PHP as a MUD engine?

Yes, I know this sounds crazy, but think about it. I've often pondered the feasibility of using PHP as a MUD engine. While it would probably not run nearly as fast as something implemented in C/C++, it would have a lot of flexibility: - Changes to the common code wouldn't neccessarily have to require a restart of the MUD engine but could be implemented on-the-fly. - Rooms, characters, items, etc. could use all the power of PHP's scripting language. This means you can a complex scripting language for them. - We get PHP's flexibility with dealing with strings, etc. - We don't have to worry about malloc() and free() in C -- less potential memory leaks. The biggest issue would be maintaining security, as using PHP to handle room scripts means that anyone who builds for the MUD would be able to run PHP code on the server. You can only imagine what would happen if someone put an exit; in their script, or if the script had errors in syntax. I personally don't yet have the time to undertake such a project (I'm working on the Venura Message Board (= a message board & user/character database driven in PHP, intended for use for freeform roleplaying games that are run via a message board system -- see http://dewin.oldbattery.com/venura/ )), but I am interested to see what people think. - Daniel Grace <http://dewin.oldbattery.com/> "Space may be the final frontier but its made in a Hollywood basement." - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication