unreadable. The only way to read it is with an encryption key that is generated and shared to all client devices connected to a session. The platform allows users to host or join online campaigns via peer-to-peer multiplayer connections, eliminating the need for third-party server hosting. It also supports creation and modification of maps and character sheets. The intended impact of the project is that more people can take part in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, regardless of distance or capability. While hosts can theoretically support as many players as their hardware and internet can handle, we’ve opted to cap the player count at six simultaneous connections.
Recommended Citation
Needham, Dustin; Avery, Kristen; Martin, Aidan; and Poindexter, Seth, "Tavern Table: A Peer-to-Peer Online Platform for Collaborative Dungeons & Dragons Campaigns" (2026). ATU Scholars Symposium. 34.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2026/2026/34
Included in
Tavern Table: A Peer-to-Peer Online Platform for Collaborative Dungeons & Dragons Campaigns
Face-to-face
Designed to address the lack of free, accessible, and feature-complete online Dungeons & Dragons gameplay platforms, Tavern Table gives users the ability to create or participate in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns online via peer-to-peer multiplayer. This platform is targeted primarily for two sets of users: Dungeon Masters (the game masters), who will be creating and hosting campaigns for players to participate in, and the players participating in said campaigns. We chose the Unity Real-Time Development Platform to develop Tavern Table as it was a free and effective platform that supported 2D game development as well as peer-to-peer multiplayer. To create assets for the project (buildings, terrain, UI), we used the Procreate app due to its accessibility to the team as well as prior usage experience. The system uses a decentralized peer-to-peer architecture, eliminating the need for centralized servers. Built in Unity, it leverages Multiplayer Services for direct client synchronization of game state. The execution is fully client-side, with session size limited to ensure performance and stability. The system encrypts the map data by converting it to sectioned and organized data, making it unreadable. The only way to read it is with an encryption key that is generated and shared to all client devices connected to a session. The platform allows users to host or join online campaigns via peer-to-peer multiplayer connections, eliminating the need for third-party server hosting. It also supports creation and modification of maps and character sheets. The intended impact of the project is that more people can take part in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, regardless of distance or capability. While hosts can theoretically support as many players as their hardware and internet can handle, we’ve opted to cap the player count at six simultaneous connections.