BuddyPress.org

I’m beginning research on how to come up with a new social network for a client. I’ve used buddypress before (which was a big success) and now am in a position to use it again.

The issue I’m having has to do with the social network requiring multi-level users each with access only to communicate / view the info of users their level or below. At the very least it would need to offer a way to have 3 separate but equal user-types that can only interact with users of the other user-types in specific ways. Etc: User-Type 1 can only message people of User-Type 1 or User-Type 2. User-Type 3 can message everyone but no one can message them first.

Also, I’d need to make it so users can sign up for the three different roles on different pages. One page for User-Type#1 to register, a separate page for User-Type#2 to register, and a third for User-Type#3 to register.

I was thinking it might be possible by installing three different copies of BP on my server, and linking them all to the same database. Each copy of BP could be customized (both graphics-wise and settings-wise) to allow and disallow viewing profiles etc.

Has anyone tried anything similar to this? Can anyone think of a better way to manage this? I know its a vague problem but I certainly appreciate any advice.