   can MySQL and PHP  be used for game programming
  I plan to do a learning project over the summer, and my instructor/teacher says I should probably learn MySQL and PHP.  Can either of these be used for programming games.  He told me that PHP was used for making dynamic webpages, so I doubt it can be used to make 2d games, like the Legend of Zelda crud, but I may be wrong. Thanks!   
  SQL can be an important part of programing so it always good to learn.  As for PHP becuase the code is ran on the server side it waits for a user to do something before it does something else.  You could do a game with SQL/PHP/&#106avascript.  Is learning PHP a good idea, sure, if you don't know any programing then it will teach you some of the basics.  theTroll   ;  As TheTroll mentioned PHP is run server-side, so if you want to make something like Zelda you will need that runs on the client. For example java or flash to name a few.You can however use PHP to make other types of games, turn-based games work really well with server-side code.As for MySQL it's useful for any type of system which is data-driven, so always a plus to know.   ;  I think MySQL is a very good thing to learn, PHP is also not bad but i think if you want to programm games you should take a language like PureBasic or DarkBasic.PS:I've started Programming wit PureBasic then switched to PHP and MySQL and in the end I'm programming in C++ now.hf by learning ;)   ;  Absolutely PHP can be used to make games!!You can find a link to a pretty cool online RPG Here.It's a remake of the classic BBS game "Legend of The Red Dragon" (LoRD).Edit: Make sure to switch to the Yarbrough skin.  The jade skin looks like crap IMO.Cheers!   ;  PHP Can do even more than Web based applications it can even be used as the backend for a downloadable client. You are just required to learn a bit more. Like this MMO for example: www.thereunion.de (Which is a remake of the old Net-Diaspora that died off a few years ago, and is actually a decent game.)   ;  You can create games in flash which uses extern php files for storing data in mysql and the other way around, using flash to show data from a database.   ;This book seems relevant to your question.   ;  You can make the server-side of transactional games in PHP. You generally cannot make interactive games in (only) PHP. If you want to make games like the old Zelda, I suggest learning Python, and using the PyGame framework instead.However, knowing PHP and SQL is, in general, a great skill to have -- it's just not the right skill if all you want to do is make games.   ;Quote:Original post by mercuriumThis book seems relevant to your question.Yup I have that book and yeah it shows you how to make some pretty cool games using PHP and MySQL but after doing so you'll be asking yourself who would really want to?It's as ugly as writing games in PERL,yeah it possible but like I said I'd rather use just about any other language if I had a choice!