I'm not SURE if this post belongs in this catagory so if it doesn't I won't be mad at you if its moved.

Ok I'm in the process of creating a informative RPG site. It will be something like the major ones for online roleplaying games. However I'm baffled at how they do a few things and I've searched around and haven't been able to find anything.

First, when they have multiple sites, network sites if you will.. as mine will have. How would I go about achieving a members database so that if they signed up for my site, they'd get a free email account along with their username and password that would work on all the network sites. What kind of script does this? Also, could it be made to create an account on and connect to a phpBB discussion board? I don't know much about php, cgi, or any other language. I can usually stumble my way through something but this I've not been able to figure out. Perhaps there is a whole system out there that can completely control the whole site and network sites. I don't know. If you know of one let me know. I thought about using one of the many PHP nuke clones or phpnuke itself but it doesn't seem like it could get done what I need done.

Secondly, what news posting script out there, php ran, with database could use one program to post different information for each site, each site with its own info in the database, and the main site pull all the posted information from all sites and post it up.

Will someone tell this very confused lady how to go about doing this massive project? Its a personal project and I am broke so I can't pay a lot, if anything.

Hi cvan,

I do not know of any script that allows you to create e-mail addresses across an entire network of domains. However, I know of many that will allow users to create one account on one domain. I do not think that there is any script available that will tie e-mail accounts to a phpBB forum either. Why not simply allow users to sign up separately for an e-mail and a message board account?

In addition, I don't believe that there is any news posting script that will retrieve information from websites, since such scripts are not high in demand. These PHP scripts would have to be custom coded.

I would say that such a massive project would cost you in excess of $1000 a year. I definitely do not recommend that you embark on this if your budget is low.

actually the network sites are just subdomains of the first site, so its not multiple domains. as far as the email thing basically they create a username and that is their username for the site and the board but they ALSO get an email address with their username. I think ivillage has or had something like this.

so far its only costing me six dollars and fifty cents a month... I usually use free scripts but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to lay out the site and what scripts to use. There is just a massive amount of information and news to be contained on this site. I don't work so I could very well spend all day gathering up info and news.

the only problem i'm having is designing the thing.

Usually domains are hosted from behind a firewall where they are privately networked. This allows network admins to send data over certain ports internally but have those ports closed to the outside. I think thats what you were hitting on with the subdomains. This is how you could have two domains with a shared database. Not to mention that freesql.org offers mysql hosting on an actual domain name (freesql.org) instead of on localhost, allowing any server to access their databases as long as it supplies a valid user/pass.
-dk