Socket server with PHP for gaming?

[Frenchy]

I'm interested in setting up my own socket server for multiplayer flash games using PHP/Apache. I have intermediate experience with actionscript, limited knowledge of PHP and Apache, and I want to know if anyone has suggestions as to where to start. Is there an easier or better (perhaps non-commercial) solution out there than just coding my own? And does anyone know if PHP is ideal for real-time multiplayer games?

[BernzSed]

On the Flash side, you will be using the XMLSocket class. Look it up in LiveDocs.


As for PHP...

I tried to do something similar a while back, and I learned something:
PHP is NOT very good with sockets.
PHP can deal with sockets, but it wasn't made to. Your best bet would be to use a language which can handle multiple threads, like Java.


Though, if you insist on using PHP, I could point you to one of the online resources I used:
http://www.phpfreaks.com/tutorials/50/0.php
I could also dig up some of my old code for you, but I won't guarantee that it works.

[jsebrech]

I agree, you're better off looking towards java, because it was actually designed for things like being a socket server, whereas PHP is just not meant to do that (even if you can force it to).

[Frenchy]

Java, huh? Good thing I'm learning it. I know it's platform independant too, so that's good. Too bad I'm not a big fan. I guess it's one of those necessary evils. But, I might just get flamed for saying so in this forum. Good thing I LOVE flash, eh? Anyway, thanks for the replies. At least I know where to start so I'm not wasting my time with something that won't really work anyway.

[CyanBlue]

Howdy and Welcome... :)

How about using a ready-made ones like ElectroServer or Unity???
http://www.electrotank.com/electroserver/
http://www.moock.org/unity/

[Frenchy]

How about using a ready-made ones like ElectroServer or Unity???

My only problem is money and the lack thereof. I've seen some pretty sweet ready-made socket servers that would make life easy could I afford them. So, I've decided I can at least learn from attempting my own socket server.

[BernzSed]

I remember hearing about a Java socket server for Flash.

Here:
http://www.gotoandplay.it/_articles/multiplayerCentral/

Check that out, see if you can use it.

[CyanBlue]

There is(was) a free one called patServer which has stopped development... If you are interested in that...
http://www.php-tools.net/site.php?&PHPSESSID=152cd5c026dc3e4e07a028e1d1fa62a1&file=/misc/patServer.xml

[SilverVenom]

I made a very simple version to move a movie clip on another computer with perl. But if you want a premade script/server/admin tools etc. then take a look at: http://www.smartfoxserver.com/